Curricular references
EduBiota - A Program that Contributes to Citizenship Education
The EduBiota program is part of the contemporary perspectives of Education for Citizenship and Sustainable Development, taking into account the three recommended axes - individual civic attitude, interpersonal relationships, and social and intercultural relationships. Furthermore, by contributing to important areas of education for citizenship - human rights, active democratic participation, sustainable development, environmental education (within the scope of the OneHealth concept) and health (health promotion, nutrition, physical exercise) - EduBiota could be adapted and integrated into Group 1, applicable to all levels and cycles of education.
The EduBiota program adopts approaches that promote the development of principles, values and skills defined in the Profile of Students Leaving Compulsory Schooling (PASEO). This document highlights that deepening scientific understanding and knowledge is a catalyst for social interaction and the development of critical thinking, essential for conscious participation in informed decisions.
Furthermore, PASEO values lifelong learning and adaptation to new contexts, encouraging the acquisition of skills that favor personal growth. Values such as curiosity, reflection and innovation are encouraged through educational activities that provide new perspectives and challenging and engaging strategies for students. The promotion of these values is developed in conjunction with the work carried out in the various areas of competence provided by EduBiota, as exemplified in Table 1 .
Still in line with the reference documents of the Directorate General of Education, EduBiota also considers Essential Learning (EA), particularly those defined for the subjects of Biology and Geology of the 10th and 11th grade (BG10 and BG11) and Biology of the 12th grade (B12). This alignment aims to contextualize the knowledge, skills and attitudes that the EduBiota program promotes.
The 12th grade Biology EA, for example, includes five domains, four of which are related to microbiology ( Table 2 ). In these domains, emphasis is placed on planning and carrying out varied practical activities â a fundamental feature of EduBiota â which include practical laboratory work, interviews with experts and debates.
The application of microorganisms in teaching often includes their use as study models and is very effective in achieving the learning objectives of Biology in general. For example, (a) viruses (particularly bacteriophages) are excellent models for studies related to reproduction, genetics, infections and food preservation; (b) yeasts, which are used in bioproduction and fermentation; (c) molds, in soil bioremediation; and, (d) protists are used as indicators of water quality.
Through EduBiota, we intend to fulfill our role as educators by following the national guidelines issued by the Ministry of Education. We also aim to follow the examples of other projects and courses, implemented in secondary schools, that explored solutions based on microorganisms and provided students with valuable learning about microbiology, aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) established by the United Nations (UN) in 2015, as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
SDGs3 and 4 are the ones to which EduBiota contributes the most, since it focuses mainly on education and dissemination of the human microbiome. However, other examples of applications of microorganisms that contribute, through bioremediation, for example, to the sustainability of soils (SDG15), oceans (SDG14) and other water resources (SDG6) will also be disclosed. Figure 1 presents some popular concepts associated with the intervention of microorganisms in nature or in anthropogenic environments.
