Zoo Biology 18:71–76 (1999)
BRIEF REPORT
Language and Zoo Biology Training Outcomes: A Cautionary Note John E. Fa* and Chris C.M. Clark International Training Centre, Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust, Jersey, United Kingdom
The Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust (JWPT)/University of Kent Diploma in Endangered Species Management (DESMAN) was initiated in 1985 to provide an academically recognized qualification to trainees attending the JWPT’s International Training Centre (ITC). Since its inception, 59 of 118 trainees enrolled were awarded the diploma. Examination and practical work performance of 141 trainees from 1994 to 1998 showed a significant variance in grades. DESMAN participants were by far the highest achievers with high mean examination grades and high practical work grades. More than one third (38%) of trainees, all of whom were DESMAN participants, obtained above median grades in practical work and the examination. Another third of all trainees attained below median grades in both examination and practical work. Given that most course participants (93%) had a strong academic background in biology or the veterinary sciences, low course performance could have been related to the inability of some trainees to fully understand the language used. Before the start of a course, trainees are requested to produce evidence of English language proficiency, at least level 7 of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). When individual trainee language skills were tested in Jersey, through a self-assessment exercise (named English Language Proficiency or ELP), a significant variation in language skills was found. These ELP scores positively correlated with the trainees’ mean and median examination performance. Thus, entrance into the DESMAN seems to be affected by trainee’s fluency in English. Since most trainees are graduates or have some form of tertiary education, the perceived influence of language proficiency on the attainment of a university-accredited qualification such as the DESMAN needs to be taken most seriously. Zoo Biol 18:71–76, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc. Key words: DESMAN; zoo biology training; language proficiency
*Correspondence to: Dr. John E. Fa, International Training Centre, Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust, Les Augres Manor, Trinity, Jersey JE3 5BP, Channel Islands, United Kingdom. E-mail:
[email protected] Received for publication June 29, 1998; revision accepted October 30, 1998.
© 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
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INTRODUCTION
Throughout the zoo biology community, there is a growing realization that without specialist training in place, no substantial progress can be made to preserve species from extinction [Wemmer et al. 1990, 1993]. University accreditation of such training is seen as recognized proof of proficiency in the discipline and therefore could have a positive influence on decision-makers’ attitudes [Swingland, 1995]. An example of such a course is the Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust (JWPT)/University of Kent Diploma in Endangered Species Management or DESMAN [Fa and Clark, 1998], offered at the International Training Centre (ITC) in Jersey since 1985. Its aim is to train persons (individuals from nearly 100 countries attended already) in zoo biology and species conservation [Waugh and Wemmer, 1994]. Through the DESMAN, animal husbandry skills, knowledge, and technology for the preservation of endangered species is transferred to countries throughout the world. The JWPT training program, organized into three yearly 12-week courses (nine trainees per course) with a theory component and a practical component, will register participants for the DESMAN if they attain a passing grade in a written examination [see Fa et al., 1995 for further details]. The passing grade is the acceptable “threshold” achievement established by the Collegiate Board of the University of Kent. The written examination is set from topics in lectures, workshops, and demonstrations. All instruction is in English, and applicants are required to provide evidence of proficiency in the language before being accepted in the course; a minimum of level 7 in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), recognized by British Council offices worldwide. The IELTS certificate is a thorough test of