In the article "A Threshold for Citizen Science Projects: Complex Thinking as a Driver of Holistic Development," the authors highlight how emerging technologies and community-driven initiatives have significantly advanced citizen science (CS) projects.
However, a gap persists in assessing the impact of these projects, particularly regarding the development of complex thinking skills—critical for societal engagement and aligned with the principles of Education 4.0.
In response, the authors propose a framework grounded in the Theory of Change (ToC) and Evidence-Based Educational Innovation (EBEI) methodologies to address this gap. This framework aims to establish a structured typology for CS projects, focusing on developing complex thinking competencies as a means to achieve a holistic and transformative impact on participants.
The study aims to provide a structured approach for CS projects, specifically through a typology that evaluates and promotes complex thinking within project participants. The research questions revolve around how CS projects can systematically incorporate complex thinking into their design and evaluation, what components are essential for tracking progress toward holistic outcomes, and how ToC principles can be leveraged to structure these projects for optimal impact.
The authors examine existing frameworks and trends in CS, identifying an emphasis on practical engagement but a lack of focus on fostering complex thinking as a core outcome. This exploration provides the foundation for proposing an eight-component typology, which includes aspects such as context awareness, citizen engagement, and infrastructure leverage.
The expected outcomes of this framework include facilitating the holistic development of CS participants by integrating the macro-competency of complex thinking, which encompasses critical, systemic, scientific, and innovative thinking skills.
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How to cite: Sanabria-Z, J., Molina-Espinosa, J-M., Alfaro-Ponce, B., & Vycudilíková-Outlá, M. (2022). A Threshold for Citizen Science Projects: Complex Thinking as a Driver of Holistic Development. RIED-Revista Iberoamericana de Educación a Distancia, 25(2), pp. 113-131. https://doi.org/10.5944/ried.25.2.33052
