Invitation to participate in a webinar on promoting citizen science in universities

What is citizen science and why should it be encouraged in universities? How do universities in the Baltic countries strengthen citizen science activities? What libraries can do in the short term and what is for the medium and long term? What could help you kick-start such services? What skills are needed? What infrastructure is needed? How to form meaningful partnerships? Answers to these and many other questions can be heard at online seminars organized by the partners of the LibOCS project.

During the LibOCS project, five Baltic country partners (University of Tartu, TalTech, University of Latvia, Vytautas Magnus University, and Kaunas University of Technology) aim to strengthen citizen science activities within their institutions. One of the unique features of LibOCS is the implementation of the BESPOC* prototype model of centralized services for citizen science in the participating universities.

We invite members of the university community, library staff, and all those interested in the development and promotion of citizen science activities to choose a convenient date and participate in an online seminar-discussion. LIBER and ESCA (European Citizen Science Association) members will participate in the seminars.

During the seminar, the project partners, University Libraries, will present their experience and insights in implementing BESPOC modules in their institutions. This seminar aims to provide valuable experience to other institutions considering similar citizen science initiatives and to demonstrate the transformative impact BESPOC has on promoting scientific engagement at the university level.

Date:

• April 11, 2023 (Wednesday), 15:30 (EET) – REGISTRATION.
• April 17, 2023 (Tuesday), 15:00 (EET) – REGISTRATION.

Location: Zoom platform (link will be sent after filling out the registration form).

Language: English.

Duration: 90 minutes.

Presenters: representatives from the aforementioned institutions. Generous time for questions, answers and dialogue.

*BESPOC (Broad Engagement in Science, Point of Contact) – is a prototype of a citizen science information center aimed at higher education institutions seeking to promote citizen science activities and engage the public. The objectives and structure of BESPOC are presented in a video presentation (45 min.) by Tiberius Ignat, “Scientific Knowledge Services”, as partner at LiBOCS project.

Webinar on BESPOC implementation at Kaunas University of Technology

On Friday (24 November), the LibOCS project partners hosted a webinar with Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) to discuss the possibilities of implementing the BESPOC (Broad Engagement in Science, Point of Contact) modules at KTU, a prototype for higher education institutions aiming to promote citizen science activities and public engagement. This initiative follows the foundations laid by another KTU project, TIME4CS. The workshop marks an important step in the LibOCS KTU team’s journey to consolidate institutional support for its citizen science initiatives.

A diverse group of KTU researchers and managers actively participated in the workshop discussion: members of the Library, Research and Innovation Projects Centre, the Department of Research Affairs, the Doctoral School, the National Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre, and the Faculty of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts.

Highlights of the seminar:

• Nine BESPOC modules were discussed in detail. The meeting delved into all BESPOC modules, including the Activity Portal, the Community Builder, the Gateway to Society and Citizen Science Communication, in order to increase the reach and effectiveness of KTU citizen science initiatives.
• Colleagues from KTU provided an overview of KTU citizen science projects, while LibOCS project partners stressed the need for a strong support structure, transparency and effective communication, all of which can be achieved through the BESPOC model.
• Discussions focused on the role of citizen science in building and strengthening communities, promoting research transparency and establishing clear roles and partnership frameworks for successful projects.
• The project partners shared experiences and practices from other BESPOC implementation activities developed in 4 other Baltic universities.

The second LibOCS and KTU team workshop will take place on 6 December, where participants will focus on the BESPOC modules identified as priorities in the first workshop – Gateway to Society, Specific Reearch Communication, and Citizen Science Templates.

Video and presentations from the LibOCS International Webinar

A webinar “Collaboration and participation perspectives for open research in the Baltics: researchers, citizens, librarians as partners” was organized by LibOCS team on October 25, 2022. It gathered more than 130 participants from The Baltic states – librarians, museum and archive specialists, researchers and other interested parties. They were introduced to results of two researches conducted by LibOCS Project team and future perspectives on collaboration between researchers, memory institutions and Citizen science participants.

LibOCS webinar “Citizen Involvement in Open Science: Roles, Levels and Opportunities” presentations and video recording are available

On May 26, 2022, the webinar “Citizen Involvement in Open Science: Roles, Levels and Opportunities” was held. Researchers, library staff and specialists from other memory institutions – in total more than 130 participants learned about one of the directions of open science – citizen science, its various aspects and opportunities to participate in initiatives that promote it. The participants also got to know the LibOCS project, its goals and first results.

