TEACHING ANIMAL-SCIENCE - EDUCATION OR INDOCTRINATION

Traditional animal science curricula ignore sociological aspects of sc ientific research and therefore portray scientific knowledge as value- free. This view gives rise to a teaching method that involves impartin g lists of scientific facts that are to be accepted by students withou t critical evaluation. This amounts to little more than indoctrination and misrepresents science as a system of knowledge. An alternative ap proach is based on the view that science is a creative human activity that reflects the values and biases of its practitioners. The goal of this approach is to teach students to think analytically and to make i ndependent judgments about scientific claims. This requires a scientif ic literacy: an understanding of principal scientific theories, the na ture of scientific research, and the relationship between science and society. To achieve this goal, a teacher must become less of an author ity figure, whose role is to simply pass on information, and more of a facilitator, whose role is to promote questioning, exploration, and s ynthesis. This requires a learning community in which students feel co mfortable taking risks and develop the courage to make and defend judg ments. This teaching approach enhances the intellectual and ethical de velopment of students, allowing them to serve themselves and society i n responsible ways.