Design citizen science projects to leverage misidentifications, spread expert participation, and train scientists and students in question-based moderation¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · 3 claims (3 for) · 1 study (1 associational), q2 · 0 of 1 report an effect size · 3 claims rest on one study

Description¶

The article's future-research section offers concrete design moves for K-5 citizen science projects: gather misidentified or unidentified spottings for student problem-solving discussions, spread expert scientists across artifacts and threads, align scientist and school goals, equip scientists with basic knowledge of student learning via research-practice partnerships, and train both scientists and students in moderation. The authors suggest that "simple changes such asking questions, rather than providing answers, might engage more students and further the discussion."

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Expert scientists willing to participate and whose goals align with the educational goals of the schools

Constraints¶

• The participation of expert scientists in the studied project was very limited, so effects of enlisting more scientists remain untested

Target Learners¶

• elementary school students (K-5)

Target Learning Goals¶

• engaging in authentic scientific research practices
• engaging in argument from evidence
• scientific discussion and identification skills

Claims¶

• Knowledge artifacts that were novel or unexpected (a non-insect squirrel, a misidentified mosquito) generated the most discussion in an elementary citizen science project [+W]
• Higher overall participation was not associated with scientific engagement, but co-contribution with expert scientists was [+W]
• Students, not expert scientists, played the moderating role by asking questions and making assertions, with one student bridging scientists and students [+W]

Related Strategies¶

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Janet Mannheimer Zydney, Erin Rumpke, Gi Woong Choi, Lauren Angelone. (2025). Understanding interactions between scientists and elementary school students in a citizen science project. Instructional Science (2025) 53:949–971. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11251-025-09710-1