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In this article, we present how educational resources for zoology designed by undergraduate students help to propose means of action for teaching diversity and animal evolution in basic education. We realised that activities of creation and analysis of educational resources, in the context of didactic planning, have the potential to approximate epistemic and pedagogical dimensions of evolutionary thinking. These dimensions are relevant to the design of teaching-learning sequences, since they allow pre-teachers to cross the subject-object border and to appropriate cultural tools necessary for their professional activity. We argue about the development of evolutionary thinking, meaning, among other things, tree-thinking as a mediating tool in socio-scientific decision-making and the teaching-learning problems of the coexistence of antagonistic paradigms in biological classification. Our results emphasise that phylogeny is a structuring subject in teaching and preservice teacher education, mediating the debate on the nature of science, such as evolutionary inference, hypothesis elaboration, transience in science, and the social role of science for the conservation of biodiversity.

Attitudes towards animals present an important foundation for nature conservation activity. This study investigates the attitude of five- to six-year-old children towards some unpopular animals. We used three types of live animals: earthworms, mealworm beetles, and a toad. In the initial tests, during which the children had the opportunity to observe and to handle the animals, we assessed the degree of children's negative attitudes towards the three types of animals chosen based on their behavioural responses. After this, we investigated children's understanding of the three types of animals through extensive inclusion of direct contact with animals in hands-on activities in an experimental group. The children in the control group had no opportunity to deal with the live animals. After the activities, the tests were repeated for both groups . The degree of negative attitude towards the animals decreased significantly among the experimental group, which was not the case in the control group. No sex differences were found in the children's response. This study provides empirical findings that direct contact with animals positively affects children's attitude towards them and supports the recommendations that experiential learning with live animals should be an integral part of the curriculum in the early years.

Canines can provide emotional support, create a nonjudgmental environment, facilitate positive social interactions, and shape student behavior. This study investigated the impact of a canine-assisted reading program on four second-grade students' reading fluency and attitudes toward reading. Oral reading fluency (ORF) was measured using ORF probes, and students' attitudes toward reading were measured with the Elementary Reading Attitude Survey. Although ORF skills did not improve significantly following the program, students' attitudes toward reading did. Implications regarding innovative strategies for reading fluency programs, including canine-assisted methods, are discussed, with emphasis on the importance of maintaining reading enjoyment among readers needing extra practice.

Children's storybooks often contain fantasy elements, from dragons and wizards to anthropomorphic animals that wear clothes, talk, and behave like humans. These elements can impact children's learning from storybooks both positively and negatively, perhaps due in part to their ability to capture children's interest and attention. Prior research has found that children prefer realistic to make-believe stories, but little is known about children's preferences for anthropomorphic characters. The present study examines U.S. children's preferences for fantasy and anthropomorphism in storybooks. Seventy-two 4- to 6-year-old children (M = 65.74 months, SD = 10.84 months) were presented with 10 pairs of books (fantasy/anthropomorphic vs. realistic) and asked to select which book they liked better and why. Children chose fantasy but not anthropomorphic animal stories significantly more often than expected by chance. Children's preferences were not related to age or gender, and they most often justified their choices with references to the storyline. Implications for creating and selecting media are discussed, since children learn best when learning materials align with their interests.

Background: The goals of laboratory experiences include developing knowledge base, research skills, and scientific communication abilities. Objective: The aim was to assess an inquiry-based laboratory activity using the model organism "Caenorhabditis elegans" in relation to learning goals. Method: Students in a "Biopsychology" laboratory course worked in groups to test the effect of various drugs (e.g., nicotine, ethanol, fluoxetine, and melatonin) on "C. elegans" behavior. The activity included literature review, experimental design, and a final lab report. A cumulative final exam included a synaptic communication question related to the content of the activity. Results: Students showed better retention of laboratory-related content compared to other topics from the course, as demonstrated through performance on the final exam and were able to replicate previous research demonstrating effects of drug on locomotion. However, students did not improve writing ability compared to performance on a previous American Psychological Association style lab report. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that using a student-designed, multi-week laboratory assignment in an undergraduate Biopsychology course supports the growth of psychology knowledge and the development of research skills. Teaching Implications: Instructors should consider using the described laboratory activity for biopsychology or behavioral neuroscience classes or consider similarly designed laboratory formats for other courses in Psychology.

Exposure to microaggressions can have detrimental impacts on the mental health of LGBTQ + emerging adults. Positive social relationships are a well-documented protective factor that help to buffer the impact of adversity on mental health in this population. However, the role of social relationships with pets has received minimal attention in research on LGBTQ + mental health, despite the high prevalence of pets in U.S. households. This cross-sectional study examined whether the association between interpersonal microaggressions and depressive symptoms among LGBTQ + emerging adults varied as a function of attachment to pets across three domains: love, emotion regulation, and personal growth. We recruited 163 LGBTQ + emerging adults (18-21 years) who lived with a cat and/or dog within the past year (98.8% sexual minority, 47.2% gender minority, 37.4% racial/ethnic minority). We found that love and emotion regulation significantly moderated the positive association between interpersonal microaggressions and depressive symptoms. Specifically, this association was only significant when love and emotion regulation were at moderate or high levels. These findings have important implications for practice with LGBTQ + pet owners, as it suggests that high levels of pet attachment may amplify the relation between interpersonal microaggressions and depressive symptoms.

