Scientific Collections as Educational Resources: A Methodological Experience with the Ichthyofauna of the Tapajós River for Sustainable Development

Samela Cristina da Silva Bonfim (), Josué Sarino Araújo, Ândria Flávia Brito Pereira, André Luiz Colares Canto and Frank Raynner Vasconcelos Ribeiro
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Samela Cristina da Silva Bonfim: Postgraduate Program, Federal University of Western Pará, Santarém 68040-255, Brazil
Josué Sarino Araújo: Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Western Pará, Santarém 68040-255, Brazil
Ândria Flávia Brito Pereira: Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Western Pará, Santarém 68040-255, Brazil
André Luiz Colares Canto: Institute of Water Sciences and Technologies, Federal University of Western Pará, Santarém 68040-255, Brazil
Frank Raynner Vasconcelos Ribeiro: Institute of Water Sciences and Technologies, Federal University of Western Pará, Santarém 68040-255, Brazil

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 21, 1-13

Abstract: Scientific collections are recognized as important instruments for research, conservation, and teaching of biodiversity; however, they remain underused as pedagogical resources for Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). The Ichthyological Collection of the Federal University of Western Pará (UFOPA), in western Pará, gathers representative specimens of Amazonian ichthyofauna, constituting a regional scientific and cultural heritage. This article describes the methodology for using technical–scientific data from this collection to produce four educational products about the diversity of fishes in the Tapajós River: a memory game, a coloring book, an illustrated species guide, and a school activity workbook. The research combined document review, interviews, data systematization, and translation into accessible language, integrating principles of ESD and science teaching. The results demonstrate that using the collection to produce educational materials, when based on contextualized methodologies, enhances scientific literacy for conservation. By translating scientific data into accessible pedagogical materials, this study provides practical support for environmental education policies and for the inclusion of local biodiversity content in school curricula, expanding the social reach of scientific collections and promoting direct impacts on conservation and sustainable development, thereby strengthening SDGs 4, 14, and 15.

Keywords: sustainability; Amazon; scientific collections; sustainable development; science education; natural history collections (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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