Appreciation of primary preservice teachers about the potential educational use of citizen science in environmental education

Abstract

Purpose: This study aims to determine prior knowledge regarding the term “citizen science” (CS) and evaluate preservice teachers’ appreciation of the educational potential of CS.

Design/methodology/approach: Following the pedagogical framework of Experiential Learning Theory, a training program was designed for the subject of Environmental Education (EE) of the Primary Teacher Degree, incorporating CS activities. A quasi-experimental research was carried out with 36 primary preservice teachers who participated in this study, with a qualitative approach and without a control group. Two ad hoc surveys were defined for this study, the first one is related to prior knowledge about the term CS and a questionnaire was conducted to assess the educational potential of the CS after the implementation of the training program. The results showed a great initial lack of knowledge about CS but the appreciation of the preservice teachers after the educational intervention reveals the advantages and educational potential of CS.

Findings: Preservice teachers consider that CS can and should be incorporated, as part of the course syllabus, into the teaching system and this can be done in scientific-technological subjects or in all subjects with an interdisciplinary and transversal approach, with the majority of responses indicating that the development of generic skills would be the greatest perceived benefit for students.

Originality/value: There has been an increase in CS initiatives and projects in recent decades. However, despite the advantages for the participants and actors involved, its incorporation into higher education curricula is scarce.