Civic engagement

Encouraging engagement in nature conservation

Ballard and colleagues (2017) examined outcomes of community-based citizen science projects involving youth volunteers in environmental conservation contexts (water quality monitoring and a shoreline project in the San Francisco Bay). The researchers conducted in-depth analyses of activity observations and pre- and post-interviews with youth and educators. Findings indicated a significant contribution to the environment as youth activities contributed to habitat improvement and site management. The study also examined impacts on youth agency, not only in terms of understanding environmental science and inquiry methods, but also in identification with and willingness to act for the environment. Youth were found to develop a sense of active citizenship that extended beyond the specific project context. Three key components of the community-based citizen science projects contributed to the development of agency: participation in data collection, dissemination of scientific knowledge to external audiences, and investigation of complex socio-scientific issues. One conclusion of this study is that, given appropriate design, citizen science projects can foster active citizenship among participants.

Socio-scientific issues as a bridge between science education and environmental education

Wals and colleagues (2014) suggest that the connection between science education (which emphasizes knowledge and skills) and environmental education (which emphasizes values education and behavior change) can be achieved through engagement with complex socio-scientific issues via citizen science. Public participation in citizen science can promote positive environmental behavior, while supporting the development of scientific literacy sought by science education. In addition, citizen science activities may also foster local community connections.

Scientific literacy as a lever for active citizenship

The European Commission report on science education for responsible citizenship (Hazelkorn et al., 2015) argues that in an era characterized by complex realities and challenges on the one hand, and an abundance of technological opportunities on the other, citizens must better understand science and technology in order to take an active part in decision-making. Science education should respond to societal needs and aspirations and foster positive attitudes toward science. To this end, educators should expand the range of opportunities for learning science in both formal and informal settings. The report describes approaches that may support the public in participating actively, with and for society.

Additional Resources:

The Future of Education and Skills: “Education 2030” Project, Initiative, Center for Knowledge and Research in Education, Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities. http://yozma.mpage.co.il/SystemFiles/23295.pdf

Ballard, H. L., Dixon, C. G., & Harris, E. M. (2017). Youth-focused citizen science: Examining the role of environmental science learning and agency for conservation. Biological Conservation, 208, 65-75.

‏

Dillon, J., Stevenson, R. B., & Wals, A. E. (2016). Introduction to the special section moving from citizen to civic science to address wicked conservation problems. Conservation Biology, 30(3), 450-455.‏

Hazelkorn, E., Ryan, C., Beernaert, Y., Constantinou, C. P., Deca, L., Grangeat, M., ... & Welzel-Breuer, M. (2015). Science education for responsible citizenship. Report to the European Commission of the expert group on science education.‏

Kali, Y., (2006). Collaborative knowledge-building using the Design Principles Database. International Journal of Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning, 1(2), 187-201.

Wals, A. E., Brody, M., Dillon, J., & Stevenson, R. B. (2014). Convergence between science and environmental education. Science, 344(6184), 583-584.‏