Citizen Science and Educational Technology for Open Science: An Experience of Co-creating Knowledge with iNaturalist

Citizen Science and Educational Technology for Open Science: An Experience of Co-creating Knowledge with iNaturalist

This article describes the implementation of a Citizen Science project focused on the collaborative creation of a field guide to the birds of the campus of the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC). The initiative, developed by the Laboratory of Ornithology and Bioacoustics of Santa Catarina (...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Beatriz Stella Heltai Lima, Ana Giulia Catafesta, Sabrina Chaussard Osmo, Elaine Rosangela de Oliveira Lucas, Guilherme Renzo Rocha Brito
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Servicio de Publicaciones de la Universidad de Extremadura 2025-07-01
Series:Revista Latinoamericana de Tecnología Educativa
Subjects:
open science
informal science education
university outreach
biodiversity
inaturalist
Online Access:https://relatec.unex.es/index.php/relatec/article/view/4912
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Summary:This article describes the implementation of a Citizen Science project focused on the collaborative creation of a field guide to the birds of the campus of the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC). The initiative, developed by the Laboratory of Ornithology and Bioacoustics of Santa Catarina (LABOAC/UFSC) in partnership with the Laboratory of Production, Communication and Scientific Memory (CienLAB/UDESC), aimed to promote birdwatching, encourage environmental education, and involve the academic and external community in scientific activities. The methodology included field trips, collection and curation of photographic records, drafting descriptive content, and organizing this data in a digital repository on the iNaturalist platform. The results demonstrated the potential of digital tools to strengthen Citizen Science by enabling broad public participation in the production and validation of scientific knowledge about local birdlife. The experience also revealed challenges, such as information curation and maintaining community engagement. The project reinforced the importance of citizen participation in scientific initiatives, particularly in biodiversity and conservation. The publication of the guide, in both print and digital formats, contributes to valuing the campus as a space for research, recreation, and environmental education, while exemplifying the transformative role of Citizen Science in knowledge construction and in strengthening the relationship between science and society.
ISSN:1695-288X

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