Course: Introduction to Citizen Science for Journalists

Section outline

Select section Course description

Course description

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This is a free course of an hour and a half, that provides an introduction to citizen science, which is a form of active public engagement in science. The interest in citizen science, the number of projects, and the number of people who participate in such activities have grown significantly over the last decade.
This course will introduce you to core aspects of the field, the activities that fall under it, issues that are frequently discussed about citizen science (data quality and motivation), and the type of stories that are commonly told about citizen science activities. It is aimed at journalists, who need to understand citizen science in their reporting.
No prior knowledge in science reporting is needed for this course.
Click here to enrol in this course and use enrolment key Introforjurno2CS to do so. Once you enrol you will be able to take quizzes and receive a badge upon successful course completion.
Select section Introduction and welcome (2 minutes)

Introduction and welcome (2 minutes)
- Select activity Introduction from the course tutor (2 minutes)&nbs...
  
  Introduction from the course tutor (2 minutes)
- Select activity Welcome to the course and outline (2 minutes)
  
  Welcome to the course and outline (2 minutes) Page
  
  Students must
  
  Mark as done
- Select activity Course content as a PDF
  
  Course content as a PDF Page
  
  Students must
  
  Mark as done
Select section Citizen science in five stories (15 minutes)

Citizen science in five stories (15 minutes)
- Select activity Introduction to the section (1 minute)
  
  Introduction to the section (1 minute) Page
  
  Students must
  
  Mark as done
- Select activity "Come rain or shine" - the volunteers that make weather forecasting possible (2.5 minutes)
  
  "Come rain or shine" - the volunteers that make weather forecasting possible (2.5 minutes) Interactive Content
  
  Students must
  
  Mark as done
- Select activity Observing the first satellites (2.5 minutes)
  
  Observing the first satellites (2.5 minutes) Interactive Content
  
  Students must
  
  Mark as done
- Select activity From buckets of resistance to balloon photography of oil spill (2.5 minutes)
  
  From buckets of resistance to balloon photography of oil spill (2.5 minutes) Interactive Content
  
  Students must
  
  Mark as done
- Select activity Chris, Kevin, and Hanny and the Galaxies (2.5 minutes)
  
  Chris, Kevin, and Hanny and the Galaxies (2.5 minutes) Interactive Content
  
  Students must
  
  Mark as done
- Select activity Patient, heal yourself! (3 minutes)
  
  Patient, heal yourself! (3 minutes) Interactive Content
  
  Students must
  
  Mark as done
- Select activity Summary (1 minute)
  
  Summary (1 minute) Page
  
  Students must
  
  Mark as done
- Select activity Self assessment quiz - drag the words (optional - 2 minutes)
  
  Self assessment quiz - drag the words (optional - 2 minutes) Interactive Content
  
  Students must
  
  Mark as done
Select section Terminology and classifications (20 MINUTES)

Terminology and classifications (20 MINUTES)
- Select activity Introduction to the section (2 minutes)
  
  Introduction to the section (2 minutes) Page
  
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- Select activity Main terms of citizen science - Part A (8 minutes)
  
  Main terms of citizen science - Part A (8 minutes) Interactive Content
  
  Students must
  
  Mark as done
- Select activity Main terms of citizen science - Part B (8 minutes)
  
  Main terms of citizen science - Part B (8 minutes) Interactive Content
  
  Students must
  
  Mark as done
- Select activity Further terminology to expand your knowledge (optional - 10 minutes)
  
  Further terminology to expand your knowledge (optional - 10 minutes) Interactive Content
  
  Students must
  
  Mark as done
- Select activity Summary (2 minutes)
  
  Summary (2 minutes) Page
  
  Students must
  
  Mark as done
- Select activity Self assessment quiz part 1 (optional - 1 minute)
  
  Self assessment quiz part 1 (optional - 1 minute) Interactive Content
  
  Students must
  
  Mark as done
- Select activity Self assessment quiz part 2 (optional - 1 minute)
  
