Reference Reviews

Doug’s Student Reference Room

Why Dissection? Animal Use in Education, by Lynette A. Hart, Mary W. Wood, and Benjamin L. Hart. Westport: Greenwood Press, 2008. 225pp. ISBN 978-0-313-32390-4. $49.95.

Readers may remember--with a variety of emotions--dissecting a frog, rat, or fetal pig in science class; this volume contends that the controversy that often surrounds dissection may overshadow the actual experience and its benefits. The authors, affiliated with the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, point out that while dissection is still taught in intermediate and high schools, there is a scarcity of information on the practice. They also note that many efforts to change the practice of dissection have been led by noneducators who, while acting as advocates for the animals, haven’t considered the educational context. This volume addresses a broad spectrum of issues related to the practice of dissection in secondary education, from advancing science education, to furthering the scientific engagement of students, to assisting teachers who seek to inspire students toward science in the face of shrinking resources. The authors have divided the book into chapters that can stand alone so that students and teachers can use selected portions of the book as specialized references. Placed within the chapters, detailed and well-organized tables direct readers to relevant resources with web addresses, web-based documents, a variety of informational links, and access to specialized databases. Beginning with the complicated issue of the crisis in science education, the volume tackles barriers that limit teachers as they attempt to educate their students in science, summarizes the historical highlights that led to the current practice of dissection, provides an overview of testing, guidelines and regulatory framework affecting dissection, focuses on teachers, students, and animals directly involved in dissection, and highlights the development of new teaching resources. While the volume effectively tackles the topic of animal dissection in education, it is presented with a larger goal in mind—to make improvements in education that foster students’ biological knowledge. Highly recommended for high school and professional development libraries.
—Doug Achterman