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An International Survey of Animals in Schools: Exploring What Sorts of Schools Involve What Sorts of Animals, and Educators’ Rationales for These Practices

Helen Lewis Orcid Logo, Russell Grigg

People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice, Volume: 5, Issue: 1

Swansea University Authors: Helen Lewis Orcid Logo, Russell Grigg

Abstract

Over recent decades, the use of animal-assisted interventions (AAIs) in educational settings has attracted growing international interest both among educators and the research community. However, there has been little comparative analysis of the demographics of participants and the rationale behind...

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Published in: People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice
ISSN: 2575-9078
Published: Purdue University International Association of Human-Animal Interaction Organizations 2022
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URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa61767
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spelling v2 61767 2022-11-02 An International Survey of Animals in Schools: Exploring What Sorts of Schools Involve What Sorts of Animals, and Educators’ Rationales for These Practices daebf144a10dc3164bff6ec1800d66d3 0000-0003-4329-913X Helen Lewis Helen Lewis true false 9701d32adc7c12ae98010199dd338146 Russell Grigg Russell Grigg true false 2022-11-02 EDUC Over recent decades, the use of animal-assisted interventions (AAIs) in educational settings has attracted growing international interest both among educators and the research community. However, there has been little comparative analysis of the demographics of participants and the rationale behind such practices. The aim of this paper is to address this. An anonymous online questionnaire was distributed via social media and other networks. Quanti-tative and qualitative data were collected from 610 participants across 23 countries, mostly from the United Kingdom and North America. In total, 315 (51.6%) participants reported involving animals in their settings. The results show that although animals featured from preschool to adult education contexts, the primary school years (5–11) accounted for 60% of responses. More than 30 different species were reported, with dogs being the most popular. The overriding reason educators give for involving animals is the perception that they make an important contribution to children’s well-being. Practices around the involvement of dogs provide a focus for discussion. The research breaks new ground in highlighting commonalities and contrasts in school demographics associated with the involvement of animals across a range of international contexts. It also points to a consensus around the perceived well-being benefits for children of such interventions. For practitioners, the paper has value in prompting reflection on the need for a clear rationale before embarking on such an intervention, and highlights practical considerations needed before bringing an animal into an educational setting. The paper also suggests potential areas for future research, relating to possible benefits for and agency of the animals who are involved. Journal Article People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice 5 1 International Association of Human-Animal Interaction Organizations Purdue University 2575-9078 animal-assisted education; school dogs; 1 11 2022 2022-11-01 https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/paij/vol5/iss1/15/ COLLEGE NANME Education COLLEGE CODE EDUC Swansea University 2024-04-08T10:24:01.3370332 2022-11-02T16:42:09.3766666 Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences School of Social Sciences - Education and Childhood Studies Helen Lewis 0000-0003-4329-913X 1 Russell Grigg 2 61767__25976__a60f03e9282446848406e58b40643519.pdf 61767.pdf 2022-12-01T15:26:21.1076617 Output 410781 application/pdf Version of Record true true eng
title An International Survey of Animals in Schools: Exploring What Sorts of Schools Involve What Sorts of Animals, and Educators’ Rationales for These Practices
spellingShingle An International Survey of Animals in Schools: Exploring What Sorts of Schools Involve What Sorts of Animals, and Educators’ Rationales for These Practices
Helen Lewis
Russell Grigg
title_short An International Survey of Animals in Schools: Exploring What Sorts of Schools Involve What Sorts of Animals, and Educators’ Rationales for These Practices
title_full An International Survey of Animals in Schools: Exploring What Sorts of Schools Involve What Sorts of Animals, and Educators’ Rationales for These Practices
title_fullStr An International Survey of Animals in Schools: Exploring What Sorts of Schools Involve What Sorts of Animals, and Educators’ Rationales for These Practices
title_full_unstemmed An International Survey of Animals in Schools: Exploring What Sorts of Schools Involve What Sorts of Animals, and Educators’ Rationales for These Practices
title_sort An International Survey of Animals in Schools: Exploring What Sorts of Schools Involve What Sorts of Animals, and Educators’ Rationales for These Practices
author_id_str_mv daebf144a10dc3164bff6ec1800d66d3
9701d32adc7c12ae98010199dd338146
author_id_fullname_str_mv daebf144a10dc3164bff6ec1800d66d3_***_Helen Lewis
9701d32adc7c12ae98010199dd338146_***_Russell Grigg
author Helen Lewis
Russell Grigg
author2 Helen Lewis
Russell Grigg
format Journal article
container_title People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice
container_volume 5
container_issue 1
publishDate 2022
institution Swansea University
issn 2575-9078
publisher International Association of Human-Animal Interaction Organizations
college_str Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
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hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofhumanitiesandsocialsciences
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
department_str School of Social Sciences - Education and Childhood Studies{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences{{{_:::_}}}School of Social Sciences - Education and Childhood Studies
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description Over recent decades, the use of animal-assisted interventions (AAIs) in educational settings has attracted growing international interest both among educators and the research community. However, there has been little comparative analysis of the demographics of participants and the rationale behind such practices. The aim of this paper is to address this. An anonymous online questionnaire was distributed via social media and other networks. Quanti-tative and qualitative data were collected from 610 participants across 23 countries, mostly from the United Kingdom and North America. In total, 315 (51.6%) participants reported involving animals in their settings. The results show that although animals featured from preschool to adult education contexts, the primary school years (5–11) accounted for 60% of responses. More than 30 different species were reported, with dogs being the most popular. The overriding reason educators give for involving animals is the perception that they make an important contribution to children’s well-being. Practices around the involvement of dogs provide a focus for discussion. The research breaks new ground in highlighting commonalities and contrasts in school demographics associated with the involvement of animals across a range of international contexts. It also points to a consensus around the perceived well-being benefits for children of such interventions. For practitioners, the paper has value in prompting reflection on the need for a clear rationale before embarking on such an intervention, and highlights practical considerations needed before bringing an animal into an educational setting. The paper also suggests potential areas for future research, relating to possible benefits for and agency of the animals who are involved.
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