Evaluating citizen science projects: insights from radon research

IF 3.3 3区环境科学与生态学 Q2 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Frontiers in Environmental Science Pub Date : 2024-09-12 DOI:10.3389/fenvs.2024.1436283

Mabel Akosua Hoedoafia, Meritxell Martell, Tanja Perko

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Citizen science projects have garnered attention for their potential to engage the public in scientific research and address societal challenges. However, assessing their impacts has often been overlooked or approached with overly simplistic methods. Aiming to fill this gap, this article draws on existing literature to propose an evaluation framework to critically examine how citizen science initiatives influence science, society and the participants themselves. This framework is tested on four citizen sciences projects in the field of radon research through content analysis of project reports and deductive analysis of 11 semi-structured interviews with citizen scientists and coordinators of the projects. The study demonstrates the feasibility of measuring the impacts of citizen science projects across scientific, participant, societal and researcher dimensions at the outcome level but also process evaluation at the process level. Our findings indicate that the proposed framework provides a comprehensive evaluation tool for citizen science projects, particularly in the field of radon research, and underscore the significant potential for improving participants’ knowledge on radon and risk mitigation strategies, as well as positive shifts in behaviour towards testing and mitigation and influencing public health policies.

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评估公民科学项目：氡研究的启示

公民科学项目因其让公众参与科学研究和应对社会挑战的潜力而备受关注。然而，对其影响的评估往往被忽视或采用过于简单的方法。为了填补这一空白，本文在现有文献的基础上提出了一个评估框架，以批判性地研究公民科学计划如何影响科学、社会和参与者本身。通过对项目报告的内容分析，以及对公民科学家和项目协调人进行的 11 次半结构式访谈的演绎分析，该框架在氡研究领域的四个公民科学项目中得到了验证。这项研究证明了在结果层面衡量公民科学项目对科学、参与者、社会和研究人员的影响以及在过程层面进行过程评估的可行性。我们的研究结果表明，拟议的框架为公民科学项目，特别是氡研究领域的公民科学项目提供了一个全面的评估工具，并强调了提高参与者对氡和风险缓解策略的认识以及积极转变检测和缓解行为并影响公共卫生政策的巨大潜力。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Frontiers in Environmental Science Environmental Science-General Environmental Science

CiteScore

4.50

自引率

8.70%

发文量

2276

审稿时长

12 weeks

期刊介绍： Our natural world is experiencing a state of rapid change unprecedented in the presence of humans. The changes affect virtually all physical, chemical and biological systems on Earth. The interaction of these systems leads to tipping points, feedbacks and amplification of effects. In virtually all cases, the causes of environmental change can be traced to human activity through either direct interventions as a consequence of pollution, or through global warming from greenhouse case emissions. Well-formulated and internationally-relevant policies to mitigate the change, or adapt to the consequences, that will ensure our ability to thrive in the coming decades are badly needed. Without proper understanding of the processes involved, and deep understanding of the likely impacts of bad decisions or inaction, the security of food, water and energy is a risk. Left unchecked shortages of these basic commodities will lead to migration, global geopolitical tension and conflict. This represents the major challenge of our time. We are the first generation to appreciate the problem and we will be judged in future by our ability to determine and take the action necessary. Appropriate knowledge of the condition of our natural world, appreciation of the changes occurring, and predictions of how the future will develop are requisite to the definition and implementation of solutions. Frontiers in Environmental Science publishes research at the cutting edge of knowledge of our natural world and its various intersections with society. It bridges between the identification and measurement of change, comprehension of the processes responsible, and the measures needed to reduce their impact. Its aim is to assist the formulation of policies, by offering sound scientific evidence on environmental science, that will lead to a more inhabitable and sustainable world for the generations to come.