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The Zoo Voice: Zoo Education and Learning

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Abstract

Chapter 9 is a discussion of zoo education research and learning. In zoos, education is an umbrella word that encompasses the declarative approach of providing information in a didactic style, invitational labeling, interpretation, physically interactive exhibitry, aiding visitors in constructing an understanding of animals, developing the visitors’ prior knowledge, and addressing the visitors’ misconceptions. Zoo education should lead the visitors into interactive learning. Our understanding of the psychological processes involved in learning in zoos is still in its infancy, but learning about animals in a zoo is different from learning in a classroom. If zoos intend to produce effective educational outcomes, zoo and classroom educators should consider (1) the stages of a visit, the characteristics of a visit, and the attention of pupils during the visit; (2) the anatomy, characteristics, and behaviors of the animals that pupils are likely to notice spontaneously; (3) the colloquial or everyday names students use to identify animals and any scientific names the zoo would like to have used; and (4) the concepts that the zoo wants visitors to acquire. If these conditions are not met, visitors will continue to talk about the same things and visit for leisure purposes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA

    Dr. Patricia G. Patrick

  2. Institute of Education, University of London, London, England UK

    Dr. Sue Dale Tunnicliffe

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  1. Dr. Patricia G. Patrick
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  2. Dr. Sue Dale Tunnicliffe
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Patrick, P.G., Tunnicliffe, S.D. (2013). The Zoo Voice: Zoo Education and Learning. In: Zoo Talk. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4863-7_9

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