Changing knowledge and attitudes through citizen science at schools

Abstract

Improving scientific literacy among elementary and high school students is crucial. Here we report the learning outcomes of three Brazilian school initiatives that incorporated citizen science: 1. A cocreated one aimed at investigating biodiversity in a school garden; 2. A collaborative one focused on the phenology and life cycle of angiosperms; and 3. A collaborative initiative aimed at reducing food waste in schools. There is evidence that the initiatives promoted learning, such as: 1. Scientific content knowledge (life cycle of angiosperms, sustainable eating); 2. Procedural skills (asking productive questions; formulating clear and concise hypothesis; collecting precise and accurate data; drawing conclusions); 3. Improved self-efficacy for science; 4. Attitudes (reducing food waste, observing plants more frequently).