Objective: To describe extracurricular activity participation and explore its relationship with college students' health. Participants: 159 college students majoring in dental hygiene or occupational therapy. Methods: Data were collected prospectively at baseline, one- and two-year follow-ups. Self-reported participation in extracurricular activities over the past six months was grouped into eight categories: Fitness, Sports, Creative arts, Leisure, Social, Work, Caregiving, and Animal care. Physical and mental health were measured using SF-36, a valid tool measuring general health. Results: Participation in fitness, sports, creative arts, and work significantly decreased at one-year and two-year follow-ups (p < 0.01). Work/volunteer activity participation was associated with poorer physical health ([beta] = -1.4, 95% CI: (-2.2, -0.5), p < 0.01), but a change from nonparticipation to some participation in work/volunteer activity was associated with better mental health ([beta] = 2.6, 95% CI (0.3, 4.9), p = 0.04). Conclusions: Educators should consider the potential impact of maintaining extracurricular activities on college students' health when designing academic courses.

Background: Animal assisted intervention (AAI) programming is becoming popular among college campuses; however, minimal literature describes the impact of AAI programming on the graduate student population. Purpose: This study aims to (1) better understand the lived experience with pets and AAI programming and (2) develop a list of factors critical to graduate students interested in engaging in AAI programming. Methods: Narrative and interpretive phenomenological approaches explored the lived experience of graduate students through focus groups. Results: Findings revealed students having both positive experiences and challenges with pets and past AAI programming. Important factors related to AAI programming included logistics, scheduling, diversification of therapy dogs, and receiving information on acceptable activities for participants to engage in with therapy dogs. Discussion: Participants discussed experiencing stress and anxiety throughout the semester, and perceived convenient regular access to therapy dog programming as a valuable way to improve mental health and decrease stress and anxiety. Translation to Health Education Practice: Professionals interested in conducting AAI programming with college graduate student populations can benefit from this research by using graduate student preferences to inform the design of AAI programming on college campuses.

This study examines the development of the concept of the ecological niche among 10-11-year-old students and their ability to use this concept to give their opinions on the socially relevant and controversial possibility that wolf populations might be established in the mountains surrounding the school. A total of 21 elementary school students were engaged in an authentic school inquiry project about the wolf during which they undertook a series of diverse activities, such as searching for information about the wolf's biology, field work and modelling activities in order to perform a habitat suitability analysis. Starting with a Qualitative Content Analysis approach, a mixed method approach was applied to analyse students' drawn and written productions about (a) the wolf's survival requirements; and (b) the viability of its establishment in the region. Results show how the complexity and the sophistication of the ecological niche concept improve, and how the consideration of biotic, abiotic and anthropic factors change during instruction. Difficulties encountered by students in using such a concept in a new context are also highlighted. Implications for education are considered.

Most undergraduate students do not have practical experience working with model organisms despite having theoretical knowledge of their importance. This practical was developed to offer students experience working with three species of nematode, including "Caenorhabditis elegans." In the first task, students prepare slides of three previously fixed nematode samples and are asked to identify their feeding preferences based on information given to them in a short pre-practical presentation. The second and third tasks allow students to deduce the existence of a functional nervous system in "Caenorhabditis elegans" and then to measure the response of two genotypes, N2 and "slo-1," to different concentrations of an ethanol solution. These tasks demonstrate the heterogeneity of different nematodes and enable students to gain experience in widely applicable skills including microscopy, slide preparation, assay design and data presentation. Students also gain experience in specialised skills such as worm picking, which is essential in "Caenorhabditis elegans" research. This practical can be completed as a standalone and would suit any early year biology course.

Ethanol (EtOH) is among the most consumed drugs in the world. The behavior of humans after ingestion of this drug is characteristic: At low doses it may be excitatory and at higher doses, it may induce depressant/sedative effects. Similar effects are observed in the zebrafish experimental model ("Danio rerio"), which has about 70% genetic similarity with humans and has been widely used in numerous research. With the objective of improving the learning of biochemistry students, this work aimed to develop a practical exercise in the laboratory for students to observe the behavioral repertoire of zebrafish under the effects of exposure to ethanol. Through this practical class, the students were able to observe the similarity of the behavior of the animal model with that of humans, showing its importance for the consolidation of knowledge, awakening in the students an interest in science and its applications in everyday life.

