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Benavides Lahnstein, A.; Ballard, H.; Ghadiri Khanaposhtani, M.; Lorke, J.; Herodotou, Christothea; Miller, A.; Pratt-Taweh, S.; Jennewein, J.; Aristeidou, Maria and Ismail, Nashwa
(2022).
URL: https://narst.org/conferences/2022-annual-conferen...
Abstract
This study addresses an existing gap in our understanding of how participation in environmental Community and Citizen Science (CCS) projects may impact young volunteers’ environmental science learning across a wide variety of settings. We examined youth learning across four settings which we represented as cases: 5 short-term field-based events (BioBlitzes), 3 longer-term field-based monitoring programs, fully online projects (Zooniverse), and a hybrid format that combines participation in the field and online spaces (iNaturalist). This multiple-case study uses the Environmental Science Agency framework to interpret learning evidence of 33 young CCS volunteers (aged 10-13 years) in post-participation surveys, semi-structured interviews, and in ethnographic field notes for the field-based participants. Across the cases, we found particular features of the CCS projects and the scientific framings that may have encouraged aspects of ESA. Design features such as access to new knowledge, training, and scientific tools provided by the CCS projects encouraged youth to learn rich and varied understandings of disciplinary content, scientific skills and practices. An increased sense of confidence and competence in youth around the scientific practices of the projects were stimulated by scientific framing of CSS and ongoing participation. Overall, these aspects also supported small manifestations of youth agency with science.