Pre-service Teachers\u27 Willingness to Integrate Live Animals into Biology and Science Lessons

Vključevanje živali oziroma neposredna izkušnja z njimi velja za pomemben dejavnik pri premagovanju predsodkov do živali. Vpliv neposrednega stika je slabo raziskana na področju izobraževanja prihodnjih učiteljev biologije. V magistrskem delu smo raziskovali pripravljenost prihodnjih učiteljev biologije za vključevanja činčile, krastače in podgane v pouk biologije in naravoslovja. Živali smo izbrali zaradi njihovih lastnosti, in sicer žival, ki je ljudem ljuba (činčila), ter krastačo in podgano, ki navadno vzbujata negativna čustva. Pri raziskavi smo se opirali na že znane raziskave o stališčih do živali v vzgoji in izobraževanju. S pomočjo anketnega vprašalnika, ki je temeljil na 5-stopenjski Likertovi lestvici stališč smo pridobila stališča študentov (N = 89) prvega in tretjega letnika o vključevanju izbranih živali v pouk. Stališča smo zbirali pred in po neposredni izkušnji. Preverili smo, ali se pojavljajo statistično pomembne razlike v stališčih pred in po neposredni izkušnji. Rezultati kažejo, da neposredna izkušnja pozitivno vpliva na stališča prihodnjih učiteljev do vključevanja izbranih živali v pouk. Izkazalo se je, da so stališča študentov že pred neposredno izkušnjo pozitivna in stremijo v smeri vključevanja živali v pouk. Rezultate raziskave lahko uporabimo za nadaljnje bolj poglobljeno raziskovanje teme ali pa jih apliciramo v pouk in s tem izboljšamo proces poučevanja.The inclusion of animals or direct experience with them is considered an important factor in overcoming prejudices towards animals. The impact of face-to-face contact is a researched topic, but poorly researched in the field of prospective teachers. In the master\u27s thesis, we investigated the readiness of future teachers for the inclusion of chinchillas, toads and rats in biology science lessons. We chose the animals because of their characteristics, namely an animal that people love (chinchillas), and toad and rat, which tend to evoke negative emotions. In the research, we relied on already known research on attitudes towards animals in education. With the help of a questionnaire based on a 5-point Likert scale of attitudes, we obtained attitudes of students (89) in the first and third year of college about the inclusion of selected animals in the lessons. We collected opinions before and after the direct experience whit animals. With the help of SPSS analysis, we checked whether there are statistically significant differences in attitudes before and after the direct experience. The results show that direct experience has a positive effect on future teachers\u27 attitudes towards the inclusion of selected animals. It turned out that even before the direct experience, students\u27 attitudes were positive and they tend towards the inclusion of animals in lessons. However, we were careful interpreting results, as we conducted the research on a very small sample. The results of the research can be used for further, more in-depth research on the topic, or we can apply them in lessons and thereby improve our teaching process