The webinar presentations:

• Community Tuned for Research, Gita Rozenberga, the Library of the University of Latvia, LibOCS project team (Latvia)
• LibOCS–Open and Citizen Science in Baltic academic libraries, Liisi Lembinen, University of Tartu Library, LibOCS project team (Estonia)
• Drivers and Barriers of Civic Engagement in Open Science and the Role of University Libraries in the Baltics, Svea Kaseorg, University of Tartu Library, LibOCS project team (Estonia)

The webinar video recording available HERE.

Webinar organized by LibOCS project team and with the support of Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership program. Project Number: Nr. 2021-1-EE01-KA220-HED-000031125

Citizen Science projects at KTU

Development of citizen science activities at Kaunas University of Technology
Project description.
Project funding: Support for activities aimed at implementing priorities of the European Research Area for institutional change
Period of project implementation: 2024-06-21 – 2025-12-31

GreenInCities
Project description.
Project funding: EU Research and Innovation Funding Programme “Horizon Europe”
Period of project implementation: 2024-01-01 – 2027-12-31

Empowering higher education through citizen science and innovative future-oriented learning strategies (ENHANSE)
Project description.
Project funding: The European Union programme Erasmus+
Period of project implementation: 2023-12-01 – 2026-11-30

Promoting ocean and water literacy in school communities (ProBleu)
Project description.
Project funding: EU Research and Innovation Funding Programme “Horizon Europe”
Period of project implementation: 2023-06-01 – 2026-05-31

Supporting Ukraine through citizen engagement at Baltic Universities (Baltics4UA)
Project description.
Project funding: The European Union programme Erasmus+
Period of project implementation: 2023-02-01 – 2025-02-01

Higher education resilience in refugee crises: forging social inclusion through capacity building, civic engagement and skills recognition (AGILE)
Project description.
Project funding: The European Union programme Erasmus+
Period of project implementation: 2022-12-01 – 2025-05-31

University libraries strengthening the academia-society connection through citizen science in the Baltics (LibOCS)
Project description. 
Project funding: The European Union programme Erasmus+
Period of project implementation: 2022-01-01 – 2024-06-30

Empowering Youth and Co-creating Social Innovations and Policy-Making Through Youth Citizen Social Science (YOUCOUNT)
Project description.
Project funding: The EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation “Horizon 2020”
Period of project implementation: 2021-02-01 – 2024-01-31

ECIU University Research Institute for Smart European Regions (SMART-ER)
Project description.
Project funding: The EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation “Horizon 2020”
Period of project implementation: 2021-02-01 – 2024-01-31

Supporting Sustainable Institutional Changes to Promote Citizen Science in Science and Technology (TIME4CS)
Project description.
Project funding: The EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation “Horizon 2020”
Period of project implementation: 2021-01-01 – 2023-12-31

Citizen Science as an Innovative Form of Citizen Participation for Welfare Society Development (CS4Welfare)
Project description.
Project funding: Research Council of Lithuania (RCL), National Research Programme “Welfare Society”
Period of project implementation: 2020-04-01 – 2021-12-31

Open science for knowledge co-creation
Project description.
Project funding: This research project is funded by the European Social Fund according to the 2014–2020 Operational Programme for the European Union Funds’ Investments, under measure’s No. 09.3.3-LMT-K-712 activity “Promotion of postdoctoral fellowships studies”.
Period of project implementation: 2020-09-01 – 2022-12-31

Citizen Science to Promote Creativity, Scientific Literacy, and Innovation throughout Europe (The Citizen Science Cost Action CA15212)
Project description.
Project funding: COST actions
Period of project implementation: 2016-09-21 – 2020-09-20

What citizen science is

Citizen science allows people who are not professional scientists to participate in a wide range of scientific activities, from collecting and analysing the data for a research, to disseminating the results of the research or even formulating the research problem. Citizen science brings opportunities for collaborative learning, for building a scientifically literate society, for creating innovations that respond to community needs, for sharing resources and for sustainable problem solving.

