Informal Learning and Citizen Science

Abstract

This dataset contains a random sample of 951 participants in UK citizen science projects. Two citizen science projects were identified by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) to be the settings for this research, which was undertaken in 2015. The Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) is the main monitoring scheme for non-breeding water birds in the UK, providing the data to evaluate the conservation of their populations and habitats. It began in 1947, and in 2015 had around 3000 volunteers participating in monthly counts at specific locations around the UK. The data collected are used to assess the size of water bird populations, determine trends in numbers and distribution, and assess the importance of individual sites. The Nest Record Scheme (NRS) gathers data on the breeding success of UK birds. Project volunteers find and follow the progress of individual birds' nests. The data collected are used to monitor trends in breeding performance among bird populations. These help to identify species that may be declining because of problems at the nesting stage. The NRS started in 1939 and in 2015 had around 660 active volunteers.

The online survey instrument for this project was devised by the project team in discussion with BTO staff. It drew upon existing surveys in the citizen science and informal science learning field, but additional questions were added to gather data on prior subjects studied, the influence of family and friends on participation in citizen science, and any impacts upon engagement in other science-related activities. The survey was piloted with a small number of BTO volunteers and revised in response to feedback. It was made available to volunteers between April and November 2015. A link to the survey was sent by the BTO to all volunteers contributing to WeBS and NRS. Two reminders were sent during the period that the survey was live. The response rate for NRS was around 38% and 23% for WeBS volunteers.