  Self assessment quiz part 2 (optional - 1 minute) Interactive Content
  
  Students must
  
  Mark as done
Select section Challenges and opportunities in citizen science (13.5 minutes)

Challenges and opportunities in citizen science (13.5 minutes)
- Select activity Introduction (1 minute)
  
  Introduction (1 minute) Page
  
  Students must
  
  Mark as done
- Select activity Can non-professionals collect or analyse data as well as professionals? (2.5 minutes)
  
  Can non-professionals collect or analyse data as well as professionals? (2.5 minutes) Interactive Content
  
  Students must
  
  Mark as done
- Select activity Additional information on data quality in citizen science (optional - 2 minutes)
  
  Additional information on data quality in citizen science (optional - 2 minutes) Interactive Content
  
  Students must
  
  Mark as done
- Select activity Why do people participate in citizen science? (3 minutes)
  
  Why do people participate in citizen science? (3 minutes) Interactive Content
  
  Students must
  
  Mark as done
- Select activity Who participates in citizen science and who is missing? (3 minutes)
  
  Who participates in citizen science and who is missing? (3 minutes) Interactive Content
  
  Students must
  
  Mark as done
- Select activity What are the benefits of citizen science? (3 minutes)
  
  What are the benefits of citizen science? (3 minutes) Interactive Content
  
  Students must
  
  Mark as done
- Select activity Summary (1 minute)
  
  Summary (1 minute) Page
  
  Students must
  
  Mark as done
- Select activity Self assessment quiz - select the right option (optional - 2 minutes)
  
  Self assessment quiz - select the right option (optional - 2 minutes) Interactive Content
  
  Students must
  
  Mark as done
Select section Social, economic and political impacts (10 minutes)

Social, economic and political impacts (10 minutes)
- Select activity Introduction (1 minute)
  
  Introduction (1 minute) Page
  
  Students must
  
  Mark as done
- Select activity Citizen science contributes to science (2 minutes)
  
  Citizen science contributes to science (2 minutes) Interactive Content
  
  Students must
  
  Mark as done
- Select activity Citizen science can impact society (2 minutes)
  
  Citizen science can impact society (2 minutes) Interactive Content
  
  Students must
  
  Mark as done
- Select activity How citizen science influences policies (2 minutes)
  
  How citizen science influences policies (2 minutes) Interactive Content
  
  Students must
  
  Mark as done
- Select activity Citizen science also raises awareness (2 minutes)
  
  Citizen science also raises awareness (2 minutes) Interactive Content
  
  Students must
  
  Mark as done
- Select activity Summary (1 minute)
  
  Summary (1 minute) Page
  
  Students must
  
  Mark as done
- Select activity Self assessment quiz (optional - 2 minutes)
  
  Self assessment quiz (optional - 2 minutes) Page
  
  Students must
  
  Mark as done
Select section Citizen science in the news (15 minutes)

Citizen science in the news (15 minutes)
- Select activity Introduction (1 minute)
  
  Introduction (1 minute) Page
  
  Students must
  
  Mark as done
- Select activity What happens when 20,000 Belgians turn into air pollution scientists? (5 minutes)
  
  What happens when 20,000 Belgians turn into air pollution scientists? (5 minutes) Page
  
  Students must
  
  Mark as done
- Select activity Where are you, butterflies? The Guardian covering the disappearance of butterflies (2 minutes)
  
  Where are you, butterflies? The Guardian covering the disappearance of butterflies (2 minutes) Page
  
  Students must
  
  Mark as done
- Select activity Scientific, useful and interesting enough for diverse publics? A BBC podcast showing the hooks of citizen science (3 minutes)
  
  Scientific, useful and interesting enough for diverse publics? A BBC podcast showing the hooks of citizen science (3 minutes) Page
  
  Students must
  
  Mark as done
- Select activity Personal story that includes the use of citizen science as part of the personal achievement and a journey (2 minutes)
  
  Personal story that includes the use of citizen science as part of the personal achievement and a journey (2 minutes) Page
  
  Students must
  
  Mark as done
- Select activity Stories about the technologies and innovation from citizen science (2 minutes)
  
