For Manitos, or Hispanic New Mexicans, sheep symbolized a way of life. Working with sheep not only provided a way to earn a living, but it also contributed to a fiber arts tradition that has been cultivated and sustained over many generations. Sheep became a symbol of Nuevomexicano culture and an example of affirmation and resistance in the face…

The importance of genetic diversity, especially within small populations of endangered species, is becoming increasingly apparent. Genetic engineering techniques that could potentially enhance diversity are now being developed. However, the use of such techniques would require social licence and yet within the general population there is limited…

The threat of climate change makes it increasingly important for biologists and the public to understand how organisms respond to temperature. The Metabolic Theory of Ecology (MTE) predicts that temperature should affect organism performance, with implications for species interactions and ecosystems that span disciplines including mathematics,…

Despite the many contributions of nonhuman animals in history, nonhuman animal representations are seldom crafted with care and accuracy in curricular texts. Because of the anthropocentric vantage point of textbook creation, the nonhuman animal is often portrayed as an object, but as our relationship with the nonhuman world continues to…

School principals are uniquely positioned to bring innovative programs to K-12 schools. Therapy dog programs are one such program that has received much attention from educational communities nationwide. The problem is that while several studies can be found proposing the benefits of therapy dog programs in school settings, there needs to be more…

The exploitation of animals for human purposes raises several ethical concerns in the educational realm that ought to be carefully dealt with. Derived from the content analysis of sample of 39 Portuguese secondary and high school textbooks, this study aims to understand how factory-farmed animals are represented within the following themes: food…

This study describes student interest in the agricultural content pathways established by the National Council for Agricultural Education. Differences exist between male and female students concerning curriculum choices in agriculture, food, and natural resources. Male students were most interested in food products and processing systems, while…

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…

To examine the ways that 6- to 11-year-old children's conversation with their parents support their developing understandings of evolution, 49 parent-child dyads participated in a study with two elicited discussion tasks: origins of species and potential species change. Conversational data were transcribed, coded, and qualitatively and…

Early motor and sensory developmental delays precede Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnosis and may serve as early indicators of ASD. The literature on sensorimotor development in animal models is sparse, male centered, and has mixed findings. We characterized early development in a prenatal valproic acid (VPA) model of ASD and found…

Many autistic people cite a strong attachment to animals, and some studies suggest they may even show a bias towards animals over people. This mixed-methods study explored companion animal attachment in the adult autistic community. In a quantitative study with 735 people, we found that autistic adults were equally attached to their pets as…

Therapy dogs are a valuable tool for students in the school system. The literature indicates therapy dogs are a supportive tool, from the perspective of teachers, students, parents, counselors, and the community, for mental health, social and emotional and academic needs. Research has provided evidence that principals and superintendents have the…

Human-driven threats are changing biodiversity and impacting ecosystem services (i.e., nature's contributions to society, henceforth 'services'). The consequences of biodiversity change for ecosystems and people are hard to predict because the loss of one species can trigger secondary extinctions of additional species when species interact (e.g.,…

Background: Equine facilitated learning (EFL) leadership programs have recently gained recognition as a novel approach to teaching leadership but are not widely known or researched. Methods: A study was conducted from the text of 13 selected EFL leadership program websites using qualitative thematic content analysis. Program characteristics,…

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…