Despite the recent expansion of youth-focused citizen science programs, as a field we are only beginning to examine the goals, needs, assets and outcomes of working with youth, both in and out of school contexts. This panel... [ view full abstract ]
Despite the recent expansion of youth-focused citizen science programs, as a field we are only beginning to examine the goals, needs, assets and outcomes of working with youth, both in and out of school contexts. This panel will draw together perspectives of youth, educators, and researchers to provide “360 degree” portraits of youth-based citizen science. Panel speakers include educators, program directors, education researchers, and youth participants themselves. Representing two programs working across five in-school and out-of-school sites in the San Francisco Bay area, we will share lessons widely applicable to the goals of broadening engagement and documenting best practices in citizen science. Specifically, this session has two central aims:
(1) To build an in-depth, multi-voiced understanding of youth-based citizen science. Each of the groups will present descriptions of their work, including youth experiences and educator “lessons learned” about facilitating participation in scientific research. Speakers will discuss questions they still struggle with, and describe the challenges of balancing multiple project goals.
(2) To address a key question for the field as a whole: what is the impact of intensity and duration of participation in citizen science? Each group will speak to short-term impacts, as well as outcomes of long-term participation and particular innovations for sustaining youth involvement. Speakers will describe strategies for overcoming barriers to long-term participation, including emphasizing for youth the impact of their project work, building community-based and institutional partnerships, designing multiple pathways for participation, and providing opportunities for teaching and leading by youth.
The panel will include brief presentations by program coordinators, educators and youth participants working with the LiMPETS and EBAYS programs on issues in marine biology, air quality, and water quality. It will also include framing and summary remarks from educational researchers, and time for in-depth question and answer with audience members.
