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

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sally Carson ◽  
Jenny Rock ◽  
Jeffery Smith
Keyword(s):  
Student Learning ◽  
Citizen Science ◽  
Environmental Science ◽  
School Curriculum ◽  
School Science ◽  
Environmental Citizenship ◽  
School Based ◽  
Learning Skill ◽  
Citizen Science Project

Citizen science aims to bridge the gap between science and society by engaging people in understanding the process of science. This is needed to foster informed democratic involvement of critical, environmentally informed citizens. Can these aspirations be facilitated by school-based citizen science that offers opportunity to engage scientifically with environmental issues at a scale with local relevance? This is tested through application of Marine Metre Squared (Mm2), a citizen science initiative for long-term monitoring of the New Zealand intertidal zone. Through direct observation and “hands-on” engagement, participants are involved in place-based learning that connects them with nature. Strong interest from teachers and uptake into school programmes has been key to its success in collecting long term biodiversity data. Through facilitated delivery, the project also has the capacity to meet school curriculum goals and develop the environmental science citizenship capabilities of participants. Assessing the use of Mm2 as a citizen science intervention within schools, we found that it affected science learning, skill development and environmental attitudes. Our findings further demonstrate the effect of extended involvement in a citizen science project, the value of a local issue-focused project for student learning outside the classroom, and how school science education can be enriched through citizen science to also grow civic responsibility for the environment (environmental citizenship).

A Checklist for a New Millennium School Science Department

2011 ◽  
pp. 273-274
Author(s):  
Ed Hessler
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
Student Learning ◽  
School Science ◽  
Learning Science ◽  
Science Department ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Over Time ◽  
New Millennium

My focus is both narrow and incomplete, for it is limited to a single area of learning: science, and it is in the form of a working list, a beginning of things one might write down, not in any particular order—so that they might be remembered and edited over time, with colleagues. Improving schools, teacher preparation, and professional development are important national priorities as we enter a new millennium. Past emphasis on targeted innovations in the short term are now conceptualized into the idea of continuous improvements that are connected in the long term. Today, the idea of improvement itself is being challenged. “Improvement,” the term of the technocrat, is being recast in the context of student learning—that is, how can we educate our young or learners of any age?

scholarly journals The Ancient Tree Inventory: a summary of the results of a 15 year citizen science project recording ancient, veteran and notable trees across the UK

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (11-12) ◽  
pp. 3103-3129
Author(s):  
Victoria Nolan ◽  
Tom Reader ◽  
Francis Gilbert ◽  
Nick Atkinson
Keyword(s):  
Citizen Science ◽  
Tree Age ◽  
Tree Inventory ◽  
Recording Process ◽  
Recording Project ◽  
The Status ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Citizen Science Project

Abstract Ancient, veteran and notable trees are ecologically important keystone organisms and have tangible connections to folklore, history and sociocultural practices. Although found worldwide, few countries have such a rich history of recording and treasuring these trees as the UK, with its extensive Royal and aristocratic land ownership, unique land management methods and long-standing interest in natural history and species record collecting. As a result, the UK has collated an extensive database of ancient, veteran and notable trees called the Ancient Tree Inventory (ATI). The ATI is the result of a successful, long-term citizen science recording project and is the most comprehensive database of ancient and other noteworthy trees to date. We present here the first review of the ATI in its entirety since its initiation in 2004, including summaries of the UK ancient, veteran and notable tree distributions, the status and condition of the trees, and key information about the recording process and maintenance of the database. Statistical analysis of components of the dataset, comprising 169,967 tree records, suggest there are significant differences in the threats, size, form and location of different types of trees, especially in relation to taxonomic identity and tree age. Our goal is to highlight the value of the ATI in the UK, to encourage the development of similar ancient tree recording projects in other countries, and to emphasise the importance to conservation of continued efforts to maintain and expand databases of this kind.

