Sediments and Seashores - A Case Study of Local Citizen Science Contributing to Student Learning and Environmental Citizenship

Carson, Susan; Rock, Jenny; Smith, Jeffery S.

doi:10.3389/feduc.2021.674883

Cited by 10 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 59 publications

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“…As described, our study aimed to identify which dimensions of learning are the most prominent in CS project descriptions by conducting a qualitative content analysis of a random sample of 94 such texts. This focus on science-related learning seems to be a common bias in CS, as several publications have pointed out [8][9]-a bias that may run counter to volunteers' actual motivations and expectations. We should therefore attempt to broaden our understanding of learning to reflect all the benefits CS can have on both the individual and the societal level.…”

Section: Findings and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identifying learning dimensions in citizen science projects

Oesterheld¹,

Schmid-Loertzer²,

Calvera-Isabal³

et al. 2022

Proceedings of Engaging Citizen Science Conference 2022 — PoS(CitSci2022)

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Educational impacts of participation, such as the development of scientific skills or increased awareness about biodiversity and conservation, are one of the most widely discussed aspects of CS. Whereas most existing studies investigate perceived or observed learning gains of citizen scientists, this paper takes an alternative perspective by examining learning-related aspects in textual self-representations of CS projects-namely project descriptions posted online. Project descriptions were chosen as objects of analysis both because they can easily be accessed and collected through automated web crawling, and because, as key elements of a CS project's online presence, they play an important role in recruiting volunteers. We have thus conducted a qualitative content analysis of 94 project descriptions with the goal of examining what they tell us about learning dimensions associated with participation in these CS projects. Building on the model of individual learning outcomes developed by Phillips et al. in 2018 [1] as a theoretical framework, our analysis shows that some learning dimensions (such as data collection or using technology), are very prominently discussed in the project descriptions we studied, while others (e.g. experimenting, study design, community action) are clearly underrepresented. In other words, the project descriptions analyzed only partially reflect the educational potential of participation in CS. In the discussion section of this paper, we suggest possible explanations and ways in which this issue could be addressed on the level of both project design and project communication.

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Section: Findings and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identifying learning dimensions in citizen science projects

Oesterheld¹,

Schmid-Loertzer²,

Calvera-Isabal³

et al. 2022

Proceedings of Engaging Citizen Science Conference 2022 — PoS(CitSci2022)

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“…Positive emotions (e.g. joy, happiness, sympathy) toward species or nature not only resulted in a positive attitude toward nature but in some cases, they also led to actions (Ng et al 2018;Sturm et al 2021;Santori et al 2021;Carson et al 2021).…”

Section: Impact Of Nccs Projects On the Attitude Of Participantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Contribution of nature conservation related citizen science projects to learning, attitude and behavioral change of participants

Soria Aguirre,

Tormáné Kovács

2023

RARD

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Nature Conservation related Citizen Science (NCCS) is an emerging area of research and practice where volunteers take part in a scientific process, usually focusing on data gathering or monitoring for conservation purposes. We present a review of studies where questionnaire surveys were used to measure the impacts of NCCS projects on the learning, attitude and behavioral change of volunteers before or after their participation in the projects. Our results show that many NCCS projects have enhanced the learning of participants in different areas (e.g. increasing knowledge about species and recognition of species skills). Participation also affected the attitude of participants toward nature conservation, while attitude toward science was less often reported. When participants showed sympathy and appreciation for nature or species, in some cases it led to conservation action. Common characteristics of the NCCS projects that resulted inhigher impacts on learning/knowledge, attitude and behavior, included the development of well-designed learning plans, interactions during and after participation, building trust and establishing partnerships and collaboration. These can be used as recommendations for further development of NCCS project.

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“…However, data capture should not be the only goal of citizen science, as the benefits of engagement and expertise are also important. It has long been recognized that participation in citizen science can lead to greater science knowledge gains [12] and improved awareness [13] but only when purposeful design is implemented [14]. Further, it is important to create a positive experience for citizen scientists.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Eyewitness Community Survey: An Engaging Citizen Science Tool to Capture Reliable Data while Improving Community Participants’ Environmental Health Knowledge and Attitudes

Butsch Kovacic,

Elshaer,

Baker

et al. 2023

IJERPH

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Many youths and young adults have variable environmental health knowledge, limited understanding of their local environment’s impact on their health, and poor environmentally friendly behaviors. We sought to develop and test a tool to reliably capture data, increase environmental health knowledge, and engage youths as citizen scientists to examine and take action on their community’s challenges. The Eyewitness Community Survey (ECS) was developed through several iterations of co-design. Herein, we tested its performance. In Phase I, seven youths audited five 360° photographs. In Phase II, 27 participants works as pairs/trios and audited five locations, typically 7 days apart. Inter-rater and intra-rater reliability were determined. Changes in participants’ knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and self-efficacy were surveyed. Feedback was obtained via focus groups. Intra-rater reliability was in the substantial/near-perfect range, with Phase II having greater consistency. Inter-rater reliability was high, with 42% and 63% of Phase I and II Kappa, respectively, in the substantial/near-perfect range. Knowledge scores improved after making observations (p ≤ 0.032). Participants (85%) reported the tool to be easy/very easy to use, with 70% willing to use it again. Thus, the ECS is a mutually beneficial citizen science tool that rigorously captures environmental data and provides engaging experiential learning opportunities.

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Sediments and Seashores - A Case Study of Local Citizen Science Contributing to Student Learning and Environmental Citizenship

Cited by 10 publications

References 59 publications

Identifying learning dimensions in citizen science projects

Identifying learning dimensions in citizen science projects

Contribution of nature conservation related citizen science projects to learning, attitude and behavioral change of participants

The Eyewitness Community Survey: An Engaging Citizen Science Tool to Capture Reliable Data while Improving Community Participants’ Environmental Health Knowledge and Attitudes

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