| Title |
The Citizen Observatory: Enabling Next Generation Citizen Science |
| ID_Doc |
76196 |
| Authors |
O'Grady, M; O'Hare, G; Ties, S; Williams, J |
| Title |
The Citizen Observatory: Enabling Next Generation Citizen Science |
| Year |
2021 |
| Published |
Business Systems Research Journal, 12, 2 |
| DOI |
10.2478/bsrj-2021-0029 |
| Abstract |
Background: Citizen science offers an attractive paradigm for addressing some of the complex problems facing society. However, translating the paradigm's potential into meaningful action and sustainable impact remains a formidable challenge. Historically, the citizen science landscape was fractured into silos of activities; nonetheless, it has demonstrably delivered credible results. An innovative concept of the Citizen Observatory offers a tractable means of mitigating many of the recurring issues that historically afflicted citizen science initiatives, thus empowering a new generation of citizen scientists. Citizen Observatories may be regarded as open, standardised software platforms for community-based monitoring of any phenomenon of interest. Objectives: This paper seeks to validate a Citizen Observatory in a traditional citizen science context, that of butterfly recording. Methods/Approach: A case study was undertaken in a UNESCO-designated Biosphere Reserve. Results: A community of citizen scientists successfully recorded various observations concerning butterflies, their feeding behaviours, and their habitat. The resultant dataset was made available to the local government environmental agency. Conclusions: The Citizen Observatory model offers a realistic basis for enabling more sustainable participatory science activities. Such developments have implications for non-government organisations, businesses, and local governments. |
| Author Keywords |
citizen science; Citizen Observatory; open science; participatory science |
| Index Keywords |
Index Keywords |
| Document Type |
Other |
| Open Access |
Open Access |
| Source |
Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI) |
| EID |
WOS:000780010200014 |
| WoS Category |
Business |
| Research Area |
Business & Economics |
| PDF |
https://www.sciendo.com/pdf/10.2478/bsrj-2021-0029
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