School makerspaces: Beyond the hype

2020 ◽  
Vol 101 (8) ◽  
pp. 49-53
Author(s):  
Kurt Salisbury ◽  
T. Philip Nichols
Keyword(s):  
Middle School ◽  
Student Learning ◽  
School Curriculum ◽  
Content Area ◽  
Middle School Math ◽  
School Based ◽  
Content Area Instruction ◽  
Math Class

Recently, makerspaces have captured the imaginations of educators as resources for transforming school-based learning. Aligning informal making practices with the formal aims of the school curriculum, however, can present challenges. In this article, Philip Nichols and Kurt Salisbury show how educators in two very different contexts — a suburban middle school math class and an urban secondary humanities class — empowered student learning by integrating making into their content-area instruction. They also highlight three takeaways for educators interested in bringing making into their own classrooms.

scholarly journals A Systematic Literature Review on the Participation Aspects of Environmental and Nature-Based Citizen Science Initiatives

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (13) ◽  
pp. 7457
Author(s):  
Michalis A. Vasiliades ◽  
Andreas Ch. Hadjichambis ◽  
Demetra Paraskeva-Hadjichambi ◽  
Anastasia Adamou ◽  
Yiannis Georgiou
Keyword(s):  
Citizen Science ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Limited Attention ◽  
Implementation Barriers ◽  
Highly Educated ◽  
Environmental Citizenship ◽  
Social Motivations ◽  
The Eu ◽  
Citizen’S Participation

It is commonly argued that, despite the tremendous resonance Citizen Science (CS) has shown in recent years, there is still lack of understanding of important aspects defining citizens’ participation and engagement in CS initiatives. While CS initiatives could provide a vehicle to foster forms of participation contributing to the democratization of science, there is still limited attention paid to the “Citizen” component of the Citizen Science term. For the purpose of this work, we systematically reviewed the available literature for empirical studies in respect to citizens’ participation in environmental and nature-based CS initiatives established during the last two decades, using the PRISMA methodology. The participatory facet of the retrieved 119 CS initiatives was analysed on the basis of: (a) exclusion and inclusion demographic factors, (b) CS models and practices, (c) facilitators and constraints of citizen’s participation, and (d) environmental citizenship. Our findings show that the majority of the CS initiatives did not place restrictions on gender participation; however, we have identified that mostly highly educated adults participated in the reviewed initiatives. In addition, most of the CS initiatives reported in the literature were situated in the EU and USA, were mostly limited to the local scale, and primarily followed the contributory model. Academic institutions were found to coordinate the majority of the CS initiatives examined. By using digital technologies, academic scientists were able to control and increase data quality, as well as to engage a broader audience, even though they were mostly treating volunteers as “data collectors”, desiring their long-term engagement. Therefore, it will be of CS benefit to be better aligned with the mentality and needs of citizens. In this direction CS initiatives should trigger citizens’ learning gains and interpersonal/social benefits and personal, environmental, and social motivations, but also to shift their goals towards contributing to science and citizens’ connection with nature. On the other hand, there is a need to overcome any design and implementation barriers, and to enhance democratization through a more participative engagement of active and aware citizens, thus promoting environmental citizenship.

The use of expedition cruise ships and citizen science to bridge the gaps in plastic marine litter knowledge in remote areas. 

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Verena Meraldi ◽  
Tudor Morgan ◽  
Kai Sørensen ◽  
Bert van Bavel
Keyword(s):  
Citizen Science ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Science Project ◽  
Remote Areas ◽  
Cruise Ships ◽  
The World ◽  
Citizen Science Project ◽  
The Antarctic ◽  
Term Data

