Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 2780 |
| Pages (from-to) | 1 - 18 |
| Number of pages | 18 |
| Journal | Sustainability (Switzerland) |
| Volume | 11 |
| Issue number | 10 |
| Publication status | Published - 2 May 2019 |
Abstract
Citizen science is becoming increasingly popular as a format in environmental and sustainability education. Citizen science not only allows researchers to gather large amounts of biodiversity-related data, it also has the potential to engage the public in biodiversity research. Numerous citizen science projects have emerged that assume that participation in the project affects participants' knowledge, attitudes, and behavior. We investigated what evidence really exists about the outcomes of biodiversity citizen science projects on the side of the individual participants. For this purpose, we conducted a systematic review of peer-reviewed research articles published up to and including 2017. We found evidence for various individual participant outcomes. The outcome reported most often was a gain in knowledge. Other outcomes, found in several articles, referred to changes in behavior or attitudes. Outcomes reported less often were new skills, increased self-efficacy and interest, and a variety of other personal outcomes. We discuss the research design and methods used in the reviewed studies und formulate specific recommendations for future research. We conclude that citizen science is a promising option for environmental and sustainability education focusing on biodiversity. Partnerships between natural and social scientists in the design and evaluation of projects would allow future biodiversity citizen science projects to utilize their full educational potential.
Keywords
- Attitude, Behavior, Environmental education, Impact, Interest, Knowledge, Public participation in scientific research, Self-efficacy, Skill, Sustainability education
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Social Sciences(all)
- Geography, Planning and Development
- Energy(all)
- Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
- Environmental Science(all)
- Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law
Sustainable Development Goals
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In: Sustainability (Switzerland), Vol. 11, No. 10, 2780, 02.05.2019, p. 1 - 18.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Participant outcomes of biodiversity citizen science projects
T2 - A systematic literature review
AU - Peter, Maria
AU - Diekötter, Tim
AU - Kremer, Kerstin
N1 - Funding Information: Funding: This work was supported by funding through the Leibniz ScienceCampus “Kiel Science Outreach Campus” (KiSOC).
PY - 2019/5/2
Y1 - 2019/5/2
N2 - Citizen science is becoming increasingly popular as a format in environmental and sustainability education. Citizen science not only allows researchers to gather large amounts of biodiversity-related data, it also has the potential to engage the public in biodiversity research. Numerous citizen science projects have emerged that assume that participation in the project affects participants' knowledge, attitudes, and behavior. We investigated what evidence really exists about the outcomes of biodiversity citizen science projects on the side of the individual participants. For this purpose, we conducted a systematic review of peer-reviewed research articles published up to and including 2017. We found evidence for various individual participant outcomes. The outcome reported most often was a gain in knowledge. Other outcomes, found in several articles, referred to changes in behavior or attitudes. Outcomes reported less often were new skills, increased self-efficacy and interest, and a variety of other personal outcomes. We discuss the research design and methods used in the reviewed studies und formulate specific recommendations for future research. We conclude that citizen science is a promising option for environmental and sustainability education focusing on biodiversity. Partnerships between natural and social scientists in the design and evaluation of projects would allow future biodiversity citizen science projects to utilize their full educational potential.
AB - Citizen science is becoming increasingly popular as a format in environmental and sustainability education. Citizen science not only allows researchers to gather large amounts of biodiversity-related data, it also has the potential to engage the public in biodiversity research. Numerous citizen science projects have emerged that assume that participation in the project affects participants' knowledge, attitudes, and behavior. We investigated what evidence really exists about the outcomes of biodiversity citizen science projects on the side of the individual participants. For this purpose, we conducted a systematic review of peer-reviewed research articles published up to and including 2017. We found evidence for various individual participant outcomes. The outcome reported most often was a gain in knowledge. Other outcomes, found in several articles, referred to changes in behavior or attitudes. Outcomes reported less often were new skills, increased self-efficacy and interest, and a variety of other personal outcomes. We discuss the research design and methods used in the reviewed studies und formulate specific recommendations for future research. We conclude that citizen science is a promising option for environmental and sustainability education focusing on biodiversity. Partnerships between natural and social scientists in the design and evaluation of projects would allow future biodiversity citizen science projects to utilize their full educational potential.
KW - Attitude
KW - Behavior
KW - Environmental education
KW - Impact
KW - Interest
KW - Knowledge
KW - Public participation in scientific research
KW - Self-efficacy
KW - Skill
KW - Sustainability education
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85067084857&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/su11102780
DO - 10.3390/su11102780
M3 - Article
VL - 11
SP - 1
EP - 18
JO - Sustainability (Switzerland)
JF - Sustainability (Switzerland)
SN - 2071-1050
IS - 10
M1 - 2780
ER -