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Efforts in Animal Welfare Education Dr. David Coffey Introduction Acquiring contemporary, non-biased teaching materials is a problem for all educators. The National FFA Foundation in cooperation with the Council for Agriculture education has been involved in a four year project to write, field-test, revise and disseminate materials in the areas of animal welfare.
Representatives from each state are then "trained" representatives in agricultural education to go to their states to be resources in implementing materials into their current curriculum.
Objectives of the project materials are to develop an appreciation for the necessary role of animals in our lives, make informed decisions on issues related to treatment and uses of animals and animal products, distinguish differences in perceptions of animal welfare vs. animals rights, provide management guidelines, audio-visual and other instructional resources related to animal welfare issues and to develop students’ critical-thinking skills.
History of Project In 1992, the National FFA Foundation began seeking funding for the project and Dr. David Coffey, teacher educator at Western Kentucky University, was selected as project director. An Action Force of 16 professionals from commodity and agricultural advocacy organizations, industry, animal science, teacher education in agriculture and science, urban and rural ag-ed programs met in Kansas City to determine the content and scope of the project. Determined that needed content was determined to be broader than agricultural issues. A subcommittee of Drs. Jack Albright, John Boyce, Jeff Goodwin and Janice Swanson, commodity representative Earl Dotson and ag-ed instructors Krista Paynton, Eddie Stephens and Cary Trexler met and/or communicated with Project Director regularly for content validity and instructional feasibility. Lessons developed relate to six areas and are entitled:
Each lesson incorporates two teaching "models." The "traditional" model consists of a unit with lesson plans, overheads, and discussion. A more contemporary model consists of outcomes, activities including portfolio assignments and holistic assessment.
Each instructional area contains:
Learner Expectations performance-based learner expectations.
Lesson Outline topics discussed in materials.
Teaching Materials background materials and suggested visual master references that would be helpful in teaching the instructional area.
Terms a vocabulary list of unfamiliar terms found in the instructional area.
Suggested Teaching Strategies instructions for using the materials found in each section and suggestions for supplemental activities.
Teacher Activities critical-thinking activities, constructive response questions and writing portfolio development activities for students in individual and group decision-making situations.
Teacher Activities listed alphabetically include:
* A dog is a mouse is a chicken is a pig is a person? * Agree or Disagree? * AIDS, Seattle and Tinjil * And the verdict is... * Animal Welfare and Our Library * Big Pig in Metal Box * Careers to "The Run for The Roses" * Condo vs. The Dairy Barn * Cruelty-Free and Animal-Friendly Products? * Deer Decisions * Fad and Fashion * Hammer * I recommend... * Law, law... * Love in Michigan and Ann Landers * Meat Sure, But Sorry, No Veal! * Melrose Avenue and the Ostrich Skin Boots * Moving Out to the "Burbs"--Whose land is it anyway? * Pet Ownership Responsibility Information Sheet * Rights vs. Welfare * Salsa, Sushi, Kidney Pie, and Bar-B-Q * Sneaking up on the pyramid! * Two Sides To Every Story * "Veggie" Dogfood * Veggies Only for Me? * Videos, Videos... * Webs and Chains * What’s A Pet? * What’s That Odor, What’s That Sound? * What We Do With Animals...
Results to Date " Train the trainer" workshops were held in Nashville and Denver for representatives from 49 states. A list of state trainers is attached.
Since that time sponsorship primarily through AIF has allowed the project to expand beyond agriculture to science, biology and Ag in the classroom teachers.
Plans are to in-service trainers from the remaining 19 states in the fall and to provide assistance with commodity, consumer, and educational groups in disseminating the materials. Since materials are developed to be used with groups both within and outside of agriculture, plans are for a further dissemination of materials to other educational, commodity and professional groups.
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