<p>Plastics and microplastics are regularly found in the marine environment around the world. Currently, the spatial and temporal dynamics of microplastics in remote areas, including polar regions, are poorly assessed and only limited long-term data is available on occurrence. Long-term data series are required to address changes in abundances of microplastics including variations in spatial and temporal distribution as well as to understand the influence of, for example, different seasons, changing weather or hydrological conditions. But there is very little data from remote regions of the world<sup>(1)</sup> including the Arctic and Antarctic.</p><p>One approach is to use ships of opportunity (www.norsoop.com) to collect data over replicated transects: these include research vessels as well as commercial vessels and expedition cruise ships. Advances in technology enable assessment of microplastic abundance at large spatial scale using existing infrastructure in addition to the collection of oceanographic meta-data. As part of the Hurtigruten – NIVA collaboration, a microplastic sampling module and a marine monitoring system (Ferry Box) was fitted on Hurtigruten’s Expedition vessel MS Roald Amundsen. The science center in this expedition ship, where single use plastic has been removed from all areas, provides a lab facility for preliminary plastic analysis and also a place for interaction with the passengers and engagement in citizen science. During the first year of operation, NIVA and Hurtigruten have collected microplastic samples in the Arctic and the Antarctic for long time periods. In addition, as part of a citizen science project, data and samples have been collected during beach clean-ups in remote areas and analysed on board using a handheld NIR smartphone scanner directly linked to a NIVA cloud database.</p><p>Average levels of microplastic within the Arctic (1.8-10 n/m<sup>3</sup>) and Antarctic (1.8-4.6) are still relatively low and consist mostly of fibres. The levels found in the Arctic study were comparable with the results from Lusher et al. 2015 and recent work in the Russian Arctic. Cellulose and cotton-based fibres dominate in the Antarctic samples and polyester is the dominant polymeric fibre. A citizen science project involving a beach clean-up and the subsequent analysis of the samples collected was performed on board MS Roald Amundsen in the Falkland/Malvinas Islands. The results showed large amounts of fishery related material including several polymer-based ropes and net pieces but also plastic utensils, food wrapping and plastic bottles.</p><p> (1)        GESAMP (2016). Sources, fate and effects of microplastics in the marine environment: part two of a global assessment (Kershaw, P.J., and Rochman, C.M., eds). Rep. Stud. GESAMP No. 93, 220 p.</p><p>(2)         Lusher, A. L., Tirelli, V., O’Connor, I., and Officer, R. (2015). Microplastics in Arctic polar waters: the first reported values of particles in surface and sub-surface samples. Nature-scientific reports. 9 p.</p><p>(3)         Yakushev E., Gebruk A., Osadchiev A., Pakhomova S., Lusher A., Berezina A., van Bavel B., Vorozheikina E., Chernykh D., Kolbasova G., Razgon I., Semiletov I. Microplastics distribution in the Eurasian Arctic is affected by Atlantic waters and Siberian rivers. Communications Earth & Environment in press. DOI: 10.1038/s43247-021-00091-0</p>

The effect of a school based injury prevention program on physical performance in youth females

2020 ◽  
pp. 174795412095221
Author(s):  
Lesley M Sommerfield ◽  
Chris S Whatman ◽  
Craig B Harrison ◽  
Peter S Maulder ◽  
Robert J Borotkanics
Keyword(s):  
Injury Prevention ◽  
Athletic Performance ◽  
Vertical Jump ◽  
School Curriculum ◽  
Mean Difference ◽  
Marginal Analysis ◽  
School Based ◽  
Back Squat ◽  
Injury Prevention Program

Injury prevention (IP) programs can reduce injury in youth, however, little is known about their impact on athletic performance, especially in females. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a school curriculum IP program on movement skill and athletic performance in youth females. Ninety-two female students (age 14.0 ± 0.6 y, height 162.5 ± 5.8 cm, mass 57.1 ± 9.3 kg, intervention (INT) n = 43, control (CON) n = 49) participated in this study. The INT group completed a 23 week IP program whereas the CON group continued normal physical education class. Sprint, countermovement jump (CMJ), isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP), y-balance, back squat assessment (BSA), and drop vertical jump (DVJ) were assessed. An independent-samples t-test revealed that the INT group performed significantly better on all tests at baseline (p = <0.05), except single-leg CMJ power. Ordered regression models showed the INT group were more likely to improve their score on the BSA and DVJ (OR = 0.14 and 0.20) compared to the CON group. Marginal analysis revealed a significantly greater increase in y-balance composite measures for the INT group [mean difference (95% CI) = 2.07 (0.48 to 3.66) and 2.66 (1.03 to 4.29), p < 0.05] and relative IMTP for the CON group [mean difference (95% CI) = −0.34 (−0.60 to −0.08), p < 0.05). These findings highlight that a long-term IP program integrated into the school curriculum can improve movement skill and balance in youth females.

scholarly journals The Maryland Amphibian and Reptile Atlas: A Volunteer-Based Distributional Survey

