Browsing by Author "Lukkarinen, Iiris"

The aim of this study was to provide information about using citizen science in biology education. Citizen science is a form of scientific research, where public can participate in data collection or other phases of research. It is important to study educational use of citizen science, because citizen science has a lot of potential to increase students´ interest towards biology and knowledge about scientific research. In addition, citizen science could provide meaningful ways to use information and communication technology (ICT) in education. Using ICT, such as computers and smartphones, has become very common way to collect data in citizen science projects. This is a case study about using citizen science project called Matoseuranta, as part of biology education. Research questions were: (1.) How the teachers that participated in Matoseuranta experience the educational use of citizen science? (1.1) What benefits and challenges there is in the educational use of citizen science, according to the teachers? (2.) How well data collecting with mobile application is suited in citizen science project that is used in education? (2.1) What challenges and benefits there were related to collecting data with Matoseuranta-application according to the teachers? (2.2) How the teachers evaluate their skills and knowledge executing fieldwork that includes ICT? Survey was used to collect data from teachers that participated in Matoseuranta. 49 teachers answered to the survey (n=49). Open-end questions were used to collect qualitative data about teachers´ experiences about educational use of citizen science (1.1) and mobile app (2.1). This qualitative data was then categorised using qualitative content analysis. Likert-scaled questionnaire based on TPACK (=technological pedagogical content knowledge), was used to collect quantitative data about teachers´ self-efficacy related to executing fieldwork that includes using ICT (2.2). According to teachers, the most important benefit of educational use of citizen science was the autenthic research context, which increased student motivation. In addition, teachers mentioned that Matoseuranta increased students´ knowledge about scientific research. The unreliability of collected data was the most often mentioned challenge. Teachers felt that collected data was not reliable because students had no prior experience in executing scientific research. The mobile app was suited well in data collecting, because it provided an easy way to send data to researchers. In addition, few teachers mentioned that the app motivated students. Unfortunately, the app had many technical issues, which was the most often mentioned challenge about using the app. Most of the teachers felt that they master the use of technology and the skills needed in executing fieldwork. However, only few teachers felt that they have sufficient skills to execute fieldwork that icludes using ICT in a meaningful way. Based on the results of this study, it would be important to offer more citizen science projects that are suited in educational use to teachers. It would be beneficial to study what types of projects (theme, execution, ICT) teachers would want to use in their teaching. Results confirm prior assumption, that the task value is a very important factor influencing student motivation. It is important to make sure that students feel their work in school is meaningful. This study also suggest, that there is a need to provide training and materials about how ICT can be used in biology fieldwork.