Animal experimentation in transgenesis: evaluating course design in large classrooms

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Ethics
• Animal Experimentation Ethics
• Science Education

Background:

• Ethical conduct is integral to the teaching profession, influencing student perception and standard-setting, particularly in sensitive areas like animal experimentation.
• The transmission of ethical standards is crucial for developing responsible scientific practices.
• Large lecture settings are often perceived as suboptimal for fostering in-depth ethical discussions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effectiveness of large amphitheater teaching groups in educating students on the ethical aspects of animal experimentation.
• To evaluate the sustainability of ethical awareness and considerations regarding animal experimentation among students following a specialized course.

Main Methods:

• A course incorporating interactive sequences was designed to elicit student feedback on moral dilemmas related to animal experimentation.
• Surveys were administered to third-year students before the course, immediately after, and at the end of the academic year.
• Student responses regarding the ethical acceptability of experimental protocols were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Prior to the course, students predominantly viewed animals as scientific objects rather than sentient beings, with minimal consideration of ethical dimensions in experimental protocols.
• Following the course, a notable increase in student discussion of ethical aspects was observed, even in a large classroom setting.
• This heightened ethical awareness was sustained until the end of the academic year, indicating a lasting impact of the teaching intervention.

Conclusions:

• Large amphitheater teaching, when structured with interactive elements, can effectively impart ethical considerations regarding animal experimentation.
• The educational intervention demonstrated a sustainable positive effect on students' ethical reasoning and awareness concerning animal use in research.
• The study challenges the notion that large classroom settings are inherently unsuitable for addressing complex ethical issues in science education.