How Animals Help Students Learn: Research and Practice for Educators and Mental Health Professionals

How Animals Help Students Learn summarizes what we know about the impact of animals in education and synthesizes the thinking of prominent leaders in research and practice. It’s a much-needed resource for mental-health and education professionals interested in incorporating animals in school-based environments, one that evaluates the efficacy of existing programs and helps move the field toward evidence-based practice. Experts from around the world provide concrete examples of how animals have been successfully incorporated into classroom settings to achieve the highest level of benefit while also ensuring the health and welfare of the students and animals involved.

Nancy R. Gee, PhD, is research manager for the Waltham research program in human-animal interaction. She is also a professor of psychology at the State University of New York, Fredonia.

Aubrey H. Fine, EdD, is professor of education in the College of Education and Integrative Studies at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, and a licensed psychologist with more than 40 years of experience in animal assisted interventions.

Peggy McCardle, PhD, MPH, is president of Peggy McCardle Consulting, LLC, and an affiliated research scientist at Haskins Laboratories.