Competencies of the educator using Anicare approach


Competence is defined as the mobilization or activation of several types of knowledge in a given situation and context (Leboterf, 1995). We consider the key competencies of an educator (educator has to be considered in a wide sense: it involves any person having a formal or informal education approach with farmers: teacher, trainer, vet, agronomy engineer) involved in animal welfare. The competencies we are interested in here are related to the particular approach proposed in the framework of Anicare.



We consider that the teacher views animal welfare as a socially live issue, i.e. subject to scientific, ethical and political controversy. Furthermore, he or she prefers to place his or her teaching within a constructivist and socio-constructivist learning paradigm. It means that the student has prior conceptions, and the teaching aims to make them evolve. This evolution is preferably based on confrontation and exchange between peers and with the teacher.


The teacher considers animal welfare to be a notion that is scientific, but also ethical and subject to a subjective vision. It is, therefore, necessary for him or her to have a global knowledge of the ethical and scientific controversies at stake. The teacher's pedagogical approach is designed to enable the learner to have a global vision of the problem. By implementing an active, confrontational pedagogy the teacher adopts the posture of facilitator (to enable constructive exchanges), mediator (in case of conflict), coach (to enable individuals to develop their own thinking and posture) or expert (to institutionalize the knowledge acquired).



The teacher chooses appropriate tools to highlight students' conceptions. Once these have been analysed, the teacher can define the related levers and obstacles and develop a teaching strategy in response.


The teacher develops didactic situations that encourage critical, creative and attentive thinking from the learner.


The teacher deploys a didactic strategy alternating face-to-face and distance learning phases (in particular through the Aniphi platform), allowing individual, group and plenary exchange. This also requires mastering technical challenges.


The teacher elaborates a self and co-evaluation process highlighting the development of competencies by the learners.