reading, writing, speaking, and listening and is therefore a useful tool for evaluating English proficiency. Despite trainees starting with the same language qualification, learning can still be affected by small differences in language competence, especially when academic language is used. Because of this, we studied whether variation in English language proficiency (ELP), correlated with the participants’ chances of obtaining a DESMAN. ELP was scored by a language fluency self-assessment exercise applied as part of a more extensive evaluation questionnaire to each trainee at the end of the course. Trainees are asked to rate their own fluency in English on a multiple rating scale. Respondents are asked to score (from 1 to 7, 1 being the lowest) their ability to speak, read, write, and understand English. The highest composite score of 28 is derived from the sum of the top scores for reading, speaking, writing, and understanding English. DESMAN REGISTRATION
Between 1985, when the DESMAN started, and 1994 when the ITC program underwent considerable change, training duration varied according to the person’s worksite circumstance and requirements: time in residence ranging from 10 to 16 weeks [Waugh, 1988; Waugh and Wemmer, 1994]. All trainees attended lectures, workshops, and demonstrations (approximately 40–50 hours) as well as carried out practical and research project work. Toward the end of their course, some (the best as determined by the Training Officer) were selected to take an entrance examination (known as Part I of the DESMAN). This enabled successful participants to continue into Part II of the DESMAN by presenting a research project proposal to the University of Kent. On
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approval of the proposal, the DESMAN candidate would have as long as 2 years to undertake a research project and submit a dissertation for final grading (two internal examiners and an external one) before being awarded the Diploma. Since 1994, the training program has been organized into three discrete 12week courses that are divided into theory and practical portions [Fa et al., 1995]. In these courses, all trainees (nine per course, 27 per year) are eligible to register for the DESMAN if they attain a passing grade in a written examination at the end of the theory part of the course (after 4 or 6 weeks of lectures and demonstrations in the Principles and Practice or Method and Management courses, respectively [see Fa et al., 1995 for further details]). As for the pre-1994 training program, the passing grade is the acceptable “threshold” achievement established by the Collegiate Board of the University of Kent. The written examination covers topics given in more than 200 student contact hours of lectures, workshops, and demonstrations. In contrast to the pre-1994 training program, in the new program the DESMAN candidate can initiate the research work in Jersey and has another 6 months on return home before submitting a completed dissertation. After being graded by two internal examiners and an external examiner (appointed by the University of Kent), a DESMAN can be awarded with Distinction, Merit, or Pass. If a candidate is asked to re-submit the dissertation after corrections suggested by the examiners, the DESMAN may only be awarded as a Pass. DESMAN research projects provide an opportunity for trainees to investigate in some detail subjects of relevance to their home countries and that have direct practical conservation application. Most dissertations have focused on management plans (35%), behavioral studies (25%), population studies (15%), nutrition (11%), or species recovery plans (2%). TRAINEE NUMBERS REGISTERING AND COMPLETING
A total of 128 trainees enrolled for the DESMAN between 1985 and 1997 from 335 trainees who attended the training program: 59 trainees from more than 50 countries having completed Parts I and II. Sixty-seven (52%, average seven per year) of these trainees enrolled during the 1985–1993 training period and the other 61 (48%, average 15 per year) registered between 1994 and 1997. The percentage of trainees entering the DESMAN was lower in 1985–1993 (average 30%) than during 1994– 1997 (average 80%) [Fa and Clark, 1998]. Completion rates were also significantly different between training programs; an average of approximately 29% of DESMAN participants submitting dissertations during the 1985–1993 period, as opposed to 80% completing in 1994–1997. WHO BECOMES A DESMAN?