The roles companion animals have played in our lives has dramatically changed over the last few decades. At the same time, the terms we use to describe both the people and animals in these human-animal relationships have also changed. One example includes the use of the terms 'owner' or 'guardian' to refer to the human caretaker. While preferences by society appear to indicate increased interest in referring to companion animal caretakers as 'guardians', others have cautioned against its use or attempted to restrict it. Additionally, the use of animal welfare terminology has direct implications for how we conduct both welfare research and practice. Our paper examines the use of 'owner' and 'guardian' with respect to (1) the implications for changing terminology on the function, clarity and uniformity of their use, and (2) the ethical and welfare impact that coincides with each term's use. Our goal is to propose terminological considerations that could influence future welfare research, as well as help guide our interactions with companion animals.

Emotional support animals are increasingly common in residence halls. This study examines the benefits and challenges of having an Emotional Support Animal (ESA) while living in campus housing, from the perspective of the animals' owners and their roommates. Using a mixed methods case study approach, we collected qualitative and quantitative data via an online survey and in-person focus groups. The following themes emerged as benefits of emotional support animals, as identified by participants: improved or maintained mental health, motivation to take care of oneself, and increased social interactions. Challenges included having to disclose one's mental health diagnosis, needing to educate others about their emotional support animal, sharing it with others, ESA-related expenses, availability of pet supplies, barriers to respite care, transportation and parking difficulties, potential pet loss, and the difficulty of obtaining a letter from a health professional as part of the application process to have an ESA on campus. Despite these challenges, participants reported that the mental, social, and physical health benefits of having an emotional support animal far outweighed the challenges and helped them function personally and academically. [Discussion questions developed by Laura Glasgow.]

Humans are living in damaged landscapes within a new geographical epoch known as the Anthropocene. The COVID-19 outbreak fuels uncertainty, instability, and ambiguity for humans. This viral disaster has been blamed for losing and further exacerbating ecological imbalance, and prompts a need to re-examine multispecies relations and, in particular, human exceptionalism. The authors, by applying a new theoretical assemblage that brings the new materialist turn entangled with Buddhist philosophies into our stories and diffractions of child-virus bodies, have been prompted to raise two questions about how multispecies justice could disrupt environmental sustainability education. The questions we will engage with in the paper include: Can we explore these new theoretical assemblages (east-west) with child-virus relations as a means for raising multispecies justice that critiques the universalisation of human forces in the Anthropocene? What possibilities does the pandemic offer to rethink multispecies relations as an entangled ecological crisis by exploring what a 'new normal' in post-COVID-19 sustainability education could emerge?

Public engagement and awareness programs are important components of many conservation programs today as such engagements are often critical for successful conservation. In this study, we examined if delivery of educational material increased awareness of the Pallas's cat and its environment in a southern Mongolia herder community. We found that knowledge was greater and attitudes toward the Pallas's cat and wildlife in general were more positive one year after the delivery of the educational material. This study thus suggests that educational material can be effective at increasing awareness of small and elusive species such as the Pallas's cat.

Research in zoos is an important scientific endeavor that requires several complex considerations in order to occur. Among those many considerations are the ethics involved in conducting zoo research. However, it is not always clear how zoo researchers should go about resolving any research ethics matters, even determining when "some" type of research ethics committee "should" be involved in those deliberations. Our paper attempts to provide some resolutions for these issues, namely in three sections: (1) a brief history of human and animal research ethics, (2) general guidelines for zoo research ethics applications, and (3) theoretical, ethical dilemmas at the zoo. In each section, we consider pragmatic attempts to resolve any issues, as well as provide examples to illustrate our points. The primary focus of the paper is to facilitate consideration of the wide array of ethical factors any zoo researcher might encounter, as well as provide a basic set of ethical guidelines for zoo research. We also emphasize the importance of the welfare of the animals for all zoo research projects.

Conducting marine mammal research can raise several important ethical issues. For example, the continuation of whaling for commercial purposes despite the international moratorium provides opportunities for scientists to obtain data and tissue samples. In 2021 we analysed 35 peer-reviewed papers reporting research based on collaborations with Icelandic whalers. Results highlighted little consideration or understanding of the legal and ethical issues associated with the deliberate killing of whales amongst those researchers, funding bodies, universities and journals involved. Ethical statements were rarely provided. Those that were written were incomplete. Whilst research using whaling data may seem acceptable to some, it often becomes hard to justify when subject to scrutiny by the media and the public. Thus, there is a particular danger of reputational harm for early career researchers who may become unwittingly involved in such activities. Here we also consider the broader variety of ethical issues raised by non-lethal research (both historical and recent) on marine mammals including tagging and biopsy. We discuss instances where study animals were harmed or even killed and where the public mistook tags for harpoons. Without clear guidelines, reviewers and journal editors are put in an impossible position when considering whether to reject papers on ethical grounds. We propose that for such studies, universities, funders, journals, and permit issuers must require ethical assessments and that journals more effectively implement their existing policies on publishing ethical statements. The professional marine mammal societies need to work together to produce modern ethical guidance. Such guidance should require transparency in the provenance of data and samples while including advice on law, welfare issues, involvement of local scientists, and offshoring. Furthermore, it should require appraisal of and justification for the absolute necessity of invasive procedures. As is already the case in biomedical disciplines, ethical statements should be required in marine mammal science.