Citizen science brings benefits to members of the society by fostering trust in science and providing opportunities to contribute to solving important societal problems. Citizen science is a sustainable science as it saves human and environmental resources by enabling scientists to collect and process larger volumes of data, etc.

Citizen Science principles

The statements below were developed by the European Citizen Science Association to set out some of the key principles which underlie good practice in citizen science.

1. Citizen science projects actively involve citizens in scientific endeavour that generates new
   knowledge or understanding. Citizens may act as contributors, collaborators, or as project
   leader and have a meaningful role in the project.
2. Citizen science projects have a genuine science outcome. For example, answering a research
   question or informing conservation action, management decisions or environmental policy.
3. Both the professional scientists and the citizen scientists benefit from taking part. Benefits
   may include the publication of research outputs, learning opportunities, personal enjoyment,
   social benefits, satisfaction through contributing to scientific evidence e.g. to address local,
   national and international issues, and through that, the potential to influence policy.
4. Citizen scientists may, if they wish, participate in multiple stages of the scientific process.
   This may include developing the research question, designing the method, gathering and
   analysing data, and communicating the results.
5. Citizen scientists receive feedback from the project. For example, how their data are being used
   and what the research, policy or societal outcomes are.
6. Citizen science is considered a research approach like any other, with limitations and biases
   that should be considered and controlled for. However unlike traditional research approaches,
   citizen science provides opportunity for greater public engagement and democratisation of
   
7. Citizen science project data and meta-data are made publicly available and where possible,
   results are published in an open access format. Data sharing may occur during or after the
   project, unless there are security or privacy concerns that prevent this.
8. Citizen scientists are acknowledged in project results and publications.
9. Citizen science programmes are evaluated for their scientific output, data quality, participant
   experience and wider societal or policy impact.
10. The leaders of citizen science projects take into consideration legal and ethical issues
    surrounding copyright, intellectual property, data sharing agreements, confidentiality,
    attribution, and the environmental impact of any activities.

Source: ECSA (European Citizen Science Association). 2015. Ten Principles of Citizen Science. Berlin. http://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/XPR2N

Literature

1. Piliečių mokslas kaip inovatyvi piliečių dalyvavimo forma kuriant gerovės visuomenę (in lithuanian)
2. Metodinės gairės mokslininkams, bendruomenėms ir piliečiams (in lithuanian)

Useful links

1. Lithuanian Citizen Science Association The Citizen Science Association (LT: Piliečių mokslo asociacija) has been operating in Lithuania since April, 2020. The objectives of the Association are to grow the citizen science community by bringing together scientists, practitioners and stakeholders, to communicate citizen science projects and initiatives, and to organise and publicise science outreach events, research and citizen science projects.
2. LIBER Open Science Roadmap. A tool on open science, including citizen science, developed by the Association of European Research Libraries (LIBER), with applications and recommendations for research libraries. Open access to the document via the Zenodo repository: https://zenodo.org/record/1303002

ARTICLES

1. Ayris, P. & Ignat, T. (2018). Defining the role of libraries in the open science landscape: a reflection on current European practice. Open Information Science, 2(1), 1-22. https://doi.org/10.1515/opis-2018-0001
Short annotation: This paper explores how libraries can engage in and lead the open science movement. It is based on the results of an EU-funded research data management project carried out in European universities and their libraries.

2. Bonney, R., Cooper, C. B., Dickinson, J., Kelling, S., Phillips, K., Rosenberg, K. V., & Shirk, J. (2009). Citizen science: a developing tool for expanding science knowledge and scientific literacy. BioScience, 59(11), 977–984. https://doi.org/10.1525/bio.2009.59.11.9
Short annotation: This paper describes a model for designing and running citizen science projects that has been developed at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology over the last two decades. The CLO Citizen Science Project Design and Implementation Model was developed over time by a group of individuals with expertise in education, population biology, conservation biology, information science, computational statistics, and program evaluation. The article focuses on and describes the nine stages of project development, supplemented by practical examples.

3. Cigarini, A., Bonhoure, I., Vicens, J., & Perelló, J. (2021). Public libraries embrace citizen science: strengths and challenges. Library & Information Science Research, 43(2), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lisr.2021.101090
Short annotation: Can public libraries become citizen science centres? In line with the principles of citizen science, this question was answered in collaboration with librarians from the Barcelona Public Library Network, who carried out two practical exercises. One activity involved 30 librarians from 24 different libraries, who had the opportunity to envisage how to implement citizen science in each library. The other activity consisted of the co-design of a citizen social science project involving 40 library users, seven librarians from three different cities and professional researchers. The analysis takes into account the perspectives of librarians and users through participatory observation, surveys, and a focus group to identify strengths and challenges.

