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Actor-Network Theory And Animal Therapy: Uncovering The Relational Ecology Of The Exceptional Student Classroom, Kristin A. Blanton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Expanding upon the research on ecology in curriculum studies and companion animals, this mixed methods case study aimed to explore how the incorporation of a nonhuman entity impacted the relational ecology of the exceptional student classroom. Utilizing actor-network theory as a theoretical guideline, the goal of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of how the introduction of a therapy dog as a student affected the relational ecology of the classroom by analyzing the dynamic networks of relationships formed between the students and the therapy dog. Relational ecology acted as a conceptual framework within the field of curriculum studies …