Animals and Science Education (original) (raw)
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A framework within which to determine how we should use animals in science education.
The scope of science is fundamentally to understand the natural (i.e., material, as opposed to aesthetic, moral, imaginary or other) domain. Since one of the more remarkable features of the Earth is the presence of millions of species of organisms, nearly 90 percent of them animals, one might imagine that animals would play a central role in school science education. But this is not the case. Biology curricula are heavily weighted towards humans, and inside and outside of school many students are now exposed to only a few non-human animal species. Here, I seek to provide a coherent framework within which we can consider how animals should be used in science education. To do this, I examine two main issues: (i) the purposes of science education, and (ii) an ethical analysis of how humans should use animals.
Anatolian Journal of Education
The study aimed to explore Lower Secondary School curriculum of Life Sciences, in Morocco, to establish the current status of animal use and the extent at which it is a curriculum requirement for the introduction of the prescribed concepts and objectives. Two questionnaires were developed and administered to teachers and students to assess their attitudes towards animal use and dissection, as well as potential alternatives that could be used for replacement. The study revealed that several cited topics in the curriculum involve animal use and organ dissection. The majority of students (60.9%) and teachers (83.3%) had great interest in performing animal organ dissections, stating that it allowed better understanding, long-term knowledge and motivation. A proportion of participants felt negative emotions towards this practice. Many animals groups have been involved especially frogs and mammals. While most of teachers and students quoted that priority should be given to real hands-on experiments, alternatives preferred for replacement were videos and simulations. Animal use in education raises psychological, ethical, and environmental concerns. Hence, there is a need to use animal-free alternatives as they allow the achievement of the learning objectives more effectively and have several advantages over animal use.
Students (ages 6, 10, and 15 years) in six countries knowledge of animals
Nordic Studies in Science Education
This article considers the knowledge students (ages 6, 10, and 15 years) have of animals from a cross-cultural perspective. Students from six countries (Brazil, England, Finland, Iceland, Portugal, and the United States of America) were asked to free-list as many animals as possible and state where they had seen or learned about the animals. The results were analyzed and they indicate that 1) Students are aware of animals. 2) Students are more aware of mammals as examples of animals. 3) There is a globally shared folk biological knowledge of animals. 4) Students learn about animals during sociocultural interactions. The educational implications are discussed.
Classroom Animals Provide More Than Just Science Education
Keeping classroom animals is a common practice in many classrooms. Their value for learning is often seen narrowly as the potential to involve children in learning biological science. They also provide opportunities for increased empathy, as well as socio-emotional development. Realization of their potential for enhancing primary children’s learning can be affected by many factors. This paper focuses on teachers’ perceptions of classroom animals, drawing on accounts and reflections provided by 19 participants located in an Australian primary school where each classroom kept an animal. This study aims to progress the conversation about classroom animals, the learning opportunities that they afford, and the issues they present. Phenomenographic analysis of data resulted in five categories of teachers’ perceptions of the affordances and constraints of keeping classroom animals. Herbert S & Lynch J 2017 (Online First, 25/02/2017), Classroom Animals Provide More Than Just Science Education, Science and Education, DOI 10.1007/s11191-017-9874-6 Online first: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11191-017-9874-6?wt\_mc=Internal.Event.1.SEM.ArticleAuthorOnlineFirst wt_mc=Internal.Event.1.SEM.ArticleAuthorOnlineFirst
Human-Animal Studies: Representations and Practices (course syllabus)
cemus.uu.se
7, 5 hp Period: 6/12-10/12 (week 49) 2010, 100 % Credits: 7, 5 hp/ECTS Required qualifications: PhD students from all disciplines. Master students may be accepted. Form: One full time week with lectures and seminars. Requirements: Attendance and active involvement in lectures and seminar discussions, written composition.