
NSF Org: |
CBET Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems |
Recipient: |
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Initial Amendment Date: | August 5, 2016 |
Latest Amendment Date: | August 5, 2016 |
Award Number: | 1645382 |
Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
Program Manager: |
Karl Rockne
CBET Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems ENG Directorate for Engineering |
Start Date: | August 15, 2016 |
End Date: | July 31, 2018 (Estimated) |
Total Intended Award Amount: | $100,000.00 |
Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $100,000.00 |
Funds Obligated to Date: |
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History of Investigator: |
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Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
660 S MILL AVENUE STE 204 TEMPE AZ US 85281-3670 (480)965-5479 |
Sponsor Congressional District: |
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Primary Place of Performance: |
P.O Box 876011 Tempe AZ US 85287-6011 |
Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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Parent UEI: |
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NSF Program(s): |
EnvE-Environmental Engineering, Special Initiatives |
Primary Program Source: |
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Program Reference Code(s): |
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Program Element Code(s): |
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Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.041 |
ABSTRACT
1645382
Lande
To help facilitate citizen science projects, an inventory of technologies used in citizen science projects is needed, as well as available technologies that have not yet been tapped which could provide opportunities for future citizen science efforts. Citizen science practitioners also need an easily understood reference/resource guide to evaluate available technologies. The types of technologies considered include standalone sensors, instrumentation available in smartphones such as cameras and global positioning systems, digital imaging devices, test strips, unconventional uses of standard devices, and digital and analog measurement tools. This project will build a foundation for increasing the capacity for future research into citizen science and informal science learning by increasing the frequency and efficacy of citizen science.
The main research question of this study is: how might greater awareness of, and better access to, citizen science tools help researchers meet the needs and grow interests in citizen scientists? The research objective of this project is to explore and understand what qualities and characteristics of tools for citizen science can help support high-quality data collection balanced with greater accessibility. The aim is to expand understanding of what citizen science tools are currently available, feasible, cost-effective, accessible and useful and to illustrate how a citizen science tools database may be adopted within the citizen science community. The PIs will use the repository of 1600+ citizen science projects within the SciStarter community to invite project leaders, researchers, and citizen scientists to help evaluate what criteria could be useful and desirable in a companion database for citizen science tools. SciStarter is a research affiliate of Arizona State University and receives support from the NSF to: 1) support participant engagement in one or multiple citizen science projects through GIS implementation so participants can find opportunities near them with local relevance; 2) increase the ability for participants to engage in multiple projects and track their projects, participation, and contributions to science; 3) create an online, personal dashboard for participants to track, share and save data, record interests in projects, create profiles, and find people and projects of interest to them. The database may serve as a reference guide to help Makers, developers, manufacturers, researchers, and funders understand the current landscape of citizen science tools to avoid duplication and identify gaps. The nature of the type of tools (cost, complexity, support, and additional categories) will be tested and evaluated through an iterative design-in-action process that will give multiple stakeholders opportunities for feedback. The project will increase the likelihood that more people will engage in projects by making it easier to both discover citizen science projects and access the tools required to get involved in the projects. This iterative process will lead to a sense of ownership of those participation in citizen science, by helping the participants to rate and review tools and track their use of the tools in their SciStarter engagement.
PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
Citizen science is a kind of scientific inquiry that is done by members of the public. We were curious how specialized tools that one might not have in their home can be made available to regular people to do even more scientific exploration. And what kinds of tools might be regularly found at home and what ones might be better lent from the local library.
The research objective for this project was to explore and understand what qualities tools for citizen science can help support high-quality data collection balanced with greater accessibility. We identified citizen science tools along a number of characteristics like available, feasible, cost-effective, accessible and useful and to illustrate how a citizen science tools database may be adopted within the citizen science community. With a prototype of 200 tools online with the SciStarter website via a database, we are exploring a taxonomy tagged by topic, cost, build/borrow/buy, etc.
We asked project owners what specific tools they use. We surveyed project owners to help inform the types of tools required for their citizen science projects. What we learned from this survey shaped the Beta SciStarter Tools Database. Rospones provided key information used to inform an early taxonomy (a standardized language) to help us organize the emerging database.
We organized a central repository of Citizen Science Tools linked to SciStarter’s Citizen Science Projects. Our goal is to help project owners discover the right tools for their projects and for all tool users to share their experiences via a rating/review system. This social proofing will help people understand the pros and cons of the tools for different scenarios.
Our efforts in developing this taxonomy:
- Provides the foundation for a Citizen Science Tools Database. As researchers and project leaders populate the Citizen Science Tools Database, this will increase the likelihood that other researchers and project leaders will discover the best tools for their projects.
- Increases the likelihood that more people will engage in projects by making it easier to both discover citizen science projects and access the tools required to get involved in the projects.
- Deepens participants' sense of commitment and ownership of their participation by helping them rate and review tools and track their use of the tools in their SciStarter engagement.
- Improves project owner’s ability to find the best participants for projects by matching them with people who have the tools or who want access to those tools (because participant motivation and satisfaction are also a function of how effective project owners are).
- Builds capacity for future research into citizen science and informal science learning, features increase the frequency and efficacy of citizen science and thereby lay the foundation for future research on how access to citizen science tools contributes to informal science learning.
Last Modified: 08/27/2018
Modified by: Micah Lande
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