Entrance into the DESMAN phase is determined by whether the trainee passes the written examination. However, the overall profile of DESMAN versus non-DESMAN participants can be assessed by examining their performance in both the written evaluation as well as in their ability to carry out practical work. Examination and practical work performance of the 141 trainees during 1994–1998, showed a significant variance in grades. DESMAN participants were by far the highest achievers with mean (± S.D.) examination grades of 71.6 ± 10.8%, median 73% (non-DESMANs, 38.5 ± 15.9%; median, 37%) and practical work grades of 83.1 ± 7.9%, median, 86%
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(non-DESMANs, 75.0 ± 9.7%; median, 77%). More than one third (38%) of trainees, all of whom were DESMAN participants, obtained above-median grades in both practical work and the examination. A worrysome 35% of all trainees attained belowmedian grades in both examination and practical work. Given that 93% of trainees had a strong academic background in biology or the veterinary sciences, understanding of the subject matter taught (offered at a second-year undergraduate level) should not have been a problem. It is more likely that language comprehension was affecting the outcome. All things being equal, ELP should then correlate with the trainees’ performance, especially in the written examination. Information drawn from self-assessment ELP scores completed by each trainee at the end of the course demonstrate a statistically significant difference between DESMANs and non-DESMANs (Table 1). The mean examination grade for trainees with low written ELPs (levels 1–4) was significantly lower (57.6 ± 19.0%; median, 62%) than for trainees with high scores (5–7) (68.25 ± 15.9%; median, 72%) (χ2 = 39.04, d.f. = 1, P < 0.001); the mean examination grade for written ELP score 7 being highest at 74.8 ± 16.4% (median, 80%). A highly significant positive correlation between mean and median examination grades and written ELP scores also appeared (Fig. 1A). Interestingly, trainees with high written ELP scores were not always those whose first language was English (only 11 trainees or 8% of the total were English speaking). Expressed as the probability of passing the examination, the number of DESMANs differed significantly by region (Fig. 1B). This was positively correlated with writing ELP scores of trainees in each region (Spearman rank correlation rs = 0.85; N = 6; P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS
The data presented here point out a dichotomy in performance between the more language proficient (but perhaps not more academically inclined) trainees and those who are less proficient. Those who are less language proficient are not necessarily the more practically minded individuals judging by the grades for the practical portion of the course. A priori separation of trainee types is not possible on the basis of just institutional position (e.g., zoo keeper versus zoo director), but may be linked to language proficiency and possessing some threshold academic ability. The aim of this paper is to point out, albeit expected, the limitations that underlie teaching an international audience in one language. International training efforts may be better served (and more cost-effective) if held in the country of interest and/or taught by TABLE 1. Comparison of ELP scores for trainees attending the JWPT training program, divided into those who achieve the university-accredited diploma (DESMANs) and those who did not (non-DESMANs) DESMANs
Overall ELP Score** Understand* Speak** ReadNS Write**
non-DESMANs
Mean
S.D.
Median
Mean
S.D.
Median
22.2
4.5
22
18.0
4.5
19
5.7 5.2 6.0 5.2
1.0 1.4 0.9 1.5
6 5 6 5
4.6 4.3 5.1 4.0
1.3 1.2 1.3 1.5
5 5 5 4
*P = 0.05; **P = 0.001; NS, not significant.
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Fig. 1. A: Relationship between ELP scores and mean and median examination results for trainees at the ITC, 1994–1997. Circles = mean, squares = medians, vertical lines = S.D. B: Probability of passing the examination (taken from the percentage of trainees passing into the DESMAN out of the total number of trainees from each region). The actual number of trainees from each region is given above each column. A total of 49 countries and 34 languages were represented in the sample.
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people who speak the language, as is the intention of the ITC for the near future. However, higher level training might still be more valuable, if focused on participants with better language abilities, in already established institutions like the ITC. We therefore recommend, for those training courses that cater to international students of a variety of language backgrounds, that organizers assess more carefully the language aptitudes of participants to allow them to benefit from the academic accreditation offered. REFERENCES Fa JE, Clark CM, Hicks SH. 1995. Training in zoo biology at the Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust: A retrospective look and a glance at the future. DODO 31:28–39. Fa JE, Clark CM. 1998. Dissecting a DESMAN: The JWPT/Diploma in Endangered Species Management. DODO 33:19–27. Swingland IR. 1995. The Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE). DODO 31:19–27. Waugh DR. 1988. Training in zoo biology, captive breeding and conservation. ZOO BIOLOGY 7:269–280. Waugh DR, Wemmer C. 1994. Training in zoo bi-
ology: Two approaches to enhance the conservation role of zoos in the tropics. In: Olney PJS, Mace GM, Feistner ATC, editors. Creative conservation: Interactive management of wild and captive animals. London: Chapman and Hall. p. 207–237. Wemmer C, Pickett C, Teare JA. 1990. Training zoo biology in tropical countries: A report on a method and progress. ZOO BIOLOGY 9:461–470. Wemmer C, Pickett C, Teare JA. 1993. Training developing-country nationals is a critical ingredient to conserving global biodiversity. BIOSCIENCE 43:762–767.
