Children's Citizen Science and the Natural Environment: Motivations, Experiences and Outcomes

这个博士项目探讨了志愿服务在自然环境中的作用，并特别研究了针对儿童和年轻人的公民科学倡议。英国的许多活动将科学的生物多样性和生态系统调查与儿童和年轻人的户外学习相遇结合起来。虽然最近在自然科学和社会科学领域对公民科学有相当大的兴趣，但很少有人关注儿童自己参与公民科学的经历，以及利益相关者的利益和挑战。本研究将探讨三个问题：第一，公民科学运动和项目如何瞄准并吸引儿童和年轻人；第二，他们从事公民科学的动机、经验和结果是什么；最后，干系人的利益和挑战是什么，以及这项工作的遗产是什么？该博士学位将利用对儿童、年轻人和利益相关者的定性研究来解决这些问题，以弥合从生物多样性和保护角度进行的公民科学研究与非正式教育、志愿服务和基于自然的学习的地理社会科学调查之间的差距。该项目的成果将为儿童的公民科学和自然环境提供新的视角，塑造未来的政策和实践。

This PhD project explores the role of volunteering in the natural environment and specifically examines citizen-science initiatives aimed at children and young people. A number of campaigns in the UK combine scientific biodiversity and ecosystem surveys with outdoor learning encounters for children and young people. Whilst there has been considerable recent interest in citizen science across the natural and social sciences, little attention has been paid to children's own experiences of participating in citizen science, as well as the benefits and challenges for stakeholders. This research will explore three questions: first, how do citizen science campaigns and projects target and engage children and young people; second, what are their motivations, experiences and outcomes for engaging in citizen science; finally, what are the benefits and challenges for stakeholders, and the legacy of this work?This PhD will address these questions utilising qualitative research with children, young people and stakeholders in order to bridge the gap between studies on citizen science from a biodiversity and conservation perspective, and social science investigations into the geographies of informal education, volunteering and nature-based learning. Outcomes of this project will shed new light on children's citizen science and the natural environment, shaping future policy and practice.