Volunteers in citizen science (CS) have different kinds of motivations for participation, ranging from e.g. topic interest, supporting science to personal recognition. Information regarding the existence and characteristics of motivation profile groups of volunteers remains unclear.

Continue reading Do volunteers in citizen science have different motivation profiles? at Citizen Science | CS Track Project.

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 study took an alternative perspective by examining learning-related aspects in textual self-representations of CS projects—namely in project descriptions posted online. The aim was to determine which dimensions of learning are reflected most prominently in CS project descriptions.

Continue reading <strong>Identifying learning dimensions in CS project descriptions</strong> at Citizen Science | CS Track Project.

The term ‘Citizen Science’ has had a remarkable career in terms of scientific publications and funding schemes. Citizen science policies are either already developed or under development in many parts of the world.

Continue reading The use of (not) defining Citizen Science at Citizen Science | CS Track Project.

Citizen science research has become a popular approach in youth education. Findings suggest that females are more motivated to learn from the project. Participation in the project slightly increased science interest, but not science efficacy. However, it did increase both political interest and efficacy.

Continue reading Citizen Science in Schools: Predictors and Outcomes of Participating in Voluntary Political Research at Citizen Science | CS Track Project.

Chimp & See is one of the projects of the Zooniverse platform, which is one of the largest citizen science web portals, was initiated in 2015 by the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology. The aim of the project is to learn more about the culture, population size and demography of chimpanzees in specific regions of Africa. 

Continue reading How social network analysis reveals significant variables in Citizen Science projects: the Chimp & See case at Citizen Science | CS Track Project.

Biodiversity citizen science projects investigate, for example, which species of plants or animals exist in an area and how many individuals of each species live in that area. Such projects involve citizen scientists in identifying and monitoring biological diversity and collecting biodiversity data. With the help of citizen scientists, researchers can collect large amounts of such data that they would not be able to collect on their own. We wanted to know how citizen scientists benefit from their participation in biodiversity citizen science projects. 

Continue reading Biodiversity citizen science projects: What are the benefits for the participants? at Citizen Science | CS Track Project.

Citizen science has expanded rapidly over the past decade. As a result defining citizen science and its boundaries remains a challenge, and this is reflected in the literature—for example in the proliferation of typologies and definitions. There is a need for identifying areas of agreement and disagreement within the citizen science practitioners community on what should be considered citizen science. 

Continue reading What are the boundaries of citizen science? Learning from a vignette study at Citizen Science | CS Track Project.

Citizen science entails the participation of the public and professional scientists in scientific activities in order to expand scientific knowledge and understanding. This involves participants adopting different roles for completing specific tasks which can shape overall learning experiences.

Continue reading Knowledge building and roles in Citizen Science – findings from the CS Track survey 2021 at Citizen Science | CS Track Project.

A study conducted in Norwegian high schools revealed that citizen science activities have positive impacts on learning, pro-environmental and pro-science attitudes, interest in scientific and environmental-related topics.

Continue reading Exploring the impact of a Citizen Science high school project at Citizen Science | CS Track Project.

The recent JRC report on Citizen Science Strategies and Initiatives in Europe highlights the different ways in which Citizen Science is supported and understood in Europe. The results of its survey show how Citizen Science is evolving and where the main barriers to its successful implementation lie.

Continue reading Survey into Citizen Science Strategies and Initiatives reveals a very mixed picture at Citizen Science | CS Track Project.