Files
Abstract
In recent years citizen science has emerged as an influential avenue of inquiry with both educators and professional researchers. Traditionally, citizen science has been considered to be the process by which non-professional scientists participate in scientific research; although, this definition is expanding. This dissertation examines the use of citizen science as an educational context at Great Smoky Mountain Institute at Tremont to gain a greater understanding of how it may be incorporated into science teacher education and secondary science education. This study was framed by theoretical understandings of ecojustice and place-based education. Ecojustice philosophy includes attempts to balance the tensions between cultural and environmental systems by analyzing what resources should be conserved and how the use of these assets can be less damaging. Place-based education connects the ontological sense of place to educational constructs. The methodological framework for this study consisted of interpretive research design through the utilization of case study, interview, oral history and observation methods of study. Following thematic analysis using analytic induction three main themes emerged from the cross-case pattern analysis of the within case analysis and oral histories. The first theme was place as a fluid construction of the lived experience of occupants and visitors. GSMIT strives to enable each citizen science participant to develop his or her own unique relationship with Tremont and the park. The second theme was place as undergoing transition. While the physical location of GSMIT is the same for all visitors, over the years each of them will have had different instructors, classes, etc. The place of GSMIT is continually changing and as such individual interpretations and understandings of the place of Tremont will be different for every person. The third theme to emerge was that of citizen science contributes to an illusion of democratization. While some scholars have proposed that participation in citizen science programs will increase the democratization of science this study found that a clear divide remains between those who consider themselves scientists and those that dont. It seems as though citizen science participants continue to identify as technicians even if they have years of experience.