Learning objectives
At the end of the educational activity, the student will have acquired knowledge and skills related to Citizen Science (CS) from its origins to recent developments, defining its objectives, methods, and impacts, also through the analysis of successful case studies at both national and international levels.
By the end of the course, the student is expected to be able to:
• Understand the fundamentals necessary to comprehend CS (definitions, origins and development, objectives, and areas of application) – Knowledge and Understanding.
• Be familiar with the main technological and digital tools supporting CS – Knowledge and Understanding.
• Identify the criteria necessary to define a coherent and successful CS project – Applying Knowledge and Understanding.
• Critically analyze ongoing CS projects and propose solutions for their improvement – Making Judgements.
• Integrate CS methodologies into scientific research projects, particularly concerning environmental and biodiversity monitoring – Learning Skills.
• Disseminate the results of a CS project to both the scientific community and a non-expert audience, with particular attention to the stakeholders involved in the project (researchers, citizens, authorities, companies, funding bodies) – Communication Skills.
Prerequisites
NONE
Course unit content
The course aims to provide theoretical and practical knowledge on Citizen Science (defined as the involvement of volunteers and scientists in collaborative research activities to generate new knowledge based on scientific evidence), in order to acquire the basic skills to design research projects that can benefit from this approach. A critical analysis of the potential and limitations of this approach will also be included, to identify effective intervention strategies.
To achieve this objective, lectures will provide students with both basic concepts and in-depth insights into the definitions of Citizen Science, its origins at both national and international levels, and its integration with European policies. Knowledge will be imparted on the fields of action of CS projects, which range from environmental and biodiversity monitoring to sociological analyses, including biomedical and physical studies. Aspects related to new technologies and how these have been one of the keys to CS success will be addressed. Finally, the analysis of case studies will allow the application of previously learned concepts to evaluate their strengths and weaknesses.
Classroom exercises will aim to develop the necessary skills to set up a scientific research project, from defining the experimental question to interpreting and disseminating results by experimenting with and integrating CS methodologies.
During the course, students' judgment autonomy will be enhanced by encouraging them to contribute with personal inputs and considerations, and their ability to retrieve data from appropriate sources, process information, and communicate their specific knowledge clearly and in sufficient depth, providing concrete examples to support theories or general concepts.
Full programme
During the first lecture, the course program, its objectives, and the examination methods will be outlined. Information about the available teaching materials and recommended textbooks will also be provided (the information is also available on the course's Elly portal).
TOPICS COVERED
THE ORIGINS OF CITIZEN SCIENCE (CS)
In this unit, we will study how Citizen Science has integrated into the three major periods that characterize modern science: early science (1600 - early 1800s), professional science (late 1800s - 1900), and open science (from 2000 to today). We will then study the social and technological trends from 2000 to the present that have been fundamental to the development of contemporary Citizen Science.
OPEN SCIENCE AND CITIZEN SCIENCE
In this unit, we will compare the concepts of Open Science and Citizen Science, analyze the Ten Principles of Citizen Science formulated by the ECSA (European Citizen Science Association), and define the criteria for recognizing citizen science projects.
THE BENEFITS OF CITIZEN SCIENCE
In this unit, we will analyze the benefits of Citizen Science for researchers, citizens, the scientific community, and society in general. Some case studies will be presented to better understand the benefits of citizen involvement in scientific research.
THE LANDSCAPE OF CITIZEN SCIENCE
In this unit, we will provide an overview of the research areas where successful Citizen Science projects have been developed. We will start with natural sciences, then move on to formal sciences, medical sciences, arts and humanities, and conclude with social sciences.
THE ACTORS OF CITIZEN SCIENCE: VOLUNTEERS
In the first part of this unit, we will analyze the role of citizens in Citizen Science projects, the levels of participation according to Shirk et al. and Hacklay. We will delve into the concept of Extreme Citizen Science and classify projects based on their primary objective. In the second part of this unit, we will focus on the motivations that drive volunteers to participate in a Citizen Science project. We will introduce the self-determination theory and apply it to Citizen Science. We will analyze variations in motivation over time and barriers to participation. Finally, we will examine some techniques for monitoring motivation and participation in Citizen Science projects.
THE ACTORS OF CITIZEN SCIENCE: RESEARCHERS
In this unit, we will analyze the advantages that Citizen Science brings to researchers in terms of cost reduction for collecting a large amount of data over wide spatial and temporal scales. We will study the characteristics that a data collection protocol must have to be efficient and the actions that can be taken to improve it. We will discuss data quality and the principle of FAIR data. Finally, we will talk about new technologies such as digital platforms, crowdsourcing, and smart devices for Citizen Science, analyzing in detail the I-Naturalist platform.
COMMUNICATION
In this unit, we will analyze the role of communication in Citizen Science projects. The concepts of target audience, engagement, outreach, and dissemination will be introduced. We will discuss the necessary figures for communication, communication and engagement plans, and the budget required for a proper communication strategy. Finally, we will analyze the tools and tactics that can be used in communication plans.
AGENDA 2030
In this unit, we will discuss the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and how Citizen Science can contribute to their achievement.
The program will be integrated with the topics covered by the course guests. The final program will therefore be published on the course's Elly page.
Bibliography
The teaching materials (slides, scientific articles, and links to relevant websites) will be made available to students on the Elly portal and may be periodically updated during the course.
Recommended textbooks (print and/or digital):
1. Hecker, Susanne, et al., editors. "Citizen Science: Innovation in Open Science, Society and Policy." UCL Press, 2018. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv550cf2.
2. Katrin Vohland, et editors. "The Science of Citizen Science." Springer Cham, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58278-4.
Teaching methods
The teaching activities will prioritize an active learning approach alternated with traditional lectures. Lectures will utilize multimedia tools and delve into the logic and experimental methodologies used by researchers in the field of Citizen Science (CS) as much as possible. In the second part of the lesson, experiential learning cycles will be activated where students will be required to apply theory through the analysis of real case studies.
There will be in-person or online contributions from four guests with extensive experience in both national and international Citizen Science, who will present their research and personal approach to Citizen Science. The list of guests and the schedule of their interventions will be published on the course's Elly page. At least one of the guests will be from one of the universities that are part of the EUGREEN Alliance, to which our university belongs.
In January 2025, a day trip to the Museum of Sciences of Trento (MUSE) is planned, where students will participate in a Citizen Science workshop organized in collaboration with MUSE's Educational Services.
Slides used to support the lessons will be uploaded weekly on the Elly platform. Enrollment in the online course is required to download the slides.
The slides are not a substitute for the course or textbooks but are considered an integral part of the teaching material. Students, both attending and non-attending, are reminded to check the available teaching materials and other indications provided by the instructor via the Elly platform.
Assessment methods and criteria
The assessment will be conducted through a final oral exam, followed by a grade out of thirty, which will be communicated to the student immediately after the test. The student must demonstrate an understanding of and the ability to apply the fundamental concepts of each topic covered.
The exam is divided into two parts. In the first part, the student will have 10 minutes to critically analyze a case study from a list published on the course's Elly page. The available case studies will also include the projects presented by the four guest researchers. The student must create a slide presentation that must be uploaded to the course's Elly page at least one day before the exam date. In the second part, the student’s knowledge of the topics covered during the lectures will be tested.
Other information
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2030 agenda goals for sustainable development
4 - Quality education
10 - Reduced inequalities
11 - Sustainable cities and communities