4. Eitzel, M. V., Cappadonna, J. L., Santos-Lang, C., Duerr, R. E., Virapongse, A., West, S. E., Kyba, C. C. M., Bowser, A., Cooper, C. B., Sforzi, A., Metcalfe, A. N., Harris, E. S., Thiel, M., Haklay, M., Ponciano, L., Roche, J., Ceccaroni, L., Shilling, F. M., Dörler, D., Heigl, F., … Jiang, Q. (2017). Citizen science terminology matters: exploring key terms. Citizen Science: Theory and Practice, 2(1), 1-20. http://doi.org/10.5334/cstp.96
Short annotation: This article discusses key terms in the context of citizen science, giving examples of their use in practice.

5. Ignat, T., Ayris, P., Labastida i Juan, I., Reilly, S., Dorch, B., Kaarsted, T., & Overgaard, A. K. (2018). Merry work: libraries and citizen science. Insights, 31, 1-10. http://doi.org/10.1629/uksg.431
Short annotation: This article highlights important new opportunities for libraries by exploring the role they could play in citizen science projects.

6. Peter, M., Diekötter, T., Kremer, K., & Höffler, T. (2021). Citizen science project characteristics: Connection to participants’ gains in knowledge and skills. Plos One, 16(7:e0253692), 1-30. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0253692
Short annotation: The authors look at the specific characteristics of biodiversity citizen science projects and how they can affect participants’ learning. The following project characteristics were investigated from the perspective of project coordinators and participants: information and training provided to participants, social interaction between participants, contact between participants and staff, feedback and recognition for participants.

7. Roche, J., Bell, L., Galvão, C., Golumbic, Y. N., Kloetzer, L., Knoben, N., Laakso, M., Lorke, J., Mannion, G., Massetti, L., Mauchline, A., Pata, K., Ruck, A., Taraba, P., & Winter, S. (2020). Citizen science, education, and learning: challenges and opportunities. Frontiers in Sociology, 5, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsoc.2020.613814
Short annotation: This article identifies some of the dilemmas facing the field, from competing scientific objectives and learning outcomes, to different communication strategies, to conflicting values around advocacy and activism. While such challenges can be an obstacle to the successful integration of citizen science into mainstream education systems, they are also signposts of potential synergies and opportunities. One of the key recommendations is to align educational learning outcomes with the objectives of citizen science projects as early as the project planning stage, using co-design approaches, so that issues of accessibility and inclusion are central to the design and implementation of the project.

8. West, S. & Pateman, R. (2016). Recruiting and retaining participants in citizen science: what can be learned from the volunteering literature? Citizen Science: Theory and Practice, 1(2), 1-10. http://doi.org/10.5334/cstp.8
Short annotation: This article describes the factors that influence people to start and continue participating in citizen science projects. Good project organization is key, so project organizers need to consider the motivations of potential participants; their personal characteristics, backgrounds, and demographics; and how they will find out about the opportunity. The authors discuss these factors and provide general recommendations for those designing and running citizen science projects.

9. Willett, R. (2018). Learning through making in public libraries: theories, practices, and tensions. Learning, Media and Technology, 43(3), 250-262. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439884.2017.1369107
Short annotation: This article explores learning and teaching in library makerspace applications. Given the recent trend for libraries and makerspaces to define themselves in terms of learning, the findings of this paper are particularly relevant to current initiatives.

E-BOOKS

1. Citizen science for all. A guide for citizen science practitioners. English edition handbook
For: All participants in CS
Short annotation: The first part of the handbook provides a general overview of CS and discusses various aspects of CS, such as definition, communication, financing, planning and possible problems that may arise during the project. The second part provides real examples of different CS projects in Germany, with relevant links to each example. A short CS glossary and references are provided at the end of the handbook.

2. Learning Through Citizen Science: Enhancing Opportunities by Design
For: All Audiences
Short annotation: The book discusses the potential of citizen science to support science learning and identifies promising practices and programmes that are examples of promising practices. It also sets out a research agenda that can fill gaps in the current understanding of how citizens can support science learning and improve science education.

