The major purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of use of live animals on student knowledge and interest compared to instruction without a live animal. In addition to designing and implementing a treatment and control group study, they conducted a meta-analysis of prior relevant research. They designed research questions to determine if exposure to living animals versus animals on film increases student knowledge, and if there are differences in students' motivation as a result of the two approaches.
Following their meta-analysis, the researchers implemented their experimental study. The treatments and control group were conducted during the 2009-2010 school year, aimed at enhancing middle school student achievement in science in a German school system. Nearly 600 students between the ages of 10 to 12 years old who attended fifth and sixth grades participated in the study. Students were divided into three groups, including a control group that did not receive any instruction, an intervention group that incorporated a living animal into science instruction, and an intervention group that used a film on animals in science instruction. Researchers measured student cognitive achievement by delivering tests prior to and directly after the study, as well as two follow-up tests, and measured intrinsic motivation by using an inventory. Three different animals were selected by the researchers according to their accessibility to teachers and common use in biological education, including woodlice, roman snail, and house mouse.
Results from the study indicated significant learning outcome differences between the intervention groups and the control group, however there were no significant learning outcome differences between the two intervention groups. That is, knowledge about the species did not differ whether a live animal or a film was used as part of the instruction. However, with respect to interest in learning, the researchers found that the intrinsic motivation of students who interacted with the living mouse when incorporated into the science lesson was higher than that of the students in the film group.
Research Partner