Making meaning out of science: Using Nature's Notebook to engage citizens in exciting and relevant research

Background/Question/Methods

Many site-based educators (nature centers, Cooperative Extension, schools, arboretums) struggle with developing and implementing cohesive projects into their existing programming. Moreover, projects that are not meaningful to participants often have little or no long-term impact.

The USA National Phenology Network’s (USA-NPN) Education Program provides phenology curriculum and outreach to educators in formal, non-formal, and informal settings. Materials are designed to serve participants in grades 5-12, higher education, and adult learners. Phenology education can inform science, environmental, and climate literacy. 

Education and educator instruction materials were designed and field-tested to implement a long-term phenology-monitoring program, Nature’s Notebook (NN), at sites. Materials demonstrate how to incorporate monitoring for public visitors, long-term volunteers, and school groups, while meeting the goals of USA-NPN and the site. Materials encourage long-term data collection, interaction between educators, and offer information about how educators can ask and answer science questions.

Do site-based NN training materials engage students and meet NN and Master Gardeners (MG) objectives? Phenology monitoring was added to Pima MG Training during 2012, 2013. MGs receive 40-50 education hours and return 40-60 volunteer service hours annually. Using this case study as an example, this talk will demonstrate how to successfully implement NN at a site.

Results/Conclusions

The course was changed during the second year to better reflect participant needs. Year one content included phenology and observation using NN. Second year additions included ecology, biogeography, climate, and garden phenology applications. Both classes collected weekly data for NN and were offered an opportunity to review data during a follow-up lesson. 

Thirty percent of year one participants were very likely to continue NN observations while 48% of year two participants were very likely to continue. Forty percent of participants were very likely to attend an advanced training on NN and 55% of second year participants responded positively.    

Evaluations from year one indicated a need to be more explicit about phenology application in gardening. Comments included: “This does not seem helpful for MG, but…interesting,” “…information not relevant to helping…community garden.” Conversely after year two, students better understood phenology’s relationship to gardening. Comments included: “…makes you more aware,” “Very informative… motivate(s) me to record more than…when I hear the first cicada,” and “Phenology touches everything…brings to light…connecting you already know…tests your new insights [that will] make it more meaningful.”

In conclusion, effective education materials holistically and explicitly incorporate personal meaning. Directed content creation helps form an engaged volunteer corps.