Citizen Science/Training Resources
Background
Broad Portfolio of Training Opportunities
Anyone interested in learning about citizen science will find a wide range of learning resources for all stakeholders and experience levels. Aim & scope of these resources vary greatly. The broad array of intended audiences, pedagogical approaches, and course formats reflects the breadth and diversity of citizen science itself.
Free and Open Resources
In line with the core principles of open science and citizen science, many of the available trainings qualify as open educational resources (OERs): learning opportunities that are freely available under open licenses, making them accessible to anyone interested in initiating or participating in citizen science projects. Their open licenses also permit stakeholders to adapt these resources to create new customized educational resources.
Formats
Access Models
Common access models in citizen science training include:
- courses under open licenses that are free of charge (so-called open educational resources (OERs))
- fee-based offerings
Course Formats
Typical course formats include:
- Modular self-paced online courses
- Advanced certification courses (often delivered in-person)
Credential Types
- Micro-credentials
- In-depth certificates
Overview by Type
Modular Self-Paced Online Courses
Many citizen science trainings are provided in the form of self-paced, modular learning opportunities. Many offer micro-credentials upon successful completion of a module. This approach is well-suited for non-academic credential-building, as it allows participants to build their skills incrementally, receive recognition for specific competencies, and engage with training materials on their own schedule.
SciStarter Modular Series
- Provided by SciStarter
- Free & open
- Offers a micro-credential for each module
- All participants start with the mandatory course Foundations of Citizen Science
- Then they can choose from various topical modules
- Modules:
European Citizen Science Academy
- Provided by European Citizen Science Association & the EU-Citizen.Science project
- Free & open
- Collection of self-paced learning courses
- more detailed information on the website
Citizen Science for Librarians
- Provided by Kauno technologijos universitetas
- Free & open
- Self-paced learning course
- For librarians and anyone interested in organising and facilitating citizen science projects
- Offers a certificate
- more detailed information on the course website
- Modules:
- Consists of 5 asynchronous modules
Training materials for the Citizen Science Solution Kit (CSSK)
Citizen Science Solution Kit (CSSK) is a set of open tools developed by the Crowd4SDG project
- Provider by the Crowd4SDG project
- Free & open
- Set of video tutorials about the tools included in the project's Citizen Science Solution Kit (CSSK)
- more detailed information on the course website
Advanced Certification Courses
Advanced Certification Courses are typically multi-day in-person workshops. They are aimed at participants working towards more formal qualifications or intensive skills development in specific areas of citizen science. Other than most asynchronous offerings, which are commonly provided for free, these trainings are not free of charge.
Citizen Science Masterclass
- Provided by ECLAC & LIBER
- Fee-based
- Parts in English, parts in Spanish
- More information on the course website
Community-Based Research Certificate Course
- Provided by [Community-based Research Canada https://www.communityresearchcanada.ca]
- Fee-based
- Provided by more detailed information on the course website
- more detailed information on the course website
See also:
Overview by Topic
Citizen Science and UN SDGs
Participatory Science, Project Based Learning, Education and Sustainable Development Goals
- Provided by Educateurs-trices Scientifiques Educateurs-trices Scientifiques
- Fee-based
- Topic: United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals
- Offered in changing parts across the globe
- more detailed information on the course website
by CERN
Author: Christian Schmidt (talk)