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Graphical Abstract
Abstract
Participating in citizen science—where members of the public collect data for use by scientists—has become popular over the past 5 to 10 years, with teachers increasingly looking to incorporate citizen science into lessons (CitationGray, Nicosia, and Jordan 2012). Unfortunately, implementation of projects in the classroom can be difficult. Many teachers I have worked with report limited time to investigate a project and prepare lessons for it. They must “teach to the test” or adhere to strict curriculum goals that exclude the possibility of implementing citizen science, or have a difficult time getting administrative approval for implementation. This is unfortunate, as K–12 students represent a huge population of potential citizen scientists who could: (a) collect large data sets, (b) learn science by doing science, and, perhaps most importantly, (c) gain a better understanding of how science truly works through participation in projects where the ultimate outcome of the research is unknown (CitationShah and Martinez 2016).
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Author Contributions
Christine L. Goforth ([email protected]) is head of citizen science at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Christine L. Goforth
Christine L. Goforth ([email protected]) is head of citizen science at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh, North Carolina.