  Stories about the technologies and innovation from citizen science (2 minutes) Page
  
  Students must
  
  Mark as done
- Select activity Further examples of journalism about citizen science in different languages (optional)
  
  Further examples of journalism about citizen science in different languages (optional) Page
  
  Students must
  
  Mark as done
Select section Training summary and self-assessment (15 minutes)

Training summary and self-assessment (15 minutes)
- Select activity Introduction (1 min)
  
  Introduction (1 min) Page
  
  Students must
  
  Mark as done
- Select activity Summary of the topics that we covered (3.5 minutes)
  
  Summary of the topics that we covered (3.5 minutes) Interactive Content
  
  Students must
  
  Mark as done
- Select activity Final quiz (10 minutes)
  
  Final quiz (10 minutes)
  
  Students must
  
  Receive a grade
  
  Receive a passing grade
- Select activity Conclusion from the course team (1 min)
  
  Conclusion from the course team (1 min) Page
  
  Students must
  
  Mark as done
Select section Further information

Further information
- Select activity Further contact details
  
  Further contact details Page
  
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Select section Sources and acknowledgements

Sources and acknowledgements
- Select activity Sources for the material in the course
  
  Sources for the material in the course Page
  
  Students must
  
  Mark as done
- Select activity Acknowledgements
  
  Acknowledgements Page
  
  Students must
  
  Mark as done

Introduction and welcome (2 minutes)

Welcome to the course and outline (2 minutes)

Course content as a PDF

Citizen science in five stories (15 minutes)

Introduction to the section (1 minute)

"Come rain or shine" - the volunteers that make weather forecasting possible (2.5 minutes)

Observing the first satellites (2.5 minutes)

From buckets of resistance to balloon photography of oil spill (2.5 minutes)

Chris, Kevin, and Hanny and the Galaxies (2.5 minutes)

Patient, heal yourself! (3 minutes)

Summary (1 minute)

Self assessment quiz - drag the words (optional - 2 minutes)

Terminology and classifications (20 MINUTES)

Introduction to the section (2 minutes)

Main terms of citizen science - Part A (8 minutes)

Main terms of citizen science - Part B (8 minutes)

Further terminology to expand your knowledge (optional - 10 minutes)

Summary (2 minutes)

Self assessment quiz part 1 (optional - 1 minute)

Self assessment quiz part 2 (optional - 1 minute)

Challenges and opportunities in citizen science (13.5 minutes)

Introduction (1 minute)

Can non-professionals collect or analyse data as well as professionals? (2.5 minutes)

Additional information on data quality in citizen science (optional - 2 minutes)

Why do people participate in citizen science? (3 minutes)

Who participates in citizen science and who is missing? (3 minutes)

What are the benefits of citizen science? (3 minutes)

Summary (1 minute)

Self assessment quiz - select the right option (optional - 2 minutes)

Social, economic and political impacts (10 minutes)

Introduction (1 minute)

Citizen science contributes to science (2 minutes)

Citizen science can impact society (2 minutes)

How citizen science influences policies (2 minutes)

Citizen science also raises awareness (2 minutes)

Summary (1 minute)

Self assessment quiz (optional - 2 minutes)

Citizen science in the news (15 minutes)

Introduction (1 minute)

What happens when 20,000 Belgians turn into air pollution scientists? (5 minutes)

Where are you, butterflies? The Guardian covering the disappearance of butterflies (2 minutes)

Scientific, useful and interesting enough for diverse publics? A BBC podcast showing the hooks of citizen science (3 minutes)

Personal story that includes the use of citizen science as part of the personal achievement and a journey (2 minutes)

Stories about the technologies and innovation from citizen science (2 minutes)

Further examples of journalism about citizen science in different languages (optional)

Training summary and self-assessment (15 minutes)

Introduction (1 min)

Summary of the topics that we covered (3.5 minutes)

Final quiz (10 minutes)

Conclusion from the course team (1 min)

Further information

Further contact details

Sources and acknowledgements

Sources for the material in the course

Acknowledgements

Section outline

Introduction from the course tutor (2 minutes)