Children’s attitudes towards animals: evidence from the RODENTIA project

Autor: Francis Brosseron, Júlio Borlido-Santos, Maria João Fonseca, Fernando Tavares, I. Anna S. Olsson, Nuno H. Franco
Rok vydání: 2011
Předmět:
Zdroj: Journal of Biological Education. 45:121-128
ISSN: 2157-6009
0021-9266
DOI: 10.1080/00219266.2011.576259
Popis: The instructional use of animals is a popular strategy to engage students with science, enhance their motivation, and promote values such as respect, tolerance, and empathy for all living beings. Although these beneficial outcomes are widely acknowledged, research has not provided reliable indicators of their efficiency. Therefore, it is essential to broaden the studies focused on the use of animals in education. In this regard, it becomes necessary to understand students’ attitudes towards animals. This paper presents data on the attitudes of primary school children towards the humane treatment of animals. It follows the implementation of a longitudinal project based on the concept of ‘classroom pet’, aimed at fostering the development of scientific reasoning competencies and positive attitudes towards animals. To assess the project’s efficacy, a methodology combining quantitative and qualitative assessment approaches was outlined. The study involved 43 students, aged 8–10, from two fourth-grade classes ...
Databáze: OpenAIRE