Our planet is facing a biodiversity crisis and mathematics is involved. In this article, I focus on reports of a wolf hunt to examine different ways in which mathematics contributes to this crisis, shapes our understanding of the ecosystem and guides future actions. My examination contributes to understanding the ethical dimension of mathematics and, by extension, of mathematics education. In particular, I show how mathematical-administrative discourses diminish the lives and intrinsic worth of individual creatures, in this case, wolves, as metonyms for all the other species with which we share our planet. To do this, I offer three different perspectives on the life of wolves, the first drawn from poetry, the second from mathematical modelling and the third from the bureaucratic discourse of quotas. The article explores ways of bringing such perspectives into mathematics teaching so that mathematics does not diminish the wolf. When most learners of mathematics have never met a wolf, poetry, art, drama or fiction offer counterpoints to mathematical ways of knowing.

Because of their mostly upbeat everyday presence in most people's lives globally, Internet memes have gained attention as tools in spreading information and enacting attitudinal change in the face of environmental troubles. The reappropriation of memes for classroom purposes is not straightforward, however. We focus our exploration of Internet memes in environmental education to questions of human-animal relations. The context is a higher education course on multispecies childhood studies. The question we pose is whether and how Internet memes can bring forth tensions in human-animal relations. First we review literature mapping what Internet memes are and how they relate to humour and laughter. Then we explore what memes (can) do by creating Internet memes with university students of education. And finally we turn to affect theory and suggest that the potential for environmental education that Internet memes hold, may lie in understanding and using them as "feral pedagogical creatures."

A capacity-building programme between a veterinary school in the UK and the veterinary school in Sri Lanka was developed. Scholarships for two distance learning MSc programmes were offered to Sri Lankan veterinarians: 'Veterinary Epidemiology and Public Health' and 'Livestock Health and Production'. In addition, scholarships were offered to academic staff members at the veterinary school to undertake the Postgraduate Certificate in Veterinary Education. A blended learning approach was taken, though the majority of learning was by distance. This study used a case-study approach to assess the programmes' impact at different levels: individual, institutional, institution's students, the profession, the public and animals. Previous students were interviewed and current students participated in a focus group. Staff of the Sri Lankan university were interviewed. Data were transcribed and qualitative content analysis conducted. Participants had achieved personal satisfaction, gained new knowledge and skills and progressed professionally. These impacts translated to societal impacts including disseminating understanding of One Health, improving animal welfare laws and assisting the development of the undergraduate veterinary curriculum. The graduates from the blended learning programmes are experts at the centre of a new community of practice and have the ability to inspire future generations of Sri Lankan veterinary surgeons.

Prejudices are innate to the human condition and at the base of most conflicts between social groups. Yet, despite much local and global educational effort to promote equality and peace, expressions of hate and violence are omnipresent across the globe. For gaining more understanding about the complex relationship between values and beliefs that influence people's prejudiced attitudes towards others, this study investigates how Finnish upper-secondary level students (16- to 20-year-olds), on the one hand, affiliate themselves with self-transcendent values, and on the other hand, narrate prejudices towards others. The complementary quantitative (n = 2873) and qualitative (n = 2200) survey responses show that the young people regarded equality and the promotion of peace as the most important values for themselves but, despite this explicit appreciation of these self-transcendent values, they also exhibit several types of prejudice towards others. The findings show that the youth narratives of prejudices are mainly justified with their prior experiences, their imaginaries related to insecurity, disturbances, and conflicts with people who they deem to have lifestyles different from their own. This study expands existing knowledge by suggesting that the main rationales behind young people's prejudices are not based on traditional social categorisations, or core values, but on differences expressed through individual lifestyles.

Laboratory courses should cultivate enthusiasm for research and an appreciation for real-world scientific challenges to retain undergraduate students and encourage them to pursue STEM-related careers. Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CURE) have emerged as an inclusive pedagogical model that facilitates laboratory skill development, while also improving self-efficacy and critical thinking skills. Herein, an innovative research-inspired Ames test for mutagenicity project is described. Students choose their own project theme and investigate substances using both TA98 and TA100 strains of "Salmonella typhimurium" to evaluate the potential for frameshift mutations and base-pair substitutions, respectively. An appropriate test concentration of each substance is first determined via a cytotoxicity assay, providing an additional learning opportunity. Students also study the mutagenicity of test substance metabolites using commercially available rat liver extracts to simulate metabolism. Overall, these experiences provide a comprehensive research project with high relevancy to human health and real-world importance. This laboratory module was assessed using CURE pre- and post-course surveys to evaluate learning gains and benefits. Assessment data illustrated that students appreciated the discovery aspect of the research project and gained skills related to reading scientific literature and effective poster presentations. Student-reported benefits of research project participation included learning new laboratory techniques, enhanced scientific writing skills, an increased tolerance for and understanding of common research challenges, and the confidence to tackle more complex research endeavors. Narrative feedback from students was very positive, with project highlights being the opportunity to select their own test substances and create new knowledge, as well as the analysis of results.