3. Open Science Training Handbook
For: Open Science instructors and trainers
Short annotation: The Open Science Training Handbook has been developed by a team of 14 authors. It will be a key resource and a first step in the development of open access and open science curricula and andragogy. By supporting and connecting the emerging Open Science community willing to pass on their knowledge as disseminators, the Handbook will enrich teaching activities and unlock the full potential of the community.

4. The Science of Citizen Science
For: All audiences
Short annotation: This Springer Open Access book discusses how citizen engagement in science is expected to address major challenges such as climate change and biodiversity loss, growing inequalities within and between societies, and sustainability issues. This book presents practices and scientific and societal results from a range of disciplines. It reflects the contribution of citizen science to societal development, education or innovation, and provides an overview of the field of actors as well as tools and guidelines. It is an introduction for anyone who wants to get involved in and learn more about citizen science.

E-COURSES

1. Basic regulations and ethics for citizen science
For: Community members, Citizens
Short annotation: A free 1-hour course that provides a basic understanding of the rights and responsibilities of citizen scientists in collecting data, analysing data and co-authoring scientific articles. Particular attention is paid to the handling of sensitive data (e.g. medical or personal data) and the ethical requirements for collecting information. Registration on the EU-Citizen.Science Moodle platform is required.

2. Building Data Literacy Through Community and Citizen Science
For: All audiences
Short annotation: The programme provides learners with the knowledge and skills to contribute to and interpret data through community and citizen science projects, and to learn how data literacy can be applied in everyday situations. Learners will be able to use free resources to introduce others to data literacy concepts.

3. Citizen Science and Scientific Crowdsourcing: an Introduction
For: All participants in CS
Short annotation: Free online course, registration required. Introduces the theory and practice of citizen science and scientific crowdsourcing. Explores the history, theoretical background and practical aspects of designing and running citizen science projects. Each topic will take approximately 3-4 hours to cover and will include two lectures, a practical session, the viewing of one or two videos and the reading of two or three texts, all of which are available online. At the end of the session, participants will have reflection questions and quizzes.

4. Citizen science in the (digital) arts and humanities
For: Researchers of Social sciences and humanities
Short annotation: This module will explore the diversity of ‘citizen science’ practices, how humanist researchers can start working with citizens, what problems they might face and how research infrastructures can support them.

5. Data Ethics for Practitioners
For: All participants in CS
Short annotation: This course is aimed at developers and managers of participatory science projects, including citizen and community science projects. The course will help you to ‘think like an ethicist’ by identifying important ethical responsibilities, tensions and issues that may arise in a CS project and use them to inform your decision-making. The tutorial is designed to help you understand the unique obligations associated with the collection, management and dissemination of project data in a way that promotes trust among practitioners, participants and partners.

6. Doing citizen science as open science: what, why, and how
For: CS Project Designers, All participants in CS
Short annotation: This is a high-level, 1 hour 45 minutes course introducing the ethical imperative for conducting citizen science as open science, including what open science is and how its outputs and processes can be incorporated into all aspects of citizen science.In order to participate participants need to register on the website.

7. Engaging the Public in Responsible Research and Innovation course
For: SC designers, Facilitators
Short annotation: The course will help understand and justify the importance of public engagement as a key dimension of responsible research and innovation and open science. It provides tools to design, implement and assess a public engagement strategy within research funding and performing organizations.

8. Foundations of Citizen Science
For: All audiences
Short annotation: The Foundations of Citizen Science module, a prerequisite for other SciStarter training modules, will help to learn the basics, participate in projects, and make the most of SciStarter. Librarians after completion of this module will be eligible to move onto the second hour of training and earn professional development credits from the Medical Library Association. Details available upon completion of this module.

9. Leading a ‘Train the Trainer’ workshop
For: CS Practitioners, Researchers, CS Project designers
Short annotation: A free 1.5-hour Moodle course for citizen science practitioners who want to use the “train the trainer” approach in their project or activity. At the end of the course, learners will: understand what a “train the trainer” is and how it can benefit citizen science projects; know the main components of a TTT course; know how to plan the learning path for their own TTT course; and know the main things to consider if they want to apply the TTT approach.

