Consciência ambiental e descarte seletivo de resíduos : treinamento a partir de estratégia gamificada

Abstract

The large, continuous, and increasing amount of Urban Solid Waste (USW) improperly disposed in nature has caused challenging problems in the contemporary context. This question impacting environmental, social, and economic perspectives. This way, there are necessary actions that can be put into place to reduce the challenges currently presented. For example, understanding the generated externalities and implementing necessary actions to reach and engage generating agents, as operating actors within the disposal processes, individually and collectively. This dissertation, based on the Behavioural Perspective Model (BPM), analyzed antecedent and consequent conditions using gamified strategies within a training course to direct the variable measures set by the Environmental Awareness and Consumption Index (EACI). The research was conducted through a series of questionnaires directed at members of the General Inspectorate of Justice of the State of Goiás - Inspectorate. The study took place between the dates of May 15th through May 30th, 2022 and consisted of eightyeight participates divided among four groups. The groups were exposed to content related to selective waste disposal, sustainability actions, conscious consumption, as well as the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (17 SDGs) set forth in the United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda. A gamified instructional system, embedded in a virtual platform served as learning tool to better the individuals' perspective to rethink, refuse, reduce, repair, reuse, recycle, and reintegrate (7Rs). Participants answered the Environmental Awareness and Consumption Questionnaire before and after exposure to the four experimental conditions: a) Group 1 (n = 25): minigames with video content and points for correct answers (VP); b) Group 2 (n = 23): minigames with video content and no points for correct answers (VnP); c) Group 3 (n = 23): minigames with text content and points for correct answers (TP); Group 4 (n = 17): minigames with text content and no points for correct answers (TnP). The research showed a positive change in the iCAC for all groups, revealing an increase in Environmental Awareness. However, the increases were not statistically significant, possibly made be due to the high level of environmental awareness of the research participants or the singularity of the implemented action. It is inferred that gamification, in an institutionalized way, is a strategy to be explored while disseminating knowledge and expanding awareness, and can be did for other themes in addition to sustainability. As gaps for future research, it is suggested to apply the model in populations of different levels of environmental awareness, of different ages, as well as vary the research to other themes, such as economic and racial awareness, among others