Citizen Science in the Introductory Classroom
11
Suzanne T. Metlay, Ph.D. Instructor, Astronomy & Geology Front Range Community College Citizen Science in the Introductory Classroom 1 http://undsci.berkeley.edu/article/ scienceflowchart Teaching and Learning with Technology Conference Fort Collins, CO – 16 May 2011
-
Upload
western-governors-university -
Category
Documents
-
view
725 -
download
0
description
Presented this advocacy of Citizen Science at Teaching and Learning with Technology Conference (Fort Collins, CO) on 16 May 2011.
Transcript of Citizen Science in the Introductory Classroom
Suzanne T. Metlay, Ph.D.Instructor, Astronomy & GeologyFront Range Community College
Citizen Science in the Introductory Classroom
1
http://undsci.berkeley.edu/article/scienceflowchart
Teaching and Learning with Technology ConferenceFort Collins, CO – 16 May 2011
What is Citizen Science? Students/volunteers/amateurs with
little to no prior experience or training Assist professional scientists in real
research Gather data and/or provide analysis of
actual data and/or images
In virtual world: Participants go to website for
data/images to analyze
In real world: Participants record/obtain data outside
in their own local environments to share with project leaders 2
Hanny Van Arkel; Photo credit: Edd Edmondson Hanny’s Voorwerp; Photo credit: NASA/ESA/Hubble Space Telescope
GalaxyZoo: 2007: Hanny Van Arkel discovers a Voorwerp
http://www.hannysvoorwerp.com/ 2009: The “Peas Corp” & Green Pea galaxies 2010: > 250,000 volunteers worldwide
Green Pea Galaxies; Photo Credit: Carolin Cardamone/Sloan Digital Sky Survey
SETI@Home:1999: Volunteers run SETI data as screensavers
Illustration: Callan Bentley
Old News?
Citizen Science Sites Abound
4Investing in the deliberate benefits of distributed thinking
www.zooniverse.orghttp://phylo.cs.mcgill.ca/eng/about.html
http://www.priweb.org/mastodon/matrix_project.html
5
Mobile Phone with GPS + Photos + Notes = Data!
Page credit: Eric Graham, CENS (UCLA)
6
Applications Within A Domain - Biodiversity
Page credit: Bill Gail, Microsoft
Inventory ValidationInventory ValidationNature Mapping - UWNature Mapping - UW
Systematic MonitoringSystematic MonitoringPicture Post - UNHPicture Post - UNH
Habitat ManagementHabitat ManagementFire Alert System – Conservation InternationalFire Alert System – Conservation International
Invasive Species IDInvasive Species IDWhat’s Invasive! App - UCLAWhat’s Invasive! App - UCLA
Detailed AssessmentDetailed AssessmentCoral Reef Habitat Mapping – U QueenslandCoral Reef Habitat Mapping – U Queensland
Forest InventoryForest InventoryWorld Forest Observatory - RFFWorld Forest Observatory - RFF
Tool ValidationTool ValidationYaqui Valley Wheat Farming - StanfordYaqui Valley Wheat Farming - Stanford
Event DetectionEvent DetectionAir Twitter – Washington UAir Twitter – Washington U
“All first-year students will participate in this non-credit bearing program during their first year at Bard. Citizen Science was created to introduce students to the practice of the scientific method and promotion of scientific literacy. This program aims to expand student understanding of concepts and processes required for personal decision making and participation in civic and cultural affairs.”http://citizenscience.bard.edu
7
“The most terrifying problem in American university education is the profound lack of scientific literacy… while we’ve found ways to educate scientists in the humanities, the reverse has never really happened.”
Leon Botstein, President, Bard College http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/22/nyregion/22science.html
(http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/361087/october-05-2010/leon-botstein)
Citizen Science Requirement at Bard College
Roger Hiemstra & Ralph Brockett (1994) “From behaviorism to humanism…”http://www-distance.syr.edu/sdlhuman.html
8
Americans are in midst of “Radical Individualism”
Popular trends to: Decentralize Do It Yourself (DIY) Distrust authority
Less desire for professionals
Populist social movements: Politics: Tea Party, Coffee Party Music: Home recording studios, GarageBand
Socio-Economic Benefits of Citizen Scientists Unpaid vs. paid labor (complements but does not dislocate workforce) Education (science literacy, computer literacy, transferable skills) Public engagement in civic affairs (greater engagement in local issues) Community development (shared goals, cultural science as valued part of knowledge-based economy, development of online communities )
Observational/computer technology increasingly available and affordable Volunteers are often professionals in other fields; unpaid does not mean unskilled
(1) Lines are blurring between amateur and professional Amateurs do actual science, education, journalism
(2) Science bloggers/podcasters Counter misinformation Squash rumors, verify reality Informal education
(3) Drivers of economic or political change Environmental concerns Increased productivity in era of budget cuts
How can YOU engage with YOUR communities? Virtual Actual
99
Preparing Students for Life after Your Course
Questions? Comments?
Thank you!
303-678-3855 (faculty support)
Walk-through Suzanne’s favorite Citizen Science sites
Excellent summary of astronomy, earth science, ecology and biology sites: http://www.planetary.org/blog/article/00003030/
MoonZoo: http://www.moonzoo.org/
Planet Hunters: http://www.planethunters.org/
Old Weather: http://www.oldweather.org/
Picture Post: http://picturepost.unh.edu/
Project BudBurst: http://www.neoninc.org/budburst/
http://science.nasa.gov/citizen-scientists/
http://www.scienceforcitizens.net/