Free-recall paradigms have greatly influenced our understanding of memory. The majority of this research involves laboratory-based events (e.g., word lists) that are studied and tested within minutes. This literature shows that adults recall events in a temporally organized way, with successive responses often coming from neighboring list positions (i.e., temporal clustering) and with enhanced memorability of items from the end of a list (i.e., recency). Temporal clustering effects are so robust that temporal organization is described as a fundamental memory property. Yet relatively little is known about the development of this temporal structure across childhood, and even less about children's memory search for real-world events occurring over an extended period. In the present work, children (N = 144; 3 age groups: 4-5-year-olds, 6-7-year-olds, 8-10-year-olds) took part in a 5-day summer camp at a local zoo. The camp involved various dynamic events, including daily animal exhibit visits. On day 5, children were asked to recall all the animals they visited. We found that overall recall performance, in terms of number of animals recalled, improved steadily across childhood. Temporal organization and recency effects showed different developmental patterns. Temporal clustering was evident in the response sequences for all age groups and became progressively stronger across childhood. In contrast, the recency advantage, when characterized as a proportion of total responses, was stable across age groups. Thus, recall dynamics in early childhood parallel that seen in adulthood, with continued development of temporal organization across middle to late childhood.

Plant awareness disparity (PAD, formerly plant blindness) is the tendency not to notice plants in one's environment, which leads to the perspective that plants are unimportant. In this paper, we explore how plants and animals are represented in introductory biology textbooks to determine if these texts are contributing to PAD in undergraduate students. We analysed images from four texts that are commonly used as introductory biology textbooks for biology majors, and specifically focused on the introductory, genetics, and evolution chapters. We found that animals are chosen more often as examples of biological concepts in textbook images across all four textbooks, indicating that these texts are contributing to PAD. Textbook producers should focus on including a more equal number of plant and animal examples of biology concepts and processes, and instructors should bring in outside examples and images to supplement those currently in texts that demonstrate a bias towards animals.

Purpose: This study explores whether farmers across England believe that advice on diffuse water pollution from agriculture (DWPA) which is currently provided for free at the point of delivery is credible, relevant, and legitimate ('CRELE') enough to justify paying towards. Methodology: A mixed-methods study consisting of an online questionnaire survey (n = 225) and telephone interviews of farmers (n = 60) and farm advisors (n = 50) was conducted. Findings: Across all methods (n = 330), 63.3% of participants (n = 208) responded negatively to the prospect of paying towards DWPA advice, with just 10% expressing a clear willingness to contribute. The main negative themes related to categorical unwillingness, financial constraints, the presence of alternative sources of advice, the accountability of farmers, and exclusion risk. Factors which may increase willingness included the delivery of high quality, farm-salient advice, or where compliance requires engagement. Practical implications: This paper concludes that governments should continue to provide free advice on DWPA if water quality goals are to be met. Originality/value: This is the first known European study which explores farmer willingness to pay towards advice for DWPA. Theoretical implications: The use of the 'CRELE' framework is novel as it is typically used to explore science-policy interfaces.

With the advent of new technologies, assessment research has adopted technology-based methods to investigate test validity. This study investigated the neurocognitive processes involved in an academic listening comprehension test, using a biometric technique called functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Sixteen right-handed university students completed two tasks: (1) a linguistic task that involved listening to a mini-lecture (i.e., Listening condition) and answering of questions (i.e., Questions condition) and (2) a non-linguistic task that involved listening to a variety of natural sounds and animal vocalizations (i.e., Sounds condition). The hemodynamic activity in three left brain regions was measured: the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC), and posterior middle temporal gyrus (pMTG). The Listening condition induced higher activity in the IFG and pMTG than the Sounds condition. Although not statistically significant, the activity in the dmPFC was higher during the Listening condition than in the Sounds conditions. The IFG was also significantly more active during the Listening condition than in the Questions condition. Although a significant gender difference was observed in listening comprehension test scores, there was no difference in brain activity (across the IFG, dmPFC, and pMTG) between male and female participants. The implications for test validity are discussed.

Autism-Assistance Dogs (AADs) are highly-skilled service animals trained primarily to ensure the safety of an autistic child by preventing elopement and mitigating 'meltdowns'. Although anecdotal accounts and case-studies have indicated that AADs confer benefits above and beyond safety, empirical support anchored in validated clinical, behavioral, and physiological measures is lacking. To address this gap, we studied children and their families before and after receiving a well-trained AAD using a within-subject, repeated-measures design. Notably, this study is the first to assess change in a biomarker for chronic stress in both autistic children and their parents. Final analyses included pre-/post-AAD data from 11 triads (parent/handler-dog-child) demonstrating significantly positive psychosocial and biobehavioral effects of AADs.

