FutureLearn

Citizen Science Projects: How to Make a Difference (FutureLearn)

Offered by University of Dundee, WeObserve,
Citizen Science Projects: How to Make a Difference (FutureLearn)

Discover how to build your own citizen science project to address global challenges and create positive change. Learn to capture and analyse data and use the findings to take action. Would you like to understand the environment and other global challenges to help create change? Citizen science projects and citizen observatories are the ideal way to explore big issues, take action and become a changemaker.

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On this course, you’ll discover many different types of projects and how to get involved. You’ll find out how to lead a project, including the best practices for community building, question forming and data collecting.
You’ll also learn how to interpret the information you collect and use your findings to educate others about important universal concerns.

Syllabus

Week 1: Getting started with citizen observatories
Week 2: Observing your environment
Week 3: Analysing and visualising your data
Week 4: Sharing results and creating change

What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Investigate what citizen science and citizen observatories are.
  • Explore current projects happening around the world, what they do and how to get involved.
  • Engage with the general process of a citizen science project, the tools used and where to find them.
  • Model the steps to create your own citizen science project.
  • Collect and analyse data on relevant issues such as environmental challenges and disaster management, and discuss the results of your findings.
  • Evaluate the potential of citizen science in bringing about change.
  • Discuss how citizen science is contributing to current global challenges.
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