Collaborative Research: Exploring Engagement and Science Identity Through Participation--A Meta-Analysis of Citizen Science Outcomes

通过参与探索参与和科学身份是一个研究项目，检查各种公民科学模型的公众参与科学研究（PPSR）的结果。这项调查专门针对公民科学项目，重点是科学学习和科学身份之间的关系。将采用混合方法、荟萃分析方法。该研究的两个主要目标是更好地理解科学学习和科学识别PPSR背景下，并制定一个有效的参与者参与度指标（PEM）在PPSR背景下使用。本研究将从多个PPSR计画及超过4，000位PPSR参与者收集资料并加以分析。PPSR参与度的维度是什么？我们如何在不同的项目模型中衡量它们？ 这个问题的研究包括大约50个参与者在六个主要项目的访谈代表了一系列的PPSR方法，以开发和验证参与者参与度指标（PEM），将从参与的频率，持续时间和强度构建关键活动。 该项目采用一种经常性的比较数据分析方法（在收集数据时进行处理，以便将其与新出现的类别进行比较）。PEM的开发将是拟议研究的一个具体成果。 2.在项目内部和项目之间，参与者参与和个人学习成果之间的关系是什么？ 该项目使用了来自非正式环境中的学习科学（NRC，2009）的有效学习成果衡量标准，并为下文所述的DEVISE项目开发。 这六个测量指标包括：行为管理、科学探究技能、科学本质知识、科学兴趣、环境、效能感和动机。&& 拟议的研究将着眼于参与如何影响学习成果，通过这六项措施（科学兴趣，效率等）进行评估。该项目进行参与者调查，在六个参与公民科学项目，除了其他几个PPSR项目，以测试的PEM和其他措施的活动参与的学习成果的调查工具开发和验证，通过以前的项目测量的关系。数据分析从单变量汇总统计开始，该统计将提供基本数据集的概述。 将使用包括多元回归分析在内的推理统计来检验自变量（PPSR项目类型、人口统计学）、PEM（作为中介变量）和因变量之间的关系。参与科学研究的程度和质量如何发展和/或加强个人的科学身份？该项目进行了为期3年的纵向研究，使用调查，一系列的深入访谈，并从六个主要项目的36名参与者的现场观察，以了解个人科学身份的发展PPSR环境中随着时间的推移。 对定量和定性数据和调查结果进行三角分析，以确定是否可以确定趋同、不一致或互补的结果。 该项目的传播计划包括在期刊上介绍研究成果，传播研究简报，主办在线论坛，并在www.example.com网站上推出各种列表服务和在线论坛。

The Exploring Engagement and Science Identity Through Participation is a research project that examines the outcomes of various citizen science models for Public Participation in Scientific Research (PPSR). The investigation specifically targets citizen science projects that focus on relationships between science learning and science identity. A mixed-method, meta-analysis approach will be employed. The two primary goals of the study are to better understand science learning and science identify within PPSR contexts and to develop a valid Participant Engagement Metric (PEM) for use within PPSR contexts. Data will be collected and analyzed from several PPSR projects and over 4,000 PPSR participants.The project addresses several research questions:1. What are the dimensions of PPSR engagement and how can we measure them across different project models? The research for this question includes approximately 50 interviews of participants in six primary projects representing a range of PPSR approaches to develop and validate a Participant Engagement Metric (PEM) that will be constructed from the frequency, duration and intensity of involvement in key activities. The project uses a constant comparative method of data analysis (processing of data as they are gathered in order to compare them with emerging categories. The development of the PEM will be one concrete outcome of the proposed research. 2. Within and among projects, what is the relationship between participant engagement and individual learning outcomes? The project uses validated measures of learning outcomes derived from Learning Science in Informal Environments (NRC, 2009) and developed for the DEVISE project described below. The six measures include: Behavior & Stewardship, Skills of Science Inquiry, Knowledge of the Nature of Science, Interest in Science & the Environment, Efficacy, and Motivation. The proposed research will look at how engagement affects learning outcomes, as assessed by these six measures (science interest, efficacy, etc.).The project conducts participant surveys in the six participating citizen science projects in addition to several other PPSR projects to test the relationship of the PEM and other measures of activity involvement to the learning outcomes measured by the survey instruments developed and validated through a previous project. The data analysis begins with univariate summary statistics that will provide an overview of the basic dataset. Inferential statistics including multiple regression analysis will be used to test the relationships among the independent variables (type of PPSR project, demographics), PEM as a mediator variable, and the dependent variables.3. How does degree and quality of participation in scientific research develop and/or reinforce individual science identity? The project conducts a 3-year longitudinal study using surveys, a series of in-depth interviews, and on-site observations of 36 participants from the six primary projects to understand the development of individual science identity within PPSR environments over time. Quantitative and qualitative data and findings are triangulated to determine if convergent, inconsistent or complementary results can be identified. The project dissemination plans include presenting research in journals, disseminating research briefs, hosting online forums, and launching various listserves and online forums at the citizenscience.org website.