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heather R. Cunningham ◽  
Charles A. Davis ◽  
Christopher W. Swarth ◽  
Glenn D. Therres
Keyword(s):  
Citizen Science ◽  
Turtle Species ◽  
Science Project ◽  
Management Actions ◽  
Reptile Species ◽  
Added Benefit ◽  
Conservation Concern ◽  
Informed Society ◽  
Citizen Science Project

Declines of amphibian and reptile populations are well documented. Yet a lack of understanding of their distribution may hinder conservation planning for these species. The Maryland Amphibian and Reptile Atlas project (MARA) was launched in 2010. This five-year, citizen science project will document the distribution of the 93 amphibian and reptile species in Maryland. During the 2010 and 2011 field seasons, 488 registered MARA volunteers collected 13,919 occurrence records that document 85 of Maryland's amphibian and reptile species, including 19 frog, 20 salamander, five lizard, 25 snake, and 16 turtle species. Thirteen of these species are of conservation concern in Maryland. The MARA will establish a baseline by which future changes in the distribution of populations of native herpetofauna can be assessed as well as provide information for immediate management actions for rare and threatened species. As a citizen science project it has the added benefit of educating citizens about native amphibian and reptile diversity and its ecological benefits—an important step in creating an informed society that actively participates in the long-term conservation of Maryland's nature heritage.

scholarly journals Citizens, Scientists, and Enablers: A Tripartite Model for Citizen Science Projects

Diversity ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 309
Author(s):  
Rhian A. Salmon ◽  
Samuel Rammell ◽  
Myfanwy T. Emeny ◽  
Stephen Hartley
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Nature Of Science ◽  
Citizen Science ◽  
Public Engagement ◽  
Science Communication ◽  
Tripartite Model ◽  
Science Project ◽  
Science Projects ◽  
Emerging Issues ◽  
Citizen Science Project

In this paper, we focus on different roles in citizen science projects, and their respective relationships. We propose a tripartite model that recognises not only citizens and scientists, but also an important third role, which we call the ‘enabler’. In doing so, we acknowledge that additional expertise and skillsets are often present in citizen science projects, but are frequently overlooked in associated literature. We interrogate this model by applying it to three case studies and explore how the success and sustainability of a citizen science project requires all roles to be acknowledged and interacting appropriately. In this era of ‘wicked problems’, the nature of science and science communication has become more complex. In order to address critical emerging issues, a greater number of stakeholders are engaging in multi-party partnerships and research is becoming increasingly interdisciplinary. Within this context, explicitly acknowledging the role and motivations of everyone involved can provide a framework for enhanced project transparency, delivery, evaluation and impact. By adapting our understanding of citizen science to better recognise the complexity of the organisational systems within which they operate, we propose an opportunity to strengthen the collaborative delivery of both valuable scientific research and public engagement.

scholarly journals Transference of Citizen Science Program Impacts: A Theory Grounded in Public Participation in Scientific Research

Diversity ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 339
Author(s):  
Louise I. Lynch-O’Brien ◽  
Wayne A. Babchuk ◽  
Jenny M. Dauer ◽  
Tiffany Heng-Moss ◽  
Doug Golick
Keyword(s):  
Citizen Science ◽  
Social Process ◽  
Informal Science Education ◽  
Constructivist Grounded Theory ◽  
Science Program ◽  
Program Leaders ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Social ◽  
Added Benefit

Citizen science is known for increasing the geographic, spatial, and temporal scale from which scientists can gather data. It is championed for its potential to provide experiential learning opportunities to the public. Documentation of educational outcomes and benefits for citizen scientists continues to grow. This study proposes an added benefit of these collaborations: the transference of program impacts to individuals outside of the program. The experiences of fifteen citizen scientists in entomology citizen science programs were analyzed using a constructivist grounded theory methodology. We propose the substantive-level theory of transference to describe the social process by which the educational and attitudinal impacts intended by program leaders for the program participants are filtered by citizen scientists and transferred to others. This process involves individual and external phases, each with associated actions. Transference occurred in participants who had maintained a long-term interest in nature, joined a citizen science program, shared science knowledge and experiences, acquired an expert role to others, and influenced change in others. Transference has implications for how citizen scientists are perceived by professional communities, understanding of the broader impacts and contributions of citizen science to wicked problems, program evaluation, and the design of these programs as informal science education opportunities.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document