People have long found comfort and support by interacting and sharing their lives with animals, and from this interest has led to a specific modality in human healthcare called Animal-Assisted Interactions (AAI). One application of AAI in higher education has gained much attention in the past 10 years. University campuses are a setting where…

Innovative reforms in medical education will require instructional tools to support these changes and to give students more flexibility in where and how they learn. At Colorado State University, the software program Virtual Canine Anatomy (VCA) was developed to assist student learning both inside and outside the anatomical laboratory. The program…

The River Clyde in Scotland is famous worldwide for its former commercial life, with trade and shipbuilding concentrated at the tidal end of its 170 km length. Nowadays the river is quieter but cleaner and is recovering from centuries of manmade changes to its bed, banks and flows. The Clyde River Foundation (CRF) is a registered Scottish charity…

Snakes and spiders are two of the most commonly feared animals worldwide, yet we know very little about the mechanisms by which such fears are acquired. We explored whether negative information about snakes and spiders from parents shapes children's fear beliefs. Study 1 included 27 parents (22 mothers, five fathers) and children (12 female, 15…

In this paper, we analyse results from one classroom session within an 8-week program in which Year 10 students constructed 'trash' puppets of endangered Australian animals. In making the puppets and using them as part of a 'theatre in a suitcase' performance at Melbourne Zoo, students were expected to integrate both scientific and artistic goals…

This study assessed the knowledge, feelings, and life experiences of students in public middle schools in the Brazilian Amazon toward aquatic mammals by applying semi-structured interviews, with a qualitative-quantitative approach. A total of 241 students, from all genders, aged between 12 and 14 years old, from four public schools of Pará State…

This study assesses the impact of interactive learning environments and flipped classroom models on student engagement and learning outcomes in life sciences. We focused on the "Introduction to Laboratory Mice" course, utilizing the MITAKA SUPPLY Mimicky® Mouse model alongside IT tools like Google Classroom, Kahoot, Mentimeter, Quizizz,…

We describe the use of the popular board game "Wingspan" in a first-year seminar course at an undergraduate liberal arts institution. We discuss implementation of the game in the classroom, classroom activities and assessments, and associated field activities. We also share student survey data on effective use of "Wingspan" to…

Evolutionary anthropologists commonly describe humans as a highly cooperative species, based on our evolved socio-cognitive capacities. However, students and the general public may not necessarily share this view about our species. At the same time, fostering our ability to cooperate is considered a key foundation for achieving sustainable…

Fine needle puncture (FNP) is a widespread technique used to collect cellular samples. Its efficiency can be enhanced by the use of ultrasonography to guide the procedure. Ultrasound-guided FNP is therefore an operator-dependent exam. For this reason, it demands the acquisition of psychomotor skill, ability to recognize structures, and dexterity…

There is an emphasis on survival-based selection in biology education that can allow students to neglect other important evolutionary components, such as sexual selection, reproduction, and inheritance. Student understanding of the role of reproduction in evolution is as important as student understanding of the role of survival. Limiting…

This descriptive case study presents findings from a 2 year research study on an intervention program, "Reading with Animals," launched in a linguistically, ethnically, and racially diverse Central New York community. The local literacy coalition implemented the Dolly Parton's Imagination Library (IL) program in two low-income zip codes…

Many high school students learn about nutrient cycling during biology, environmental science, and agriculture classes. These lessons often focus on soil and plants, and nutrient cycling is usually taught independently from climate change. Scientists know that animals, including fish, can have strong effects on nutrient cycling (i.e., nitrogen and…

Through four previous editions, students and instructors have relied on this book's clear, concise, and highly accessible overview of the processes and mechanisms responsible for conditioning and learning. Domjan and Delamater summarize major theories of how humans and nonhuman animals learn, along with the classic experiments that support these…

The purpose of this non-experimental, descriptive study was to determine the effects that regular, brief visits with therapy dogs may have on the stress, anxiety, and university connection of college students who live in the residence halls via a qualitative research design involving the use of observations, questionnaires, and individual…