FieldScope is an interactive platform, run by BSCS Science Learning, which allows organizers of field studies to leverage sophisticated graphing and mapping tools to enhance existing and future citizen science projects. Participants of all ages and backgrounds can conveniently upload measurements, observations, and media to a shared project database.

Many citizen science projects ask participants to collect data, which is a great way to engage in authentic science. But there’s also so much to learn from analyzing data and understanding how observations contribute to the bigger picture. FieldScope allows project participants to do that. And the accompanying “Invitations to Inquiry” instructional activities guide students in how to use the FieldScope visualization tools to learn about where data are collected and what they mean. These activities support numerous aspects of the Next Generation Science Standards and the Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence.

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Citizen and community science is scientific research conducted, in whole or in part, by nonprofessional scientists. Citizen and community science is sometimes described as public participation in scientific research, participatory monitoring, or participatory action research. Its outcomes are often advancements in scientific research, as well as an increase in the public's understanding of science. Four common features of citizen and community science practice are: (a) anyone can participate, (b) participants use the same protocols so that data can be combined and is of high quality, (c) data can help real scientists come to real conclusions, and (d) a wide community of scientists and volunteers work together and share data to which the public, as well as scientists, have access. View more resources in the Citizen and Community Science PRO Picks collection >