Expanding Ideas of Citizenship and Science Through Citizen Science: Explorations From an Integrated Methods Course

• In Event: 43.079 - Sheraton Roundtable Session Six - Grand Centre
  In Roundtable Session: 43.079-9 - Experiencing the Social Studies

Abstract

This action research project used surveys, student assessments, and interviews to determine the extent to which the authors were able to expand ideas of both citizenship and science through their integrated science and social studies middle childhood methods course. Applying the ideas of citizen science, students in the course developed inquiry projects of their choice centering on the topic of local and global water issues. In addition, students participated in book groups focusing on the ideas of citizen science explicitly. While the data reveal the students' ideas of science and citizenship both expanded, there was greater change in their conception of science. The authors argue that the expansion of ideas of science are important for enacting critical citizenship education.

Authors

• Elizabeth A Kenyon, Kent State University

• Andrea Christoff, Kent State University

• Sonya Leach Wisdom, Kent State University