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European journal of investigation in health, psychology and education2023; 13(11); 2460-2477; doi: 10.3390/ejihpe13110172

Does Equine Interaction Facilitate Emotional Safety and Learning for College Students within an Agricultural-Based Classroom?

Abstract: Effective teaching requires an educational environment that promotes learning, and yet, developing such an environment can be challenging within today's agricultural-based classroom for educators due to the trend to a more virtual teaching format and less hands-on learning. Animal interaction, particularly equine activities, has been shown to assist educators in the development of an emotionally safe environment for promoting learning. However, research is lacking as to whether the interaction with the animal needs to be direct or indirect within the collegiate educational environment to observe benefits. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the impact of equine interaction, both direct and indirect, within an educational environment on the emotional safety and learning for the college student within the agricultural-based classroom. Three course types were observed within the agricultural-based educational environment that included courses with no equine interaction (Group A) and courses with equine interaction, both direct (Group B) and indirect (Group C) interaction with the horse. Indirect interaction included items such as observation of equine handling via a video or gaining knowledge from reading online materials, but not engaging in direct, hands-on activities with the horse. Development of emotional safety within the students enrolled within these courses was measured using a self-reporting emotional safety evaluation. Due to the structure of the scale, a decrease in emotional safety indicated a positive change. Learning, both development of semantic and procedural memory, was measured using a student-completed knowledge examination and an instructor-completed skill evaluation, respectively. While significant improvement in emotional safety was not observed within any of the course types, a weak negative correlation was found between emotional safety and semantic memory for students enrolled in equine courses, both direct (R = -0.55, R = 0.28) and indirect (R = -0.25, R = 0.06) interaction, finding as emotional safety scores lowered to the ideal range that knowledge improved. In addition, students within equine courses showed semantic memory development in specific areas of equine sciences (Group B: Grooming/Tacking, = 0.03; Group C: Equine Behavior, = 0.04) and direct equine interaction resulted in development of equine-based procedural memory in all four skill areas measured within the study ( = 0.00). As such, learning is promoted through equine interaction, whether direct or indirect interaction, within the agricultural-based classroom, suggesting that both forms of equine interaction can be a valuable educational tool for the instructor within the collegiate setting.
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Publication Date: 2023-11-02 PubMed ID: 37998062PubMed Central: PMC10670211DOI: 10.3390/ejihpe13110172Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research article focuses on the impact that interaction with horses, both direct and indirect, can have on the learning and emotional safety of college students in agriculture-based classrooms.

Research Objectives and Methodology

  • The main objective of this study was to analyze the effect of equine (horse) interaction on the emotional safety and learning of college students in an agricultural educational environment.
  • The researchers observed three types of agricultural courses: those with no equine interaction (Group A); those with direct equine interaction, meaning hands-on activities with horses (Group B); and those with indirect equine interaction, such as watching videos or reading about horses without any direct handling (Group C).
  • To assess the development of emotional safety, the students were asked to submit a self-reported emotional safety evaluation.
  • Learning was measured in two distinct ways: through a student-completed knowledge exam that assessed the development of semantic memory (fact and detail oriented memory), and an instructor-completed skill evaluation looking at procedural memory (memory of how to perform certain tasks).

Key Findings

  • The researchers found that although there was no significant overall improvement in emotional safety across course types, a weak negative correlation did appear between emotional safety scores and semantic memory for students enrolled in equine courses. In other words, as emotional safety scores decreased to more desired levels, knowledge improved slightly.
  • Furthermore, students within equine courses showed development in specific areas of equine science: those with direct engagement illustrated knowledge growth in horse grooming and tacking while those with indirect involvement demonstrated knowledge gain in equine behavior.
  • Direct interaction with horses resulted in the development of procedural memory across all measured skill areas. This suggests that hands-on interaction gives practical learning benefits.

Implications and Conclusion

  • The study suggests that equine interaction, whether direct or indirect, can improve memory-based learning within the agricultural-based classroom, implying the potential of these interactions to serve as valuable educational tools within the college setting.
  • Though emotional safety improvement wasn’t significant, the correlation between emotional safety scores and memory indicates a potential area of further study.

Cite This Article

APA
Holtcamp K, Nicodemus MC, Phillips T, Christiansen D, Rude BJ, Ryan PL, Galarneau K. (2023). Does Equine Interaction Facilitate Emotional Safety and Learning for College Students within an Agricultural-Based Classroom? Eur J Investig Health Psychol Educ, 13(11), 2460-2477. https://doi.org/10.3390/ejihpe13110172

Publication

European journal of investigation in health, psychology and education
ISSN: 2254-9625
NlmUniqueID: 101751466
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 13
Issue: 11
Pages: 2460-2477

Researcher Affiliations

Holtcamp, Katie
  • Counseling Services, Dogwood Wellness Group, P.O. Box 1016, Starkville, MS 39760, USA.
Nicodemus, Molly C
  • Animal & Dairy Sciences Department, Mississippi State University, Box 9815, Starkville, MS 39762, USA.
Phillips, Tommy
  • School of Human Sciences, Mississippi State University, 255 Tracy Drive, Starkville, MS 39762, USA.
Christiansen, David
  • Large Animal Medicine Department, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, P.O. Box 6100, Starkville, MS 39762, USA.
Rude, Brian J
  • Animal & Dairy Sciences Department, Mississippi State University, Box 9815, Starkville, MS 39762, USA.
Ryan, Peter L
  • Office of Provost and Executive Vice President, Mississippi State University, P.O. Box BQ, Starkville, MS 39762, USA.
Galarneau, Karen
  • Large Animal Medicine Department, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, P.O. Box 6100, Starkville, MS 39762, USA.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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