Recruiting, paying, and evaluating the experiences of civic scientists studying urban park usage during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic
Recruiting, paying, and evaluating the experiences of civic scientists studying urban park usage during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic
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DOI：
10.3389/frsc.2022.709968
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发表时间：
2022-08-01
影响因子：
2.8
通讯作者：
Montalto, Franco A. A.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Alizadehtazi, Bita;Woerdeman, Sloane;Montalto, Franco A. A.
本文描述了在一个研究项目中利用付费公民科学的尝试，该项目记录了美国两个城市在新冠肺炎大流行早期阶段的城市公园使用情况。研究团队用来招募、支付和评估43名公民科学家的经验的策略与当代公民科学中的关键挑战一起讨论。一项文献综述表明，成功的公民科学项目促进了多样化和包容性的参与；制定了适当的方式来补偿公民科学家的工作；最大限度地增加了参与学习的机会；并确保了数据质量的高标准。在这个案例研究中，选拔过程被证明成功地雇用了经济上脆弱的个人，尽管与所研究的社区相比，公民科学家参与者中女性、年轻、白人、非西班牙裔、单身和受过大学教育的人比例不成比例。与会者报告说，这项研究提供的经济补偿与联邦政府同时发放的经济刺激支票的数额类似，考虑到工作量，这是合理的，许多人用它来满足基本的家庭需求。尽管这项研究发生在经济风险高的时期，而且超过80%的参与者从未参与过科学研究，但这一经历被评为压倒性的积极。参与者报告说，这项工作缓解了压力，并表示他们将考虑在未来参与类似的研究。尽管绝大多数人从未从事过大多数公园管理活动，但他们表示有兴趣更多地了解公园使用情况、公共场所口罩使用情况以及新冠肺炎相关的社会经济趋势。虽然在数据收集方面有一些小的挑战，但数据质量足以在同行评议的配套论文中公布专题结果。整篇论文强调了研究团队面临的后勤限制的关键见解，以推动付费公民科学的理由。
This paper describes an attempt to utilize paid citizen science in a research project that documented urban park usage during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in two U.S. cities. Strategies used by the research team to recruit, pay, and evaluate the experiences of the 43 citizen scientists are discussed alongside key challenges in contemporary citizen science. A literature review suggests that successful citizen science projects foster diverse and inclusive participation; develop appropriate ways to compensate citizen scientists for their work; maximize opportunities for participant learning; and ensure high standards for data quality. In this case study, the selection process proved successful in employing economically vulnerable individuals, though the citizen scientist participants were disproportionately female, young, White, non-Hispanic, single, and college educated relative to the communities studied. The participants reported that the financial compensation provided by the study, similar in amount to the economic stimulus checks distributed simultaneously by the Federal government, were reasonable given the workload, and many used it to cover basic household needs. Though the study took place in a period of high economic risk, and more than 80% of the participants had never participated in a scientific study, the experience was rated overwhelmingly positive. Participants reported that the work provided stress relief, indicated they would consider participating in similar research in the future. Despite the vast majority never having engaged in most park stewardship activities, they expressed interest in learning more about park usage, mask usage in public spaces, and socio-economic trends in relation to COVID-19. Though there were some minor challenges in data collection, data quality was sufficient to publish the topical results in a peer-reviewed companion paper. Key insights on the logistical constraints faced by the research team are highlighted throughout the paper to advance the case for paid citizen science.