A Taxonomy of Citizen Science
Abstract
Citizen science, the process of volunteers collaborating with professional scientists in authentic research, is an area which has undergone great expansion and development over the last decade. As the internet and new media facilitate easier and more widespread communication as well as access to a variety of data sets, the number and variety of citizen science projects will continue to increase. Current projects such as the AAVSO's variable star observing, Citizen Sky, Galaxy Zoo, and SETI@Home utilize a variety of data types including direct observations, images, and computer simulations. Another variation in these projects is the level of involvement offered to the volunteer, with some projects having very little that the volunteer needs to do, and others allowing a volunteer to be involved at a very high level. For educators who are considering using citizen science as part of their curriculum, the possible level of involvement may be a critical factor in their choice of project. In this poster, we present a taxonomy of volunteer involvement in astronomy-related citizen science projects. Five different levels of involvement are arranged in a pyramid diagram with minimal involvement at the lower levels and increasing involvement towards the top. Each level is described and operationally defined. We also give examples of projects that facilitate each type of involvement. Finally, we give some possible implications of this taxonomy on the educational potential of these projects.
- Publication:
-
American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #215
- Pub Date:
- January 2010
- Bibcode:
- 2010AAS...21546701B