PRE-SERVICE BIOLOGY TEACHERS’ REPORTED FEAR AND DISGUST OF ANIMALS AND THEIR WILLINGNESS TO INCORPORATE LIVE ANIMALS INTO THEIR TEACHING THROUGH STUDY YEARS
Journal Title: Journal of Baltic Science Education - Year 2017, Vol 16, Issue 3
Abstract
In this research, the self-reported fear and disgust toward animals of pre-service biology teachers and their willingness to incorporate live animals into their teaching were assessed with a questionnaire. An entire generation of pre-service biology teachers (N = 128) participated in this research. The results show that students are mostly afraid of animals that are potentially dangerous to humans such as large predators and are disgusted mostly by animals that are small and wet looking, like a slug. The students were less willing to incorporate animals that they reported to be most fearful or disgusting into their teaching. Considering that throughout their study years, there was practically no change in students’ levels of fear, disgust and willingness to incorporate live animals into their teaching calls for an improvement of the biology teacher education study programme in order to train teachers that are skilled and willing to use live animals in their teaching. One of the solutions could be offering pre-service teachers as many first-hand experiences with live animals as possible either in a formal learning environment, such as the university or, in case of large animals (predators), in informal learning environments, like a zoo or a national park.
Authors and Affiliations
Iztok Tomažič, Nina Pihler, Jelka Strgar
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP437267
- DOI -
- Views 92
- Downloads 0
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A CONSTRUCTIVIST TEACHING MODEL ON STUDENTS’ UNDERSTANDING OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS
Photosynthesis is one of the fundamental processes on Earth and it ranks among the most demanding science concepts for students, associated with a number of misconceptions. For improving students’ understanding and learn...
EXPLORING THE EFFECT OF NOS/NOT LEARNING AND DISPOSITIONS ON UNDERTAKING BEHAVIOURAL ACTIONS IN THE CASE OF NATURAL HAZARDS
This research seeks to evaluate students’ intended behavioural actions in the event of a natural hazard, specifically hurricane, lightning, earthquake, or tsunami. A test instrument, measuring behavioural actions in the...
SCAFFOLDING MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS’ MODELING PROCESSES
This research explores how scaffolding students’ reflections on scientific modeling criteria influence the students’ views on scientific models, development of explanatory models, and understanding of scientific models....
CONCEPT FORMATION: PHYSICS TEACHER AND HIS KNOW-HOW AND KNOW-WHY
Physics education is an easy job, making people happy. It is an easy job for all, including teachers and learners. Do you agree? I do, but probably it is good to try to discuss these words somehow in details. Quite often...
DIVERSIFICATION OF REASONING SCIENCE TEST ITEMS OF TIMSS GRADE 8 BASED ON HIGHER ORDER THINKING SKILLS: A CASE STUDY OF INDONESIAN STUDENTS
The aim of this research was to assess the classification of science test items of TIMSS grade 8 based on higher order thinking skills (HOTS) and determine whether those classified-science test items can be an assessment...