Citizen Science as an Ecosystem of Engagement: Implications for Learning and Broadening Participation

Abstract

The bulk of research on citizen science participants is project centric, based on an assumption that volunteers experience a single project. Contrary to this assumption, survey responses (n = 3894) and digital trace data (n = 3649) from volunteers, who collectively engaged in 1126 unique projects, revealed that multiproject participation was the norm. Only 23% of volunteers were singletons (who participated in only one project). The remaining multiproject participants were split evenly between discipline specialists (39%) and discipline spanners (38% joined projects with different disciplinary topics) and unevenly between mode specialists (52%) and mode spanners (25% participated in online and offline projects). Public engagement was narrow: The multiproject participants were eight times more likely to be White and five times more likely to hold advanced degrees than the general population. We propose a volunteer-centric framework that explores how the dynamic accumulation of experiences in a project ecosystem can support broad learning objectives and inclusive citizen science.

Spatial distribution of biodiversity citizen science in a natural area depends on area accessibility and differs from other recreational area use

“…Second, managers could identify areas of low citizen science activity to target for recruiting new participants (Weaver & Lawton, 2017). For instance, recreational facilities were not closely associated with citizen science participation in our study area; collaboration with relevant recreational organizations and facilities to promote citizen science could more firmly ground local citizen science participation in a sense of place and engage recreational visitors who do not yet participate in citizen science (Allf et al., 2022; Newman et al., 2017). Finally, managers may be able to prioritize professional data collection to complement citizen science by emphasizing areas of low citizen science activity.…”

“…Second, managers could identify areas of low citizen science activity to target for recruiting new participants (Weaver & Lawton, 2017). For instance, recreational facilities were not closely associated with citizen science (Allf et al, 2022;Newman et al, 2017). Finally, managers may be able to prioritize professional data collection to complement citizen science by emphasizing areas of low citizen science activity.…”

Fine-scale spatial distribution of biodiversity citizen science in a natural area depends on area accessibility and differs from other recreational area use

“…Second, managers could identify areas of low citizen science activity to target for recruiting new participants (Weaver and Lawton 2017). For instance, recreational facilities were not closely associated with citizen science participation in our study area; collaboration with relevant recreational organizations and facilities to promote citizen science could more firmly ground local citizen science participation in a sense of place and engage recreational visitors who do not yet participate in citizen science (Newman et al 2017, Allf et al 2022. Finally, managers may be able to prioritize professional data collection to complement citizen science by emphasizing areas of low citizen science activity.…”

Community science draws on the power of the crowd

“…Community-science participation often skews towards white, educated and affluent demographics 4 , and scientists seek a more diverse pool of participants. For example, when Pauly wanted biodiversity data from under-sampled parts of Los Angeles, he needed volunteers in areas where socio-economic status was often lower, and engagement in science less prevalent, than is typical for users of the iNaturalist app.…”