Inverness Research Inc. conducted a pilot research study to investigate the effectiveness of the RedRover Readers curriculum, then called the Humane Education Ambassador Readers (HEAR) program, in 2009. The researchers found that the RedRover Readers program:nn-Builds self-esteem and motivates students to take an important subject seriously
- Stimulates additional student-directed learning
- Builds students’ knowledge and potentially affects their behaviors related to caring for pets
- Builds students’ empathy and compassion for pets
We also worked with Dr. Emanuel Castano from The New School for Social Research to publish The Relationship Between Humane Interactions with Animals, Empathy, and Prosocial Behavior among Children (Wice et. al., 2020) in the Human-Animal Interaction Bulletin, available here.
In order to tell if the program has benefited students, RedRover has identified two validated measures to assess the effectiveness of the RedRover Readers curriculum. Please email Readers@redrover.org and request the measures.