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…

Almost 10% of American youth are diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). While not a learning disability, this diagnosis results in youth being labeled academically "at-risk." While equine assisted services (EAS) promote an emotionally safe learning environment for at-risk youth, program availability is limited.…

Minority characteristic generic statements such as "ducks lay eggs" are judged to be generally true of the class, despite being true of a minority of cases, such as healthy female ducks of egg-laying age. Five studies explored the factors responsible for the acceptance of minority generic statements about biological kinds. Studies 1 and…

The lack of real-life experiences, such as handling livestock at a production facility (e.g., ranch), exists for a variety of reasons such as availability, liability, time, and cost, amongst others. As more students enter undergraduate animal science programs without prior exposure to animal handling, the necessity for more hands-on, real-life…

Agricultural education is critical in addressing complex problems around food and agriculture systems. One such method for educating citizens about agriculture is postsecondary agricultural education programming. Specifically, experiential learning is widely used at the post-secondary level to achieve powerful, goal-oriented, academic learning.…

In this qualitative case study we examined the impact of a specially-designed classroom intervention for a group of 15-16-year-old Dutch biology students' use of values in contemplating five socioscientific issues in the human-nature context. The students worked in small groups to support various aspects of their morality. An ethical matrix was…

Research Findings: Anthropomorphized animal characters have been associated with negative influences on educational outcomes for young children, for example story comprehension and prosocial learning from moral tales. In this study we investigate how character realism and moral theme influence young children's recall of the story content. Retells…

The advancement of breakthrough concepts in science and their implementation in society can only be achieved by starting early with the education of new generations of scientists. The concept of 'Replacement, Reduction and Refinement' (the 3Rs) in regards to animal use was first described by Russell and Burch in 1959. The 3Rs have nowadays a…

Children on the autism spectrum frequently display difficulties engaging with people and with functional tasks. A pilot, randomised control trial was completed to explore the impact of canine assisted occupational therapy on the on-task behaviours and goal attainment of autistic children when compared to occupational therapy sessions as usual.…

Using a mixed model, we evaluated effects of national 4-H hippology and livestock skillathon contests on youths' content knowledge, 21st century skills, and postsecondary plans. Hippology participants gained significant knowledge in all topics except breeds, and livestock skillathon contestants gained significant knowledge in all topics. The…

In Greece, research about Environmental Education in elementary schools is scarce and geographically limited. A total of 1,157 questionnaires focused on the marine environment and, especially, on cetaceans (dolphins and whales), were conducted among 5th and 6th grade primary school students from 25 Greek towns. Results revealed that the awareness…

This study explored the impact of an active project-based, aquaculture constructivist-learning program, as perceived by high school students. The purpose of this case study was to discover if participation in the program influenced students' interest, engagement, and future educational and career aspirations in science, technology, engineering,…

Canine-assisted activities in schools can benefit students' educational, emotional, and social needs. Furthermore, they could be an effective form of non-clinical mental health treatment for children and adolescents. In the United Kingdom, school dogs are growing in popularity, however, little is known about how parents perceive canine-assisted…

Herbivores are important to ecosystems because they transfer energy stored in plant matter to other organisms. However, when herbivores occur in high abundances, they can become pests and harm the plants that form the basis of food webs. Mangroves are saltwater tolerant trees found along most tropical and subtropical shorelines. Because mangroves…

This high school-level, place-based, inquiry-driven laboratory module familiarises students with techniques used to analyse animal behaviour while facilitating the development of the observational skills highlighted by the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Throughout the module, students observe, quantify, and discuss local invertebrate…