Research Findings: Although work across developmental and educational psychology reveals that trust impacts children's acceptance of claims and that teacher-student relationships impact learning outcomes, little work has integrated these literatures to better understand how students' trust in their teacher facilitates learning. In the present work, we conceptualize and measure two distinct types of trust -- epistemic trust and interpersonal trust -- in order to better understand trust and learning in the classroom. Study 1 (N = 63 3- and 4-year-olds) manipulated the behavior of an adult teacher in order to test for predicted differences in children's epistemic and interpersonal trust in the teacher. Study 2 (N = 43 3- to 5-year-olds) extended these findings beyond the laboratory by examining children's trust in their lead classroom teacher at a university-based preschool. We found evidence for distinguishing between epistemic and interpersonal trust but did not discover associations between trust and learning. Taken together, these studies offer new insights for exploring children's trust in applied contexts. Practice or Policy: Our approach highlights the importance of measuring distinct dimensions of trust from the students' perspective and has implications for educational practices related to trust-building.

Emotion is a central aspect for protecting the environment in environmental and sustainability education (ESE). As such, positive emotions toward nature can increase motivation to learn and take environmental action. This qualitative case study explored the complex interrelationship among place-based education, emotions and values related to ESE, academic social and emotional learning, and explored the situated notion of emotions in the context of environmental citizenship. The emotions of 59 fifth-grade students, who were engaged in a program to protect the Lesser Kestrel, were explored. The findings suggest that the outcomes of the Lesser Kestrel program were complex and mostly positive in activating students' emotions. The results indicate that ESE programs should focus on situated emotions, due to their important role in promoting powerful learning experiences and environmental citizenship, which may mitigate the environmental crisis, along with moral issues that affect the well-being of the individual, and social and natural environments.

This study used the transtheoretical model of behavior change to categorize participants into stages of change groups regarding eleven conservation behaviors. Three main stages of change were identified: precontemplation, contemplation, and action. Participants from different stage placements were interviewed to explore barriers and motivations towards doing different conservation behaviors. Individuals in different stages identified different motivations and barriers that were important to doing (or not doing) an action. Lack of time was the most common barrier for precontemplators, while the most common barrier for contemplators and actors was being unaware of a behavior. Precontemplators and contemplators were most commonly motivated by a behavior being easy, while actors were most commonly motivated by getting reminders about the behavior. This suggests that educational programs designed to promote conservation behaviors should include multiple motivators and reduce as many types of barriers as possible to reach the greatest number of people.

Background: Natureculture (Fuentes, 2010; Haraway, 2003) constructs offer a powerful framework for science education to explore learners' interactions with and understanding of the natural world. Technologies such as Augmented Reality (AR) designed to reveal pets' sensory worlds and companionship with pets can facilitate learners' harmonious relationships with significant others in naturecultures. Methods: At a two-week virtual summer camp, we engaged teens in inquiring into dogs' and cats' senses using selective color filters, investigations, experience design projects, and understanding how the umwelt (von Uexküll, 2001) of pets impacts their lives with humans. We qualitatively analyzed participants' talk, extensive notes, and projects completed at the workshop. Findings: We found that teens engaged in the science and engineering practices of planning and carrying out investigations, constructing explanations and designing solutions, and questioning while investigating specific aspects of their pets' lives. Further, we found that teens checking and taking pets' perspectives while caring for them shaped their productive engagement in these practices. The relationship between pets and humans facilitated an ecological and relational approach to science learning. Contribution: Our findings suggest that relational practices of caring and perspective-taking coexist with scientific practices and enrich scientific inquiry.

In the 1760s, France was the first European kingdom to formalise veterinary education. The world's first veterinary school was sponsored by Louis XV after receiving a proposal from equestrian and educator Claude Bourgelat. At the time, Bourgelat was a recognised expert on equine anatomy, medicine, and riding. The principal function of veterinary education was to extend his robust knowledge about horses to other economically essential livestock, primarily cattle and sheep. With the promise that standardised education of animal health would bring agricultural prosperity, the monarchy reimagined European statecraft as a multispecies affair. This ideological and economic shift endured the transfer of power from monarchs to the third estate and the Revolutionary governments who claimed to speak for their citizens' interests. The case study of regional politics of veterinary education in the Enlightenment illuminates several continuities and discontinuities between the Old Regime and the Republic when it came to vocational education. Using historical geography, the author reconstructs how the original placement of the first veterinary schools in the 1760s and its subsequent re-evaluation during the French Revolution marked the development of a new awareness that the place where one trained to heal cattle changed whose cattle were healed. Veterinarians successfully argued that when one considered livestock as an essential part of France's economy, urban spaces were dependent on the services of rural labourers. Debates about placement hinged on shifting ideas about the value of urban-elite knowledge versus the rural power of the peasantry during the Enlightenment as well as radically shifting governmental priorities from the monarchy to the Republic.

