Animals as performers or exhibits: a study of their relevance to Portuguese, Spanish, and Greek pre-service teachers

This study involves Portuguese, Spanish and Greek pre-service primary teachers (n = 210) and pre-service kindergarten teachers (n = 195) and identifies through a questionnaire a) their personal opinions and b) perception of the didactic value of eight performances with live animals. The results were compared by course among countries and between courses in the same country. Globally, the pre-service teachers neither showed a great personal interest, nor recognized great didactic relevance in these shows. Pre-kindergarten teachers from Portugal and Spain tend to value them more positively as a way to bring children closer to animals. Shows with aquatic mammals received the greatest appreciation in both dimensions, especially in the Greek sample; birds of prey shows were valued more by the Iberian participants. Violent shows, such as fighting animals and bullfighting, were very negatively viewed. Shows with pets and birds of prey were viewed frequently as more detrimental to animals than they are. The results show that a better understanding of the impact of each show on animals is needed, if pre-service teachers are to make informed decisions in their professional future.