10. Libraries as Community Hubs for Citizen Science
For: Librarians
Short annotation: This training module is designed to discover best practices and identify resources for involving library users in citizen science and lifelong learning. The “Libraries as Community Centres for Citizen Science” label is awarded to librarians and library staff who have demonstrated a commitment to citizen science and the necessary skills to develop research through community-oriented library programmes and services.

11. ORION MOOC for Open Science in the Life Sciences 2.0
For: Researchers in biomedicine, life sciences
Short annotation: An introductory course to the principles of open science in biomedicine, life sciences and other related research fields. It offers an introduction to a range of useful tools and research practices, as well as to open science principles and workflows in the biomedical and life sciences research cycle.

12. Research Data Management and Publishing
For: PhD Students
Short annotation: A course for PhD students, developed in collaboration with the Natural History Museum of the University of Tartu and the data management platform PlutoF. This course provides information on open science and open access publishing. Participants will learn how to create a data management plan and how to search for data in different open data repositories. The second part of the course teaches how to turn research data into machine-readable FAIR data. The course is available in English and Estonian languages.

13. Science Communication
For: All participants in CS
Short annotation: A free interactive 10-week IsraelX online course explaining why science communication is important and what it looks like in practice. It also teaches the basic concepts and essential skills needed to master science communication. You will learn how to read, watch videos and complete assignments.

14. Teaching in Higher Education with Citizen Science
For: Teachers, Trainers, Facilitators
Short annotation: In an online self-guided module, participants will learn about some of the benefits of integrating citizen science into undergraduate studies, practical strategies and opportunities for networking and professional development. Upon completion of this module and related activities, participants will receive detailed information on how to obtain the badge.

15. Volunteer engagement, management and care
For: All participants in CS
Short annotation: This is a free course of approximately 1 hour 45 minutes. It is designed for anyone who spends a lot of time interacting with citizen scientists, for example by recruiting people to participate in your project, writing blogs, working as a group leader or moderating a discussion forum. Participants will need to be familiar with citizen science, but no detailed knowledge is required.

GUIDES

1. 9 things to make citizen science data FAIR. A research librarian’s guide
For: Research librarians
Short annotation: This guide aims to support research librarians who serve citizen science projects. The four elements, Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable are designed to help lower barriers to accessing generated research and to facilitate potential new findings by promoting the availability and reuse of data. The 9 things are structured with the FAIR elements in focus, highlighting practical aspects and benefits of FAIR data in citizen science projects.

2. Citizen science skilling for the library staff, researchers, and the public
For: All participants in CS
Short annotation: The guide is designed to be a practical toolbox to help run a CS project. It is put together by research libraries.

3. Engaging volunteers. Guide to engaging volunteers in citizen science projects
For: Facilitators, Researchers
Short annotation: The scope of this manual is to identify and test tools to stimulate stakeholders’ incentivisation in citizen science hubs. The main novelty of this manual is that it builds on the existing literature on CS to concretely test the importance of the most promising engagement tools in comparative and absolute terms.

4. Guide to citizen science: developing, implementing and evaluating citizen science to study biodiversity and the environment in the UK
For: Citizen scientists, CS project designers
Short annotation: This guide aims to support people already involved in citizen science, and those new to it, within the UK. It is based on detailed information gathered and analysed as part of the UK-EOF funded project “Understanding Citizen Science & Environmental Monitoring”, which semi-systematically reviewed 234 projects and included 30 case studies (Roy et al., 2012). It will help you to design and implement a citizen science project relating to biodiversity or the environment.

5. Guide to Using Social Media for Citizen Science Projects
For: All participants in CS
Short annotation: The 20-page guide brings out the importance of using digital media effectively in CS projects and provides information on what channels to use and how to include the community. Includes 7 case examples of social media use in different projects.

6. How to FAIR
For: All participants in CS
Short annotation: Short guide about the FAIR principles in practice.

7. The Librarian’s Guide to Citizen Science
For: Librarians
Short annotation: This guide will help you to learn more about citizen science and connections with libraries, how to discover STEM-related issues of interest or concern to the communities.You will access resources to help people learn about and engage in citizen science projects. Access information, resources, projects, and even instruments needed to collect and analyze data and sustain ongoing engagement in citizen science.

