This is a fascinating article that tracks the change in attitudes towards science as well as content learning that occurred with a group of high school students who participated in the full cycle of a research project from asking the question to presenting results. I particularly liked one of the findings the authors recommend to incorporate in citizen science projects: interactions between scientists and participants must be transparent and trust-building. – LFF
Abstract:
Citizen science can raise people’s understanding of science while helping scientists conduct their research. Yet its potential for driving transformative learning is empirically underexplored. We present the results of a preliminary study with secondary school students engaged in a long-term citizen science project, from the formulation of the research questions to data analysis and discussion. Students learnt about and increased their interest in neuroscience. They were also able to reflect on the role of science for society and valued their involvement as active participants in the research. We discuss the opportunities and challenges of approaching citizen science for transformative learning.
Photo credit: Figure 1 from “Citizen Science: Toward Transformative Learning”.
Source: Citizen Science – Apr 13, 2016