PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING: TEACHING EXPERIENCE IN THE CONTEXT OF THE WATER CRISIS

Abstract

The water crisis represents one of the main contemporary socio-environmental challenges, associated with climate change, environmental degradation, and unsustainable models of water use. In the Brazilian context, despite the country’s wide water availability, these processes occur unevenly across the territory, intensified by deforestation, water pollution, and structural deficiencies in basic sanitation. Within this framework, this article analyzes the application of the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) methodology in teaching about the water crisis in the municipality of São José de Ubá, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, with ninth-grade elementary school students. The study adopts a qualitative, exploratory, and descriptive approach, using participant observation and field diary records throughout a pedagogical project developed over six in-person meetings. The results indicate that PBL promotes meaningful learning by articulating scientific knowledge with local experiences, fostering autonomy, collaboration, and critical thinking. A cognitive shift was observed, as students moved from fragmented explanations toward a broader understanding of the water crisis, incorporating structural factors such as deforestation, pollution, and the lack of sanitation. The study concludes that PBL has significant potential for addressing environmental themes in elementary education by integrating school, community, and territory, thus reaffirming the transformative role of education.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56238/sevened2026.008-122