MANUALS

1. A Manual for Citizen Scientists Starting or Participating in Data Collection and Environmental Monitoring Projects
For: All participants in CS
Short annotation: This manual was developed at Harvard Law School and is aimed at citizens who want to participate in and develop CS projects. The guide focuses on activities related to environmental justice and pollution issues. It describes a step-by-step legal framework for collecting data and planning such projects. A brief explanation of terms and concepts is provided.

2. Manual for Citizen Science community building
For: Researchers, Facilitators
Short annotation: This manual outlines the tools needed to promote and involve stakeholders in the civic science centres of four higher education institutions: the University of Twente, the Autonomous University of Barcelona, the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and the Vilnius Gediminas Technical University. The handbook provides important insights into the most effective measures that can be implemented in the local contexts to promote stakeholder engagement and sustain it over time.

3. Community-Based Participatory Research: A Training Manual for Community-Based Researchers
For: All participants in CS
Short annotation: Training modules and handouts developed for a 3-week training seminar. The first part of the training workshop introduces some of the concepts that underpin community-based participatory research: research, ethics, participation and action research. The second part of the workshop demonstrates, practically tests and evaluates different research methodologies, both traditional research methodologies and Participatory Reflection and Action (PRA) methodologies. The methodologies covered were: surveys, interviews, focus group discussions, PhotoVoice, community timelines and community maps.

PROJECT PAPERS

1. Implementation Framework for Open Knowledge Activities
For: Curriculum developers, administration staff, teachers, and other education staff, Librarians, Teachers, Facilitators
Shors annotation: This framework provides a comprehensive overview of the literature on how to carry out open knowledge activities and focuses in particular on the organisational aspects of building open knowledge activities between higher education institutions and external stakeholders, involving the general public.

2. Mutual learning exercise on citizen science initiatives : policy and practice. Second topic challenge paper
For: All Participants in CS
Short annotation: This Challenge Paper discusses the various variables that need to be taken into account for the success of citizen science initiatives throughout the implementation cycle, including the need to demonstrate their impact at different levels. It also discusses the support mechanisms that can be put in place at national level to engage civil society in the European Research Area and contribute to the sustainability of ongoing projects.

3. Recommendations on integrating OS (and CS) in HE curricula
For: Curriculum developers, administration staff, teachers, and other education staff, NGO’s, Teachers, Facilitators
Short annotation: This set of guidelines aims to help readers to integrate OS activities into higher education programmes and to normalise the process of institution development. Although it is aimed at integrating OS into HE curricula, it provides guidance on course design considerations, examples, etc.

TOOLKITS

1. Citizen science toolkit
For: Educators, Teachers
Short annotation: This toolkit is designed to help educators integrate citizen science projects into classroom curricula or extra-curricular programmes. It provides resources, including lessons, readings and worksheets, to help students discover the value of citizen science and to help them develop a sense of ownership and impact in their research.

2. Framework for Open and Reproducible Research Training. Lesson Plans
For: Teachers, Trainers, Facilitators
Short annotation: The FORRT community has developed open educational resources that can be integrated into courses “instantly”. As creating or modifying course content can be complex and time-consuming, the aim has been to make evidence-based, high-quality lesson plans and activities available to lecturers, thus reducing the efforts required for the development and implementation of open scholarly content.

3. Step Change project’s Training Materials: Ready to Use Materials for Citizen Science Initiatives
For: Facilitators, SC project designers
Short annotation: Training material for those interested in developing CS projects. It presents the material used in the project, highlights the challenges of developing CS projects, presents useful strategies to address these challenges and provides a set of ready-made exercises. The focus on presenting different methods of engaging people with different backgrounds in CS initiative sessions (e.g. opening session exercises, communication tips, feedback exercises). Some of the material is behind the presentation links in the text. It would be useful to provide a list of sources at the end. The document works best when downloaded.

VIDEOS

1. How to host a CS project on PlutoF
For: Researchers in natural sciences
Short annotation: Short Video demonstration presenting platform PlutoF and how to use it. PlutoF provides online services to manage biological data fully integrated and ready for analyses or publishing.

2. LIBER’s research librarians guide to CS
For: Librarians, All audiences
Short annotation: This presentation is part of the LIBER Citizen Science Working Group Workshop “Shaping the Role of Libraries”, held on 29 April 2021. Topics discussed: communication in CS projects, project management, research data management, and scientific literacy.

