Golumbic, Y.N. and Motion, A., 2021. Expanding the Scope of Citizen Science: Learning and Engagement of Undergraduate Students in a Citizen Science Chemistry Lab. Citizen Science: Theory and Practice, 6(1), p.31. DOI: http://doi.org/10.5334/cstp.431

The study examines the learning processes and outcomes of students participating in a lab-based chemistry citizen science initiative, Breaking Good, and explores the “why,” “how,” and “what” of laboratory learning.

Smith, H., Allf, B., Larson, L., Futch, S., Lundgren, L., Pacifici, L. and Cooper, C., 2021. Leveraging Citizen Science in a College Classroom to Build Interest and Efficacy for Science and the Environment. Citizen Science: Theory and Practice, 6(1), p.29. DOI: http://doi.org/10.5334/cstp.434

In this case study, we examined learning outcomes of students from various majors participating in citizen science experiences as part of a general education science course at a large public university in the United States.

Aristeidou, M., Ferguson, R., Perryman, L.-A. and Tegama, N., 2021. The Roles and Value of Citizen Science: Perceptions of Professional Educators Enrolled on a Postgraduate Course. Citizen Science: Theory and Practice, 6(1), p.24. DOI: http://doi.org/10.5334/cstp.421

This study examined the perceptions of professional educators enrolled on a postgraduate course in relation to expertise and data quality in CS and to how CS can enhance learning. Collected data comprised comments on the FutureLearn platform made by 164 educators, over two years, after they became involved in CS activities while studying.

Dunbar-Wallis, A., Jaeger, D., Suding, K., Littman, P., Baumgartner, L., Prater, M., Schuenemeyer, A., Tuff, K., Hogstad, A.B., Alam, I. and Corwin, L., 2021. Creating Study-Specific Tools to Increase Community and Student Engagement. Citizen Science: Theory and Practice, 6(1), p.25. DOI: http://doi.org/10.5334/cstp.420

Our goal is to map and measure historic apple trees in Boulder to find the varieties that were planted as part of Boulder’s unique apple industry in the early 1900s. Undergraduate computer science students built the interactive map to display tree locations and a mobile phone app designed for collecting and visualizing data in real time. This paper is a case study that focuses on curricular and extracurricular engagement of undergraduate students, application design, and the contributions of these efforts to the scientific community.

Stevenson, R., Merrill, C. and Burn, P., 2021. Useful Biodiversity Data Were Obtained by Novice Observers Using iNaturalist During College Orientation Retreats. Citizen Science: Theory and Practice, 6(1), p.27. DOI: http://doi.org/10.5334/cstp.407

As part of an autumn orientation program, the Honors College at UMass Boston invited incoming students for a retreat on Thompson Island in Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park. One of their activities was a three-hour bioblitz using iNaturalist. We reviewed data collected from three autumn orientations (2017–2019) to evaluate the quality of the data and to examine the hypothesis that first-time users can contribute useful biodiversity observations.

Bedell, K. and Gates, T., 2021. Do Ecological or Molecular Biological Citizen Science Projects Affect the Perceptions of Undergraduate Students Toward Pursuing Future Citizen Science?. Citizen Science: Theory and Practice, 6(1), p.30. DOI: http://doi.org/10.5334/cstp.426

To investigate how the content focus of citizen science projects impacts students’ attitudes toward future citizen science participation, we conducted a multilevel cross-classified analysis (mixed linear model) on four years of non-major biology students’ student survey data (n = 2,962) responding to ecological versus molecular biology citizen science project assignments using self-determination theory (SDT) as a backbone.

Hitchcock, C., Sullivan, J. and O’Donnell, K., 2021. Cultivating Bioliteracy, Biodiscovery, Data Literacy, and Ecological Monitoring in Undergraduate Courses with iNaturalist. Citizen Science: Theory and Practice, 6(1), p.26. DOI: http://doi.org/10.5334/cstp.439

We demonstrate how iNaturalist can connect students to nature in undergraduate courses, simultaneously contributing to biodiversity knowledge. Our three case studies use iNaturalist to improve student bioliteracy (awareness and knowledge of biodiversity), to engage them in biodiscovery (discovering undocumented biodiversity occurrences, behaviors, and interactions), to introduce students to systematic ecological sampling (documenting biodiversity patterns and trends), and to improve their data literacy (by depositing and accessing open biodiversity data and by performing analyses).

Vance-Chalcraft, H.D., Gates, T.A., Hogan, K.A., Evans, M., Bunnell, A. and Hurlbert, A.H., 2021. Using Citizen Science to Incorporate Research into Introductory Biology Courses at Multiple Universities. Citizen Science: Theory and Practice, 6(1), p.23. DOI: http://doi.org/10.5334/cstp.424

Across three universities, we included Caterpillars Count! as a research experience in introductory biology courses. This citizen science project measures seasonal variation in the abundance of arthropods on the foliage of trees and shrubs. Over five semesters, more than 1,200 students participated in a pre- and post-assessment of knowledge related to citizen science, ecology, and the nature and process of science. A subset of students also provided written reflections.

Hitchcock, C., Vance-Chalcraft, H. and Aristeidou, M., 2021. Citizen Science in Higher Education. Citizen Science: Theory and Practice, 6(1), p.22. DOI: http://doi.org/10.5334/cstp.467

Editorial for the special collection: Citizen Science in Higher Education