摘要：AbstractLiving animals are highly motivating for school pupils. Based on the results of studies on the effectiveness of educational methods conducted in the field of interest research, we assume that emotional variables also may have a strong impact on learning. Positive emotions plays a key-role in the generation of knowledge. Many animal species are suited well for education processes, which go beyond mere observation, to experimentation on the basis of a hypothetical-deductive approach but little is known about the use of living animals in middle school classrooms. We here focus on knowledge gain, emotional variables (interest, well-being, boredom, disgust) and experimentation competency. We developed two treatments with a four-unit experimental class series for fifth and sixth grade (treatment series 1 - living animal, treatment series 2 - film group; woodlice, mouse and snail) and compared them in a quasi-experimental setup. The treatments differed in the characteristic “living animal”. In the film group images and films are used instead of living animals. All other variables have been kept constant. In addition, the last unit of both treatments was identical (bird flight) which served as an intra-individual control in addition to the between-subject comparison. Knowledge and experimental competency have been measured quantitatively with paper-and-pencil tests with a pre-, post- and follow-up test. The situational emotional values have been scrutinised at the end of each teaching unit with a short scale. In addition, we included a control group that received no treatment at all. The use of living animals in an experimentally focused class did not necessarily result in an increased knowledge gain; in fact it was lower in the immediate post-test. However, on the long run the differences between the results of the two treatments diminished. Regarding experimental competency both approaches have been effective compared to the control group. Positive emotions (well-being, interest) were higher in the animal treatment, and boredom was lower. We strongly suggest using living animals in the classroom.
