Animal assisted education and social communication competency: systematic literature review

Abstract The inclusion of canines in educational practice is becoming increasingly popular in Irish schools. The primary objective of this systematic literature review was to examine the emerging phenomenon regarding the application of certified canines in educational settings to support the social...

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Main Author: Sinéad Morgan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer 2024-11-01
Series:Discover Education
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1007/s44217-024-00357-7
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author Sinéad Morgan
author_facet Sinéad Morgan
author_sort Sinéad Morgan
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The inclusion of canines in educational practice is becoming increasingly popular in Irish schools. The primary objective of this systematic literature review was to examine the emerging phenomenon regarding the application of certified canines in educational settings to support the social communication competency of children aged 4 to 14 years. Following a review of the literature it became apparent that, to date, little research has been conducted regarding the concept of animal assisted education and social communication competency. The results of this literature review clearly indicate that a certified therapy canine can positively enhance social skills. More specifically, this systematic literature review found that a therapy canine can positively influence the educational experience of all students inclusive of children with additional needs. Whilst the concept of animal assisted education has become an increasingly popular topic of research worldwide, it is clear that additional research pertaining to the benefits of therapy canines and the impact on a child’s educational experiences needs to be conducted. This paper supplements and enhances the current level of research in an endeavour to address the disparity in literature and investigate how the educational experience of a child is influenced by the bond established with a canine. The objectives of this review are to establish: Effective animal assisted education interventions in classroom settings for teaching children aged 4 years to 14 years, and social communication competency components that should be incorporated into the design of classroom-based animal assisted interventions for children. Whilst, the studies in this review have provided some evidence regarding the benefits associated with the application of animal assisted education within a classroom environment, it is apparent that there still exists a significant gap in literature in this area.
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spelling doaj-art-b1a02d5cd83d4f2495a0d79e313b65492025-08-20T02:38:33ZengSpringerDiscover Education2731-55252024-11-013111310.1007/s44217-024-00357-7Animal assisted education and social communication competency: systematic literature reviewSinéad Morgan0Mary Immaculate CollegeAbstract The inclusion of canines in educational practice is becoming increasingly popular in Irish schools. The primary objective of this systematic literature review was to examine the emerging phenomenon regarding the application of certified canines in educational settings to support the social communication competency of children aged 4 to 14 years. Following a review of the literature it became apparent that, to date, little research has been conducted regarding the concept of animal assisted education and social communication competency. The results of this literature review clearly indicate that a certified therapy canine can positively enhance social skills. More specifically, this systematic literature review found that a therapy canine can positively influence the educational experience of all students inclusive of children with additional needs. Whilst the concept of animal assisted education has become an increasingly popular topic of research worldwide, it is clear that additional research pertaining to the benefits of therapy canines and the impact on a child’s educational experiences needs to be conducted. This paper supplements and enhances the current level of research in an endeavour to address the disparity in literature and investigate how the educational experience of a child is influenced by the bond established with a canine. The objectives of this review are to establish: Effective animal assisted education interventions in classroom settings for teaching children aged 4 years to 14 years, and social communication competency components that should be incorporated into the design of classroom-based animal assisted interventions for children. Whilst, the studies in this review have provided some evidence regarding the benefits associated with the application of animal assisted education within a classroom environment, it is apparent that there still exists a significant gap in literature in this area.https://doi.org/10.1007/s44217-024-00357-7InclusionSocial skillsAnimal assisted educationTherapy canine
spellingShingle Sinéad Morgan
Animal assisted education and social communication competency: systematic literature review
Discover Education
Inclusion
Social skills
Animal assisted education
Therapy canine
title Animal assisted education and social communication competency: systematic literature review
title_full Animal assisted education and social communication competency: systematic literature review
title_fullStr Animal assisted education and social communication competency: systematic literature review
title_full_unstemmed Animal assisted education and social communication competency: systematic literature review
title_short Animal assisted education and social communication competency: systematic literature review
title_sort animal assisted education and social communication competency systematic literature review
topic Inclusion
Social skills
Animal assisted education
Therapy canine
url https://doi.org/10.1007/s44217-024-00357-7
work_keys_str_mv AT sineadmorgan animalassistededucationandsocialcommunicationcompetencysystematicliteraturereview