Citizen Science with Nature’s Notebook

Introduction

We know that students will more readily engage in their learning if they see how it is connected to real life. Getting students involved with citizen science initiatives brings real, tangible data collection into kids’ hands. With Nature’s Notebook, students can easily and accurately track phenological data of shrubs and trees around their schools and neighborhoods to help scientists understand seasonal changes from year to year and look for connections between that data and the behavior of interconnected species.

Meaningful learning

Participants in citizen science initiatives have the opportunity to contribute to a growing body of scientific knowledge. Since citizen science is all about volunteers such as themselves partnering with scientists to answer real world questions (Kermish-Allen, Peterman, & Bevc, 2019), students’ learning has a meaningful relevance to their environment and scientific research. The authenticity of the task of collecting real scientific data contributes to this relevance (Keller & Deimann, 2018, p. 81). Nature’s Notebook engages students in a simple, easy-to-use platform to record their observations on seasonal changes of certain key plants. In Maine, for example, the Brooklin School has a nature trail that includes several specimens of winter berry, bay berry, and service berry of which students have recorded such observations as leaf cover, berry development, and floral bloom over several years in various seasons. This data, and others like it, help scientists understand climate, wildfires, insect and bird migration, and more. Nature’s Notebook data like that collected at the Brooklin School by students in 3rd-8th grade, contributed to research on the likelihood of plant damage during a late spring freeze (Chamberlain, Cook, Garcie de Cortazar-Atauri, and Wolkovich, 2019).

Believe in success

It is very empowering for students to engage in real world science. In another citizen science initiative in which 3rd-5th grade students collected weather and climate data, researchers found that such activities had a significant impact on the students’ understanding of the science and math concepts involved (Kermish-Allen, Peterman, & Bevc, 2019). Students feeling like they are trusted to be “real” scientists contributes to their locus of control, which is a contributing factor in their motivation to learn (Keller & Deimann, 2018, p.81). To participate in the Nature’s Notebook project, students are trained in the necessary scientific data collection tools. They need to be able to correctly identify the key species of plants, understand how to use the data collection charts and/or Nature’s Notebook app, and be able to accurately quantify or estimate information like the number of leaves or flowers on a tree or the ripeness of a berry. These tasks have real life implications for students that are learning how to exist within their ecosystem and be a part of a larger scientific community, and will allow students to feel capable and confident in their abilities.

Satisfying outcomes

Citizen science initiatives like Nature’s Notebook support sociocultural learning theory, which supports a framework of learning wherein students, scientists, teachers, and other citizens collectively create a community of engaged learners (Kermish-Allen, Peterman, & Bevc, 2019). The very nature of students feeling like their efforts are respected and needed will give them a feeling of satisfaction and serve as an intrinsic reward. These intrinsic rewards are necessary for students to have authentically good feelings about the outcome of the learning task. In Kermish-Allen, Peterman, and Bevc’s research (2019), they brought together a wide range of participants, from kindergarten students to adults with different backgrounds and roles, to lead real-world investigations that are relevant to their lives. At the Brooklin School, the data from the students’ phenology project can be tracked over time so that students can develop a deeper understanding of their own ecosystem and the interconnectedness of the species within it, while also knowing that their data collection is directly responsible for the new knowledge that they share with their community.

Conclusion

With a little bit of training, using the wealth of resources from their website, Nature's Notebook is an easy, accessible platform for students to use as they engage in real-world scientific data collection (Nature's Notebook Education Program, n.d.). Schools can participate in phenology research in any setting; rural students usually have easy access to a variety of wild plants, but students in urban settings can also identify a nearby tree or shrub to study. Students thrive in an environment where they are trusted to take a leadership role in their educational activities, and contributing to the work of scientists in their communities and beyond is a powerful opportunity for them to learn and grow.

References

Chamberlain, C.J., Cook, B. I., Garcia de Cortazar-Atauri, I., and Wolkovich, E.M. (2019, April 6). Rethinking false spring risk. Global Change Biology. Retrieved from doi.org/10.1111/gcb.14642

Keller, J.M. & Deimann, M. (2018). Motivation, volition, and performance. In R.A. Reiser, & J.V Dempsey (Eds.), Trends and issues in instructional design and technology (4th ed.) (pp. 78-86). New York, NY: Pearson

Kermish-Allen, R., Peterman, K., & Bevc, C. (2019). The utility of citizen science projects in K-5 schools: measures of community engagement and student impacts. Cultural Studies of Science Education, 14(3), 627–641. https://doi-org.oclc.fullsail.edu/10.1007/s11422-017-9830-4

Landmark Stories. (2019, June 11). Nature’s Notebook: Help Our Planet in a Changing Climate. [video file]. Retrieved from www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOiqU1D8ILU

Nature’s Notebook Education Program. (n.d.) Retrieved from https://www.usanpn.org/nn/education.