The lower section of the Guatapurí River as a scenario for education and sustainable tourism recreation

Abstract

The purpose of this article was to analyze the lower section of the Guatapurí River as a setting for environmental education and sustainable tourist recreation in the Official Educational Institutions Nelson Mandela, José Eugenio Martínez, and Joaquín Ochoa, located in the municipality of Valledupar, Cesar department, Colombia. The study was developed from a hermeneutic-phenomenological perspective under a qualitative approach, adopting the hermeneutic method. The key informants included ten (10) teachers affiliated with the aforementioned educational institutions and sixteen (16) students enrolled in these schools. Data collection techniques included in-depth interviews and focus groups. The findings revealed the need to strengthen environmental education within educational institutions through community participation aimed at environmental conservation. In this context, pedagogical responsibility emerged as a fundamental element for fostering environmental awareness both inside and outside the school setting. Likewise, the study showed that environmental care in the classroom context is closely linked to the ethical commitment and professional vocation assumed by teachers in their educational practice, contributing to the protection and preservation of the Guatapurí River ecosystem