3. Methodologies & Evaluation: Setting up Youth Citizen Social Science
For: CS Project designers, Facilitators
Short annotation: Dr Claire Murray from ECSA presents at the second webinar on Youth Civic Social Science. This formed one part of a full webinar where the community discussed methodologies and evaluation.

4. The usefulness of FAIR data
For: All audiences
Short annotation: In this video researcher Christian Skov talks about the citizen science project Fangstjournalen and how research data management, data sharing, and adherence to the FAIR principles for research data can increase the impact and value of research, even beyond the project. This video was produced by four Danish universities as part of a project funded by DEFF. The aim of the project is to identify the role of Danish research libraries in disseminating and supporting citizen science.

5. TÜ raamatukogu vlog #6: Avatud teadus (IN ESTONIAN)
For: All audiences
Short annotation: videoblog from Tartu University Library, Estonia. Topics presented: What is open science, should research data be OA, and how can librarians support scientists in OA publishing?

WEBINARS

1. A practical guide to citizen science for citizens and researchers
For: Researchers, Citizens
Short annotation: The webinar provides insights into the benefits and methods of involving citizens in research projects, and recommendations on how to start a citizen science project from scratch, including useful tools and resources. It also discusses the role citizens can play in science, the ways in which they can get involved and the benefits of citizen participation.

2. Citizen Science At Universities: Trends, Guidelines and Recommendations
For: Research Librarians, Faculty staff
Short annotation: In this webinar, organised by LIBER’s Citizen Science Working Group, four speakers share what they are doing to find the right solution using a three-pronged approach: Current trends in citizen science at universities; a template for a citizen science single point of contact that your institution could start to develop; an overview of the forthcoming Research Librarian’s Guide to Citizen Science; and possible roles that research libraries could take on to move citizen science forward.

3. Make Your Citizen Science Project Count: Strategies to Produce Quality Data
For: Citizens, Researchers, other stakeholders
Short annotation: The webinar explores how citizen science groups have successfully integrated quality assurance approaches into their projects to help answer community environmental and public health questions.

4. Wide Angle Lens of Volunteer Engagement with UMN Extension
For: Facilitators
Short annotation: Citizen Science Association webinar. The session will present a model that describes the full cycle of a volunteer’s experience throughout their volunteering period, and puts the training in the context of the other core components of the programme.

5. Introduction to Citizen Science in Libraries
For: Librarians
Short annotation: A webinar hosted by SciStarter (online citizen science hub). The webinar introduced librarians to what CS is, how to help library users get involved, and to learn about CS and CS projects, CS kits, and promotional materials.

OTHER

1. 10 Principles of Citizen Science
For: All audiences
Short annotation: The statements contained in the document have been drafted by the European Citizen Science Association’s Working Group on “Sharing Good Practice and Capacity Building”, chaired by the Natural History Museum London, with input from many of the Association’s members, in order to set out some of the key principles that our community believes underpin good practice in citizen science. The document is available in English, German, Latvian, Lithuanian, Estonian and other languages.

2. CeOS_SE train-the-trainer workshop – 13 July 2022 (presentation slides)
For: CS Project designers, Facilitators
Short annotation: Presentations from the first CeOS_SE Project train-the-trainer workshop to learn about the fundamentals of Citizen Science, discover best practices from across Europe and beyond and pose questions to experts in the field.

3. Citizen Science is Blooming (infographic)
For: All audiences
Short annotation: Good example of infographic on how to explain CS.

4. Jensenius, Alexander Refsum. [2020] Opportunities and Challenges with Citizen Science (Blog post)
For: All audiences
Short annotation: Blog post by Alexander Refsum Jensenius, Humanities Researcher and member of the EUA Open Science/Science 2.0 Expert Group.) The author provides an insight into his presentation at the webinar “Citizen Science in an Institutional Context” organised by OpenAIRE and EUA. The author gives his views and shares his knowledge on the definition, opportunities and challenges of citizen science and presents two projects: Hjernelæring and MusicLab.

5. The relationship between citizen science and open science. (Based on Vohland and Göbel (2017), modified) (picture)
For: all audiences
Short annotation: Diagram showing CS as a component of Open Science

Contacts

email pilieciumokslas@ktu.lt