Problem-based learning: the development of products aimed at the conservation of the Amazon parrot (Amazona rhodocorytha)

Abstract

The red-browed Amazon (Amazona rhodocorytha) is a bird of the order Psittaciformes, family Psittacidae, endemic to the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Originally found from Alagoas to Rio de Janeiro, the species is currently endangered and classified as vulnerable (VU). The main causes of this vulnerability are habitat loss, hunting, and the illegal bird trade. As conservation strategies for the species, several institutions have joined efforts to address this issue. As a result, the National Action Plan for Atlantic Forest Birds (PAN Aves da Mata Atlântica) and the State Action Plan for the Conservation of the Red-browed Amazon (PAE Chauá) were developed. In this context, the present study aimed to create educational materials focused on the conservation of the red-browed Amazon. Following the active teaching and learning methodology “Problem-Based Learning,” graduate students of the Environmental Technologies Program at the Federal Institute of Alagoas were challenged to create educational materials based on the issues presented in the PAE Chauá. With this goal, and from an interdisciplinary perspective, six educational products were developed. These materials are rich in playful activities and prove to be viable environmental education strategies for the conservation of the species, as similar examples found in scientific literature demonstrate.