Science Education for Scientific Literacy: Involving Students in Citizen Science Initiatives

Abstract:

This study uses the concept of scientific literacy as first described by Paul DeHart Hurd in 1958 to examine the place of citizen science and student research in science education. This paper draws on qualitative observations of middle and high school students participating in the NASA Exoplanet Watch program through an astronomy research workshop. The roles of students and teachers in the workshop setting are discussed and contrasted with their roles in a traditional science classroom setting. The abilities of traditional laboratory courses and research courses to fulfill the goal of promoting scientific literacy are examined and compared. Previous research on astronomy research seminars and work done by citizen scientists through various platforms are detailed and investigated. From the perspective of both an astronomy workshop instructor and a previous astronomy research seminar student, I explore how increasing access to research and awareness of citizen science through secondary education may be effective for increasing scientific literacy and promoting education on science-related issues. This research contributes to modern literature on involving students in research initiatives and equipping students with the scientific literacy needed to understand and make informed decisions about science.