Animal models are widely used in laboratory practicals in biomedical disciplines. However, experiments involving animal work are usually time-and-labor consuming. It is also costly to run an animal lab and the animal caring/holding request special training. Here we present a laboratory course design that provides students with wet lab experience in gene editing in mouse stem cell lines using CRSISPR/Cas9 and dry lab experience in generating transgenic mouse models using computer simulation. This workshop is for senior undergraduates as well as graduate students and is designed to help them understand the application of gene editing in biomedical research. The virtual simulation is incorporated as a computer-based alternative to using mice for embryo transplantation, breeding, and characterization. The integrated curriculum of wet and dry laboratories enabled us to complete this complicate multi-disciplinary experiment in one semester. In addition, the computer-based alternatives reduce the unnecessary animal tests down to zero and errors during practice are well-tolerated without raising any ethical issues. The survey and student's feedback showed overall satisfaction in their learning experiences and learning benefits. The evaluation of the outcomes of learning objectives on the completion of this course revealed positive achievements in bioinformatics, molecular biology, and in general animal work

We examined the effects of applying the instructional method of constructive controversy in an animal welfare unit, on middle-school students' knowledge and attitudes relating to the treatment and welfare of animals. Accordingly, we developed and implemented a four-stage instructional model centring on constructive controversy in a class of 27 eighth-grade students aged between 13 and 14 years old at a Beijing school. Our study entailed a pre-test and post-test study design, with data collected through questionnaires completed manually by the students and through semi-structured interviews. We assessed students' understandings of and attitudes towards animal welfare before and after the implementation of the instructional unit. The results of our study clearly indicated that the students' understandings of animal welfare increased, and they displayed more positive attitudes towards the treatment of animals and animal welfare issues after they had completed the unit. Moreover, during the semi-structured interviews, they provided positive evaluations of the activities designed for this unit.

This exploratory study assessed links among children's moral concern and their ideas about the rights and protection of companion, farm, wild animals and ecosystems. Sixty-one children responded to three interview questions that were coded as either anthropocentric or biocentric in orientation. Results revealed unique links among children's moral concern and their ideas about the rights and protection of different types of animals and ecosystems. Biocentric moral concern was associated with two protection strategies: 1) advocacy to protect companion animals and ecosystems, and 2) the need for peer support to help protect wild animals. Overall, results revealed the nuanced diversity of children's moral concern and ideas about the rights and protection of all types of animals and ecosystems. Implications for moral education programs include a balanced approach to foster compassion, environmental awareness, and social justice among youth.

It is crucial that future generations have the knowledge about nature and the willingness to make right decisions for sustainable development, including the halt of global biodiversity loss. Perception of species and the ability to identify wild species (i.e. animals, plants and fungi) are fundamental for the understanding of biodiversity. Norwegian kindergartens are imposed to give children outdoor experience encouraging environmental awareness and contributing to sustainable development. We therefore interviewed 55 pre-schoolers from eight kindergartens about their ability to recognise a selection of twelve animal species from three different habitats. On average, the children identified four species correctly and they recognised more species from the forest habitat than fresh water and mountain areas. The children were also significantly better at assigning forest animals to the correct habitat compared to other habitats. The findings indicate that pre-schoolers' knowledge about local nature, in which they spend time on a weekly basis, is rather high compared to other types of nature. Despite a large variation in the amount of time adults spent in nature conversing with children about nature, these two variables were not significantly associated with children's species knowledge.

Engaging and motivating students in undergraduate statistics courses can be enhanced by using topical peer-reviewed publications for analyses as part of course assignments. Given the popularity of on-campus therapy dog stress-reduction programs, this topic fosters buy-in from students whilst providing information regarding the importance of mental health and well-being as it impacts learning. This article describes how instructors can use a study on the benefits of human-dog interactions to teach students about study design, data collection and ethics, and hypothesis testing. The data and research questions are accessible to students without requiring detailed subject-area knowledge. Students can think carefully about how to collect and analyze data from a randomized controlled trial with two-sample hypothesis tests. Instructors can use these data for short in-class examples or longer assignments and assessments, and throughout this article, we suggest activities and discussion questions. Supplementary materials for this article are available online.

Purpose: In this study, we aim to understand whether and how performance in animal fluency (i.e., total correct word count) relates to linguistic levels and/or executive functions by looking at sequence information and item-level metrics (i.e., clusters, switches, and word properties). Method: Seven hundred thirty-one Dutch-speaking individuals without dementia from the Second Manifestations of ARTerial disease-Magnetic Resonance study responded to an animal fluency task (120 s). We obtained cluster size and number of switches for the task, and eight different word properties for each correct word produced. We detected variables that determine total word count with random forests, and used conditional inference trees to assess points along the scales of such variables, at which total word count changes significantly. Results: Number of switches, average cluster size, lexical decision response times, word frequency, and concreteness determined total correct word count in animal fluency. People who produced more correct words produced more switches and bigger clusters. People who produced fewer words produced fewer switches and more frequent words. Conclusions: Concurrent with existing literature, individuals without dementia rely on language and executive functioning to produce words in animal fluency. The novelty of our work is that such results were shown based on a data-driven approach using sequence information and item-level metrics.

