Citizen Science Workshop Series
Session 1: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow
In Japan diarists have recorded the dates of cherry blossom festivals for more than 1,000 years. Henry David Thoreau observed and recorded the dates of the seasonal changes in plants (e.g., flowering, leaf out, etc.) and the arrival of migratory birds in the woods around Walden Pond. Volunteers from across the nation have recorded weather observations since 1890 as a part of the National Weather Service's Cooperative Observers Program.
Farmers, birders, naturalists, and many other citizen scientists have collected data, asked questions about the world around them, and made invaluable contributions to the understanding of natural systems, and how those systems have changed through time. With the support of technological innovations and the need to answer urgent questions about our changing climate, biodiversity, and life in the Anthropocene, opportunities to engage in citizen science are expanding, and education programs can and are taking advantage of this.
This winter, join colleagues to learn about citizen science, projects in which volunteers partner with scientists to answer real-world questions and explore ideas for incorporating this practice within environmental education programming in the region. This two-part workshop will bring experts in the field of citizen science together with educators from the Chesapeake Bay region to explore both the history and future of citizen science, showcase and provide training in existing citizen science programs, and discuss the merits of, and approaches to, applying citizen science in an education context.
Session 1: Citizen Science: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow
In Session 1, participants will consider the evolution of citizen science and learn about its application both today and potential in the future. The group will focus on how citizen science programs can be used with students to meet educational goals by combining field activities, STEM applications, and participation in real-world science projects.
Workshop Goals - Session 1
Provide workshop participants with the opportunity to:
- Develop an understanding of best practices for integrating citizen science within field-based environmental education programming, especially Meaningful Watershed Education Experiences;
- Develop capacity to deliver high quality education programming that meaningfully integrates citizen science opportunities;
- Develop awareness of citizen science opportunities and program models, both locally and nationally;
- Receive access to, and knowledge of resources for exploring citizen science opportunities and programming;
- Cultivate hands-on, field-based activities that integrate citizen science programming, or result in the development of new citizen science projects;
- Interact among educators, citizen scientists and science professionals on topics related to the application of citizen science in an education context; and
- Recognize and embrace their role as key drivers in student, teacher and public understanding of environmental science.
Workshop Format
Both Sessions 1 and 2 of this Workshop Series will take place at the NOAA Environmental Science Training Center in Oxford, Maryland. Workshop sessions will be approximately 6 to 6.5 hours in length.
Session 2 - GLOBE Training will be held on March 5. Be sure to mark your calendar now, and look for an email in the near future for more details on how to register for this session.
These workshops are free, and lunch is provided.