Education for Ethics Investigating the Contribution of Animal Studies to Fostering Ethical Understanding in Children by Amanda Jean Yorke GDip.Eq.St; GCert.Ani.Sci; BEd (Honours) Faculty of Education Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy May 2016 Declaration of Originality This thesis contains no material which has been accepted for a degree or diploma by the University or any other institution, except by way of background information and duly acknowledged in the thesis, and to the best of my knowledge and belief no material previously published or written by another person except where due acknowledgement is made in the text of the thesis, nor does the thesis contain any material that infringes copyright. Amanda Yorke ii Approval to Copy This thesis may be made available for loan and limited copying in accordance with the Copyright Act 1968. Amanda Yorke iii Statement of Ethical Conduct The research associated with this thesis abides by the international and Australian codes on human and animal experimentation, as approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee (Tasmania) Network – Social Science, Ethics Reference No. H0013094. Amanda Yorke iv Acknowledgements This thesis is the culminating work of a rare occasion in life to pursue two enduring interests. I am immeasurably grateful for the opportunity to combine my life-long passions of education and animals, and I am fortunate to have been accompanied throughout this pursuit by a number of inspirational individuals, both human and non-human. Firstly, I would like to offer the greatest of appreciation to Dr David Moltow, who achieved the balance between offering expert guidance and allowing a level of autonomy that made this project both possible and pleasurable. I offer sincere gratitude to Associate Professor Karen Swabey, who provided unwavering interest and support for the project and whose insightful advice and meticulous attention to detail, was always welcomed. I would also like to thank Dr JF for his valuable early contributions to the research design. I offer my appreciation to the participating school, students, parents, and teachers in the study, whose willingness to share their thoughts and experiences contributed not only to the findings of the study but also to my understanding of the complexities of the development of ethical understanding. The regular contact and spontaneous support offered by family and friends despite the challenges of geographical distance and fierce independence was much appreciated, and I am thankful for the many forms of encouragement that served as a foundation for the resilience and self-reliance required to complete this project. v Ultimately, the greatest acknowledgement has to be reserved for my wonderful sons, Torren and Mason, who serve as sources of distraction and inspiration, never cease to ignite my sense of wonder, have grown with me throughout this experience, and who will forever be the strongest motivation for all that I strive to achieve. Thank you. vi Abstract Educational strategies with the explicit purpose of developing children’s understanding of ethical concepts and the enactment of ethical behaviours have evolved over time to address changing expectations. Over recent years, educational strategies involving animals have gained popularity and a number of questions arise from this. What are the aims and current approaches of animal- focused educational strategies? What is understood about the contribution of human-animal relationships to ethical development? Is it possible for animal- focused educational strategies to contribute to the realisation of the aims of the Australian Curriculum? This study was initiated in response to an identified gap in existing research concerning the current aims of education for the promotion of ethical understanding, the role of human-animal relationships in the development of ethical understanding in children, and the potential contribution to education that could be made by recognition of the connection between these two aspects. The completion of this study fulfilled three objectives; to provide a critical review of current approaches to animal-focused educational strategies, to identify the role of human-animal relationships in the development of ethical understanding in children, and to investigate what contribution can be made by curriculum-based vii Animal Studies to the promotion of multidimensional ethical understanding in children. The research objectives were addressed by employing a mixed methods research approach to conduct a small-scale case study in a one group pre-test – post-test convergent parallel design. A four-week Animal Studies Literacy Program was completed by students between pre-test – post-test administrations. In the absence of comparative studies or existing frameworks addressing the specific focus of this study, an investigative framework was constructed to include quantitative and qualitative data collection instruments. Quantitative instruments comprised the Defining Issues Test (DIT-2), the Griffiths Empathy Measure- Parent Report, the Pet Attitude Scale (Modified), and the Ethical Understanding Curriculum Questionnaire. Qualitative measures included group interviews and written responses to the Animal Studies Literacy Program. The sample population comprised 12 students enrolled in year 7 or year 8 and attending timetabled Literacy lessons, one parent or carer of each student participant, and two teachers. The setting was a Kindergarten-Year 10 Catholic College in Tasmania, Australia. The study provides a comprehensive critical review of current animal- focused approaches relevant to the aims of education for the promotion of ethical understanding. The findings of the case study confirm the multidimensional nature of ethical understanding through the measurement of the development of the dimensions pertinent to ethical judgement, ethical sensitivity, ethical character, viii and ethical identity. The findings have global significance for the field of moral education and the multidisciplinary field of Animal Studies. The isolated assessment of individual dimensions of ethical understanding, to what extent these are being realised in the sample for this study, and how they may be better achieved has significance for the teaching and assessment of educational practices designed to foster the promotion of ethical understanding. Further, the findings of this study, which highlighted the potential role of human-animal relationships in children’s general development but more specifically in the multidimensional development of ethical understanding, will inform the appropriate inclusion of animal-focused educational strategies and the representation of animals within the educational environment. In researching these aspects, future consideration to the inclusion of Animal Studies in educational practices aimed at fostering the promotion of ethical understanding is encouraged. ix Table of Contents Table of Contents Declaration of Originality ........................................................................................ ii Approval to Copy ....................................................................................................... iii Statement of Ethical Conduct ...................................................................................... iv Acknowledgements....................................................................................................... v Abstract ....................................................................................................................... vii Table of Contents .............................................................................................................. x List of Tables .................................................................................................................. xxi List of Figures ............................................................................................................. xxiii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Research Questions ................................................................................................. 2 1.2 Background to the Study ........................................................................................ 4 x Table of Contents 1.2.1 The Pedagogical Gap in Education to Foster the Promotion of Ethical Understanding .......................................................................................................... 9 1.2.2 An Alternative Pedagogical Approach to Ethical Understanding ................ 10 1.3 Problem and Purpose ............................................................................................ 13 1.4 Significance of the Study ...................................................................................... 14 1.5 Scope and Limitations of the Study ...................................................................... 15 1.6 Outline of the Thesis ............................................................................................. 18 1.7 Summary of Chapter 1 .......................................................................................... 19 CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW PART A ................................................................................. 20 Introduction................................................................................................................