Schools are often where children first develop a love for reading. However, in many rural towns and villages in Pakistan, opportunities for formal schooling are either unavailable or limited. Thus, children are unable to attend school in person to develop their literacy skills. In this article, the author discusses how a local non-governmental organization, the Alif Laila Book Bus Society (ALBBS), recognized this challenge and initiated several innovative ways to promote literacy for children who do not have access to educational materials.

The analysis of spontaneous tail coiling (STC) in zebrafish embryos is a functional parameter that allows the study of motor development. It has recently gained relevance as a biomarker to assess the neurotoxicity of environmental substances. Its practicability in the laboratory makes it an excellent pedagogical tool for promoting students' inquiry skills. However, the time and cost of materials and facilities limit their usage in undergraduate laboratories. This study presents the design of a computer-based educational module called ZebraSTMe, which is based on a tail coiling assay and aims to improve science process skills in undergraduate students by connecting them to relevant and novel content. We evaluate students' perception of learning, the quality of materials used, and the knowledge gained. Our results show that students perceived an improvement in their statistical analysis, representation, and discussion of experimental data. Additionally, the students evaluated the quality and ease of use of the materials and provided feedback for revision. A thematic analysis of the opinions revealed that the module activities promoted students' reflection on their professional strengths and weaknesses.

When secondary school students were asked about the socioscientific issue of using sodium fluoroacetate (1080) poison to control New Zealand's possum pests, they provided a wide range of responses. Their responses showed that they considered this method of control to be risky and contentious. Such contentious issues are an example of the complexity involved in using a socioscientific approach to investigate an aspect of post-normal science. This paper provides the background to and development of a new risk perceptions analysis framework that was employed to qualitatively interpret these diverse viewpoints. Four Cultural Types ("Nature Benign," "Nature Tolerant," "Nature Ephemeral" and "Nature Capricious") are accommodated within this framework. Each Cultural Type has a particular view of risk that is defined using common characteristics and is differentiated by unique individual attributes. It is proposed that this framework has the potential to analyse students' responses to this contentious issue of 1080 use. The framework could be used as an educative tool in classrooms to investigate the range of views within society about issues that involve risk. Additionally, it could be used to assist students to gain awareness of their own view as well as develop an appreciation about the differing views of risk held by other people when discussing contentious issues.

Exposure and experience with ethical dilemmas and controversial socioscientific issues provide a link to students' lives or a pathway for sympathy/empathy and care, where youth use emotion to engage with the scenario and develop critical thinking skills to respond to ethical issues. For this theoretical paper, I focus on how informal science can be used in science classes to provide such exposure and experience, creating spaces for students to foster erotic relationships with the nature-Other and their local environment. More specifically, this paper aims to discuss how educators can use these informal science experiences, and in this case--those involving marine mammals, to find value for natural phenomena through erotic generosity and phenomenological experiences within the environment and use their knowledge and power to act responsibly.

Students in an animal physiology course are required to have completed prerequisite cell biology and genetics courses that include discussion of basic properties and functions of the cell membrane. However, while many students remember basic information about membrane structure, they often have difficulty relating that structure to membrane functions, such as vesicular transport, active transport, osmosis, and current flow across the membrane. To better understand what students recall about the cell membrane, students were given an open-ended prompt to draw what they know about the structure and function of the animal cell membrane. This activity was repeated 1-2 weeks after finishing discussion of the cell membrane in class, with an emphasis on the concepts of membrane transport and a related core concept, flow along gradients. Student responses were analyzed using the conceptual framework for the "cell membrane" core concept published by Michael and Modell (Michael J, Modell H. "Adv Physiol Educ" 43: 373-377, 2019). Before covering this content in class, the majority of submissions included a representation of the cell membrane as a phospholipid bilayer, and a high percentage also included membrane proteins or the fluid mosaic model. Similar percentages of students included these concepts in the postcoverage drawing. However, other components of the conceptual framework were included less frequently or not at all before covering the content in class but improved dramatically afterward. This activity provides information about what students recall from prior coursework and which concepts need to be revisited, and it can provide a complementary assessment of student understanding of the core concept of the cell membrane.

Sustainability education is crucial in helping students deal with current health and environmental challenges through dietary choices. This study aims to provide an understanding of how the teachers surveyed (n = 416, 85% women; 58% teaching natural sciences) view the importance of the following interrelated issues for sustainability: (1) the viability of diets for tackling environmental challenges and natural resource management; (2) the health benefits of traditional versus plant-based diets; and (3) the impacts of factory farming on animals and animal sentience. Most participants recognised the importance of a sustainable education model that encourages reducing meat consumption while adopting healthy plant-based diets. Furthermore, the majority recognise animal sentience and agree that schools should address the negative impacts of factory farming on animals and the environment. The results are striking, as they indicate that most teachers' views contrast with the traditionalist and instrumental portrayal of animals in national core curricula.