Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

The usage of animals for different purposes in today’s society is widespread, and animal welfare
has become a public concern. In order to secure good welfare for these animals it is of great
importance to gain knowledge about ethology and animal protection legislation early in life.
Improved knowledge regarding animal welfare has been stated as an important key in the European
Commission’s strategy for protection and increased welfare of animals. The children are our future
population and have the possibility to change the welfare standards of many animals with their
consuming habits and contribute to a general increased welfare by tending to animals needs and
behaviour. To gain this knowledge children need adequate education, and preferable already at an
early age. Several earlier studies have confirmed the positive effects of education on knowledge and
attitudes towards different kind of animals. Despite this matter, the elementary schools are not
promoting this knowledge and the words ethology, animal welfare and animal protection are
completely absent in the primary school biology curricula. This study’s aim was to investigate if,
and to what extent, teachers are implementing these subjects in their biology lessons. Data was
collected through a questionnaire and distributed via groups for teachers on social media. Although
a small sample size was obtained in this study, the result indicated that neither animal welfare,
ethology nor animal protection is implemented in the biology lessons to any greater extent. In order
to change this matter, the teachers imply that the subjects must be described in the curriculum for
them to include them in their teaching. These results could indicate that the biology curricula need
to reform to promote the teaching of these subjects in school. Future studies ought to investigate a
greater sample size and an evaluation of what kind of knowledge and attitudes towards animals the
present biology curricula is promoting would also be beneficial.
Keywords: Curriculum, biology, education, animal welfare, ethology, animal protection