Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1111/cobi.12762
Title (Primary) Learning and the transformative potential of citizen science
Author Bela, G.; Peltola, T.; Young, J.C.; Balázs, B.; Arpin, I.; Pataki, G.; Hauck, J.; Kelemen, E.; Kopperoinen, L.; Van Herzele, A.; Keune, H.; Hecker, S.; Suškevičs, M.; Roy, H.E.; Itkonen, P.; Külvik, M.; László, M.; Basnou, C.; Pino, J.; Bonn, A. ORCID logo
Source Titel Conservation Biology
Year 2016
Department iDiv; ESS
Volume 30
Issue 5
Page From 990
Page To 999
Language englisch
Keywords participation; science-society-policy interactions; biodiversity; collaborative assessment; transformative learning
UFZ wide themes RU1
Abstract The number of collaborative initiatives between scientists and volunteers (i.e., citizen science) is increasing across many research fields. The promise of societal transformation together with scientific breakthroughs contributes to the current popularity of citizen science (CS) in the policy domain. We examined the transformative capacity of citizen science in particular learning through environmental CS as conservation tool. We reviewed the CS and social-learning literature and examined 14 conservation projects across Europe that involved collaborative CS. We also developed a template that can be used to explore learning arrangements (i.e., learning events and materials) in CS projects and to explain how the desired outcomes can be achieved through CS learning. We found that recent studies aiming to define CS for analytical purposes often fail to improve the conceptual clarity of CS; CS programs may have transformative potential, especially for the development of individual skills, but such transformation is not necessarily occurring at the organizational and institutional levels; empirical evidence on simple learning outcomes, but the assertion of transformative effects of CS learning is often based on assumptions rather than empirical observation; and it is unanimous that learning in CS is considered important, but in practice it often goes unreported or unevaluated. In conclusion, we point to the need for reliable and transparent measurement of transformative effects for democratization of knowledge production.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=17505
Bela, G., Peltola, T., Young, J.C., Balázs, B., Arpin, I., Pataki, G., Hauck, J., Kelemen, E., Kopperoinen, L., Van Herzele, A., Keune, H., Hecker, S., Suškevičs, M., Roy, H.E., Itkonen, P., Külvik, M., László, M., Basnou, C., Pino, J., Bonn, A. (2016):
Learning and the transformative potential of citizen science
Conserv. Biol. 30 (5), 990 - 999 10.1111/cobi.12762