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Second International Handbook of Science Education pp 865–882Cite as

Citizen Science, Ecojustice, and Science Education: Rethinking an Education from Nowhere

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Part of the book series: Springer International Handbooks of Education ((SIHE,volume 24))

Abstract

There is an emerging emphasis in science education on engaging youth in citizen science. The goals are similar to other context-sensitive pedagogical strategies such as increasing scientific knowledge and skills, understanding of the natural world, geographic awareness and ecological literacy, and ethical care for biological and physical environments. This chapter explores whether citizen science goes further with respect to citizen development. The emphasis is on how healthy communities and environments are indicative of school achievement rather than students’ scientific literacy. Different limitations for citizen science are analyzed in relation to the challenges of top-down, scientist-driven citizen science projects and bottom-up, community-centered investigative priorities for local choices and policy. Citizen science is emerging as citizens become more fully involved with their community and ecosystems, going back to the basics of civic responsibility and participatory democracy, community capitalism, and a shared sense of environmentalism. A guiding framework for citizen science cultivates the knowledge and skills needed to participate more fully in regional action and global advocacy, and how to address local situations in relation to larger global ones. This chapter takes account of the ways educators will collaborate with members of the community to effectively guide decisions, which offers promise for sharing a responsibility for democratizing science with others.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    For the purposes of this chapter, citizens are defined as those who are stakeholders in their communities. All citizens play a role as stakeholders in the commons (Mueller 2008a) by embodying ways of knowing, beliefs and values, and expectations – a group of individuals who are embedded within larger ecosystems. Even as Western philosophers attempt to deny the rights of women, children, slaves, and the natural world, they are equal moral subjects with differing characteristics but nonetheless individuals in relation to others. Citizens may be affected parties without a voice, marginalized individuals or groups, insiders, and outsiders. Ecojustice reminds us that citizens are constituents of personal and collective experiences, who pay selective attention to some assumptions which frame their relationships with other citizens and the Earth. The unborn are also perceived as citizens for those who wish to protect the prospects of future generations. Likewise, Earth’s other species are considered equal moral subjects with differing characteristics (Mueller 2009), which is an extended ideal of citizens of the Earth, and rights for the natural world to reproduce.

  2. 2.

    For the purposes of this chapter, scientific literacy is initially defined as appreciation for and understandings of what professional scientists do (Hurd 1998). This definition is reflected in the Cornell University model, and embedded within the science education reform documents (AAAS 1993; NRC 1996). We connect with other scholars to reevaluate the appropriateness and significance of this conceptualization.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mathematics and Science Education, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30606, USA

    Michael P. Mueller & Deborah J. Tippins

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  1. Michael P. Mueller
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  2. Deborah J. Tippins
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Correspondence to Michael P. Mueller .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Science & Mathematics Education Centre, Curtin University of Technology, Perth, West Australia, Australia

    Barry J. Fraser

  2. The Graduate Centre, City University of New York, New York, 10016-4309, New York, USA

    Kenneth Tobin

  3. Ctr. Mathematics & Science Education, Queensland University of Technology, Victoria Park Rd., Kelvin Grove, 4059, Queensland, Australia

    Campbell J. McRobbie

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Mueller, M.P., Tippins, D.J. (2012). Citizen Science, Ecojustice, and Science Education: Rethinking an Education from Nowhere. In: Fraser, B., Tobin, K., McRobbie, C. (eds) Second International Handbook of Science Education. Springer International Handbooks of Education, vol 24. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-9041-7_58

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