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，旨在研究公众参与科学研究（PPSR）的各种公民科学模式的结果。该调查特别针对关注科学学习与科学身份之间关系的公民科学项目。将采用混合方法、元分析方法。本研究的两个主要目标是更好地理解PPSR背景下的科学学习和科学识别，并制定一个有效的参与者参与度量（PEM），用于PPSR背景下的使用。将从几个PPSR项目和4000多名PPSR参与者中收集和分析数据。该项目将解决几个研究问题：1。PPSR参与的维度是什么？我们如何在不同的项目模型中衡量它们？针对这个问题的研究将包括对六个主要项目的参与者进行约50次访谈，这些项目代表了一系列PPSR方法，以开发和验证参与者参与度量（PEM），该度量将根据关键活动的频率、持续时间和参与强度构建。该项目将使用数据分析的持续比较方法（在收集数据时处理数据，以便将其与新兴类别进行比较）。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？该项目将使用来自非正式环境中的学习科学（NRC, 2009）的学习成果的有效测量方法，并为下文所述的设计项目开发。这六项指标包括：行为与管理、科学探究技能、科学本质知识、对科学的兴趣与环境、有效性和动机。拟议的研究将考察参与如何影响学习成果，通过这六项指标（科学兴趣、效率等）进行评估。该项目将在六个参与的公民科学项目以及其他几个PPSR项目中进行参与者调查，以测试PEM和其他活动参与措施与学习成果的关系，这些成果是通过前一个项目开发和验证的调查工具测量的。数据分析将从单变量汇总统计开始，这将提供基本数据集的概述。包括多元回归分析在内的推理统计将用于检验自变量（PPSR项目类型、人口统计）、作为中介变量的PEM和因变量之间的关系。3. 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？该项目将进行为期3年的纵向研究，包括调查、一系列深度访谈和对来自六个主要项目的36名参与者的现场观察，以了解PPSR环境中个人科学身份的发展。定量和定性的数据和发现将被三角化。确定是否可以识别收敛、不一致或互补的结果。该项目提出了一个强有力的传播计划，利用这些方法在期刊上展示研究成果，传播研究简报，举办在线论坛，并在citizenscience.org网站上推出各种列表和在线论坛。

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 will address 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 will include 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 will use 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 will use 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 will conduct 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 will begin 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 will conduct 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 will be ?triangulated? to determine if convergent, inconsistent or complementary results can be identified. The project proposes a strong dissemination plan, using these approaches, to present research in journals, disseminate research briefs, host online forums, and launching various listserves and online forums at the citizenscience.org website.