CHAPTER 10 
Teaching with Animals 
Understanding of biological and experiential influences on behavior is furthered by studies of 
live subjects. In order to improve on what we know now, new students must be inspired to 
carry these investigations into the next generation of Behavioral Science. We cannot rely on 
simulations to encourage such reevaluation or to challenge students. Computer simulations, 
like written descriptions, provide only a brief, almost cartoon-like sketch of what we know. 
Students tend to treat their time with simulations as "practice" rather than as an encounter 
with the subject matter. Simulations may be the best approach for training in a particular 
procedure or merely a review of what is known about a subject. On the other hand, work with 
live subjects is superior if the project seeks to pique student interest, to encourage students to 
critically evaluate established or emerging ideas, or to help students rise to the challenge of 
creating new ideas about biological and experiential influences on behavior. 
One must be straightforward about the many issues that need to be addressed as educational 
projects are developed, approved for use, and carried out. Statements issued by professional 
and governmental agencies are useful to frame what is and what is not judged appropriate for 
such educational projects. Painful or stressful studies should not be performed for 
educational purposes alone. 
The United States Congress Office of Technology Assessment (OTA, 1986) has identified the 
following goals for the educational use of animals: 
(1) Development of positive attitudes toward animals. In the best instances, such 
development incorporates ethical and moral considerations into the student's course of 
study. (2) Introduction of the concept of biological models, by which students learn to 
single out particular animal species as representative of biological phenomena. Such 
models vary in the degree to which they provide general information about a broader 
spectrum of life. (3) Exercise of skills vital to intellectual, motor, or career development. 
Familiarity with living tissue, for example, enhances a student's surgical dexterity'. 
The guidebook for IACUCs, recently revised by the Applied Research Ethics National 
Association (ARENA) and the Office for Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW) (2001). makes the 
following statement on educational uses of animals: “All instructional proposals should 
clearly identify the learning objectives and justify the particular value ol animal use as part ot 
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