TY - JOUR
T1 - Science literacy in action
T2 - understanding scientific data presented in a citizen science platform by non-expert adults
AU - Golumbic, Yaela N.
AU - Fishbain, Barak
AU - Baram-Tsabari, Ayelet
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2020 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
PY - 2020
Y1 - 2020
N2 - Citizen science is transforming the ways scientific knowledge is created, in that citizens participate in active scientific research, and large scientific databases can be accessed online. However, data availability does not guarantee public use or the relevance of these resources. This paper addresses the ways in which non-expert adults involved in a citizen science initiative, perceive, understand and use its scientific information. Participants responded to an online questionnaire presenting air quality data from ‘Sensing the Air’ citizen science platform, followed by interpretation questions (n = 123). The results showed that 70% of participants were able to interpret the data presented in various visual representations. No differences were found between gender, age or education level. However, respondents with tertiary scientific education obtained higher average scores. Among users who had previous experience with the project, overall scores were higher, and differences based on respondents scientific education were fewer. This may suggest that while scientific education is important in providing skills for data interpretation, it is not the only way to acquire these skills. This study highlights the ability of non-experts to understand and apply scientific data in daily situations and the potential of citizen science to develop scientific skills, competencies and public understanding of science.
AB - Citizen science is transforming the ways scientific knowledge is created, in that citizens participate in active scientific research, and large scientific databases can be accessed online. However, data availability does not guarantee public use or the relevance of these resources. This paper addresses the ways in which non-expert adults involved in a citizen science initiative, perceive, understand and use its scientific information. Participants responded to an online questionnaire presenting air quality data from ‘Sensing the Air’ citizen science platform, followed by interpretation questions (n = 123). The results showed that 70% of participants were able to interpret the data presented in various visual representations. No differences were found between gender, age or education level. However, respondents with tertiary scientific education obtained higher average scores. Among users who had previous experience with the project, overall scores were higher, and differences based on respondents scientific education were fewer. This may suggest that while scientific education is important in providing skills for data interpretation, it is not the only way to acquire these skills. This study highlights the ability of non-experts to understand and apply scientific data in daily situations and the potential of citizen science to develop scientific skills, competencies and public understanding of science.
KW - Public understanding of science
KW - air quality
KW - citizen science
KW - science literacy
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85086654985&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1080/21548455.2020.1769877
DO - https://doi.org/10.1080/21548455.2020.1769877
M3 - مقالة
SN - 2154-8455
VL - 10
SP - 232
EP - 247
JO - International Journal of Science Education, Part B: Communication and Public Engagement
JF - International Journal of Science Education, Part B: Communication and Public Engagement
IS - 3
ER -