ERIC Number: EJ1244442
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019-Oct
Pages: 12
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-2547-9652
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Animal Use in Life Sciences Education: Current Status, Teachers' and Adolescents' Attitudes and Alternatives
Amahmid, Omar; El Guamri, Youssef; Yazidi, Mohamed; Razoki, Bouchra; Rassou, Khadija Kaid; Rakibi, Youness; Farouk, Ibrahim Amine; Charkaoui, Fadya
Anatolian Journal of Education, v4 n2 p69-80 Oct 2019
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.
Descriptors: Animals, Biological Sciences, Science Education, Teacher Attitudes, Secondary School Curriculum, Foreign Countries, Student Attitudes, Teaching Methods, Laboratory Procedures, Negative Attitudes, Early Adolescents, Video Technology, Computer Simulation, Emotional Response, Moral Issues, Ethics
Anatolian Journal of Education. Eskisehir Osmangazi University Faculty of Education, Eskisehir 26480, Turkey. e-mail: aje.editorial@gmail.com; Web site: http://www.e-aje.net/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Morocco
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A