Importance of enrichment to animal welfare

Types of enrichment - social, occupational, physical, sensory and nutritional

Measuring the impact of enrichment - developing and designing enrichment programmes, linking enrichment to training

Designing and implementing enrichment – critical discussion of what counts as enrichment, the importance of monitoring and measuring impact

Evolutionary and psychological adaptations - senses and effects on behaviour, communication and body language

The history of training - domestication, historical facts and supposition re domestication and early training practices and purposes, psychological relationship between animals and humans, development of more humane training practices in recent years, control of training practices through legislation, development of training in zoos

Learning theories – how animals learn, response to stimuli, non associative learning, habituation and reducing response to non important information, associative, classical and operant conditioning, responses to stimuli in classical conditioning, associations between stimuli and outcome through operant conditioning, shaping, use of bridges

Temperament assessments – relevance to zoo animals, aptitude of animals in a variety of training situations and response to stimuli, practical assessment of animal’s suitability for particular purposes, showing, working, husbandry training (nervous, exuberant, unmotivated, compliant, responsive) Investigate the aptitude of animals in training situations, ethically analysing their reaction to stimuli and usefulness for specific purposes

Training aids – role of voice, food rewards, toys and recreation, noises and clickers, negative training aids (loud noises, training discs)

Training plans – training environment, length of training, gap between sessions, role of consistency in effective training,

Role of training - against negative behaviours, stereotypical behaviour, pharmaceutical support in training situations, pheromonotherapy, husbandry support and demonstrations

Species specific training case studies and particular complications and limitations of each – e.g. big cats, cetaceans, birds of prey, hoofstock, reptiles, primates.

This Module will be assessed via two assignments:

The first will be a 15 minute presentation plus 5 minutes questioning (40%) demonstrating a critical investigation into the importance of enrichment programmes for zoo animal welfare including evidence of the implementation of enrichment for a range of zoo animals and measurement and reflection on its impact (LO 1).

The second will be a 2500-word portfolio (60%) providing evidence of the development of a training programme, applying appropriate learning theory and evaluating the effectiveness, success and limitations of the training (LO 2).

The module will also involve a range of formative assessment techniques to assess learning and progress throughout the module including self, peer and tutor evaluation, targeted questioning and critical analysis of techniques and skills.

Although this intended as a face to face delivery module, there is opportunity and expectation that there is flexibility in the delivery of the theory elements and use of online and remote learning will be available as required.

This module will be delivered via classroom sessions (30 hours over 2 semesters) that will deliver theory via a range of methods such as traditional lectures, group activities, guest speakers, individual tasks, questioning, role play, modelling, kinaesthetic activities, short research tasks and tutorials and seminars to develop underpinning knowledge and understanding and practical sessions (30 hours over two semesters or as full time week blocks) involving a wide range of animal training skills and experiences on our Animal Zone and off site visits.

On top of this it is expected that students will partake in at least 140 hours of independent learning for this module.¿ This will include, but is not limited to, preparation for classroom sessions (30hrs), extending classroom notes via extended reading and research (30 hrs), completion of tasks leading from classroom sessions and VLE based tasks (40hrs) and research, planning and completion of final assessment pieces (40hrs)

Technology enhanced learning: All module material will be made available electronically on a Microsoft Teams based virtual learning environment. This will include the ability for students to access some lectures remotely - either live or via asynchronous delivery of voiced over slides, screen capture demonstrations or in house produced training videos. This will also allow formative tasks and in class exercises to be completed and reviewed live. It will allow the linking of technology based supplementary material including, but not limited to, journal links, live seminars and conferences, you tube videos, animal live webcams at zoos and wild areas, online software such as Google Map layers and MINITAB. Use of collaborative learning platforms (e.g. Google whiteboard), Quizizz and other interactive learning, progress and assessment tools and the internet in general will also be used to enhance learning. The college has bookable laptops for student use in all teaching blocks for students that do not have their own hardware to access this material in classroom based sessions. Students will also have their own ProPortal page that can be used to monitor and track their pastoral and academic progress, career development and personal targets and is managed by the tutor through ProMonitor.

Module Learning Outcomes

1. Critically investigate the importance of environmental enrichment and its impact on the welfare of zoo animals.

University Learning Outcome
Communication Application

Module Learning Outcomes

2. Justify use of appropriate learning theories and training techniques and professionally apply them to a training programme, critically evaluating its effectiveness, limitations and success.

University Learning Outcome
Knowledge and Understanding Learning Application Reflection

ITC Facilities with internet access

Staffordshire University Library

Well-equipped classroom facilities

Rodbaston Animal Zone

~150 hectare managed college owned estate of mixed arable and livestock farmland, ancient woodland, wetlands, ponds, pools and grasslands

Appropriately equipped laboratory

Virtual Learning Environment

Learning Support Centre

Industry Links

Employer Links for Work Experience opportunities

Essential reading

Melfi, V., Dorey, N, R. and Ward, S. J. (2020) Zoo Animal Learning and Training. Wiley-Blackwell

Young, R, J. (2003) UFAW Animal Welfare: Environmental Enrichment for Captive Animals. Blackwell Publishing


Recommended reading

Mills,D, Dube, M and Zulch, H, (2012) Stress and Pheromonotherapy in small animal clinical behaviour. Wiley Blackwell

Pryor, K (2010) Reaching the Animal Mind: Clicker Training and What It Teaches Us about All Animals, Simon and Shuster

Pearce, J. (2008) Animal Learning and Cognition, Psychology Press 3rd Edition

Allcock, J (2009) Animal Behaviour: An Evolutionary Approach. 9th Ed. Sinauer Associates

Ramirez, K (1999) Successful Animal Management through Positive Reinforcement., Shedd Aquarium Society



www.wildthink.org

www.wildwelfare.org


Journals

Conservation Biology
Zoology

Zoo Biology

International Zoo Yearbook

Behavioural Ecology

Animal Behaviour

The UFAW Journal – Animal Welfare

NONE

This module will give learners the opportunity to investigate the historical role of training in animal management, and understand a range of learning theories relevant to training animals in a variety of industry situations. Students will build a portfolio of experience assessing the aptitude of animals to training situations, critically evaluating and reflecting on a range of training practices and observations. In additional, students will investigate the importance of environmental enrichment in zoos and its impact on animal welfare. Students will develop a full understanding of the role of training and enrichment in modern husbandry.