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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Student participation in a coastal water quality citizen science project and its contribution to the conceptual and procedural learning of chemistry
ClearDesenvolvimento da literacia química de alunos do ensino básico
A Portuguese citizen-science project engaged over 500 middle-school students in testing coastal water quality and learning about microplastic pollution through hands-on chemistry investigations. The program significantly improved students' attitudes toward chemistry and their conceptual understanding of water parameters and polymers compared to a control group, demonstrating that microplastic science can be an effective hook for building broader scientific literacy in young people.
Citizen Science as a Pedagogical Tool in Chemistry Education: Students’ Attitudes and Teachers’ Perceptions
This study explored student attitudes toward chemistry and the effects of participating in a citizen science project on those attitudes. Citizen science is highlighted as a potential tool for building chemistry literacy and environmental engagement in young students.
Students’ attitudes towards the environment and marine litter in the context of a coastal water quality educational citizen science project
Middle school students who participated in a citizen science project monitoring coastal water quality and microplastic pollution showed significantly more positive environmental attitudes afterward compared to a control group. The study suggests that hands-on engagement with real microplastic research can be an effective way to build environmental awareness in young people.
Students’ Attitudes Towards Science: the Contribution of a Citizen Science Project for Monitoring Coastal Water Quality and (micro)plastics
This study found that middle school students participating in a citizen science project monitoring coastal water quality and microplastic pollution showed improved attitudes toward science, particularly in critical thinking and perceived scientific self-efficacy. Hands-on engagement with real environmental monitoring activities can effectively improve science literacy and positive attitudes toward environmental issues in young people.
Citizen Science Project's Contribution to Science Learning Outcome: Systematic Literature Review
This systematic review identified 19 types of citizen science projects that contribute to science learning at school and university levels, finding that six key learning outcomes are most commonly achieved, including content knowledge and scientific inquiry skills. This study is not related to microplastics but was included due to its systematic review methodology.
Citizen_Labs – conception and evaluation of a course on plastic waste and microplastic in adult education
Researchers conceived and evaluated a citizen science laboratory course on plastic waste and microplastics for adult education, examining how experiential learning formats can raise environmental awareness and scientific literacy about plastic pollution among non-specialist participants.
Developing and Implementing a Low-Cost, Portable Pedagogical Kit to Foster Students’ Water Quality Awareness and Engagement by Sampling Coastal Waters and Analyzing Physicochemical Properties
Educators developed and implemented a low-cost portable kit allowing students to sample coastal waters and measure water quality parameters to build environmental awareness. The initiative reached 440 students and showed that accessible, field-based learning tools can effectively engage young people with water quality issues.
Can we investigate microplastic pollution with school students? Experiences from eight years of citizen science research
Researchers reported on eight years of citizen science microplastic research conducted with school students through the Plastic Pirates program, sharing methodological experiences and lessons learned from involving more than 24,000 participants across Germany and other European countries in rigorous environmental monitoring.
The laboratory didactics in the training-learning processes of sea sciences applied to cultural heritage and environment: the case of "An Ocean of Science" project
Researchers evaluated an educational project called 'An Ocean of Science' that used marine science laboratory activities to develop practical skills and knowledge in secondary school students, focusing on cultural heritage in marine environments and ocean protection. Assessment of student engagement and learning outcomes across multiple laboratory sessions demonstrated that active, hands-on learning approaches effectively improved scientific competence and increased student awareness of marine environmental issues.
Citizen observation of plastic pollution in coastal ecosystems to address data gaps in marine litter distribution
Researchers launched the COLLECT citizen science project in seven African and Asian countries, training 15-18 year-old students to sample and analyze macro-, meso-, and microplastics in beach sediments using standardized scientific protocols, while simultaneously measuring shifts in ocean literacy and pro-environmental behavior to quantify the educational impact of the intervention.
Development and validation of an assessment for measuring chemical literacy in chemical equilibrium
A chemical literacy assessment was developed and validated for high school students studying chemical equilibrium, designed to measure how well students connect chemistry concepts to real-world phenomena including environmental chemistry and pollution. The assessment tool provided a validated instrument for evaluating chemistry education outcomes relevant to environmental awareness.
Detecting Microplastics in Soil and Sediment in an Undergraduate Environmental Chemistry Laboratory Experiment That Promotes Skill Building and Encourages Environmental Awareness
Researchers developed an undergraduate environmental chemistry laboratory experiment for detecting microplastics in soil and sediment using research-based methods, demonstrating that the exercise effectively builds analytical skills while increasing students' awareness of microplastic pollution and its environmental prevalence.
Service-learning
This paper is not directly about microplastics; it describes a service-learning pedagogy used at a Croatian chemistry faculty to teach environmental protection, with community-based projects as the primary focus.
Making citizen science count: Best practices and challenges of citizen science projects on plastics in aquatic environments
This paper reviews best practices and challenges for citizen science projects focused on plastic pollution in aquatic environments, finding that while citizen science can effectively gather large-scale data and raise public awareness, data quality and consistency remain significant challenges.
Citizen Science for Assessment of Microplastics on Beaches: A Case Study in Mexico
Researchers used a citizen science approach involving 26 volunteers to assess microplastic abundance and type on Mexican beaches, providing broad geographic coverage at lower cost than traditional monitoring. Participants used standardized materials and training to collect and identify microplastics, generating a representative database that also raised public awareness of coastal plastic pollution.
Can we investigate microplastic pollution with school students? Experiences from eight years of citizen science research
Researchers shared eight years of experience from the Plastic Pirates citizen science program involving over 24,000 school students and teachers in microplastic research across Germany, addressing challenges of contamination prevention, particle size, and sample processing in non-laboratory settings. The study evaluated the feasibility and scientific validity of engaging young citizen scientists in standardized riverine microplastic monitoring.
Have You Ever Seen a Microplastic? A Collaborative High School–Academia Approach for Identification, Quantification and Raising Awareness of Microplastics in a River Crossing Urban Area
Researchers designed a high school–university collaboration where students collected water samples from an urban river, identified microplastics by microscopy, and contributed to local pollution mapping — demonstrating that student-led citizen science can meaningfully advance microplastic monitoring while raising environmental awareness.
The potential contribution of citizen science data in the study of coastal microplastic and mesoplastic distributions
Researchers analyzed citizen science data from the Big Microplastic Survey to assess the potential contribution of volunteer-collected observations to understanding coastal microplastic and mesoplastic distribution patterns, evaluating data quality and spatial coverage relative to conventional scientific monitoring.
An Ocean of Science: an educational laboratory approach for the protection and preservation of the marine environment
An educational project called 'An Ocean of Science' developed laboratory activities for schoolchildren to learn about marine pollution, including microplastics, through hands-on scientific investigations. The program aimed to build scientific literacy and environmental awareness among students in multiple countries.
Paddle surfing for science on microplastic pollution: a successful citizen science initiative
Researchers used paddle surfers as citizen scientists to collect microplastic samples from near-shore coastal waters in the Mediterranean Sea, filling a gap in data from areas close to the coastline. The study demonstrates how citizen science can expand microplastic monitoring to locations that are difficult to access with conventional research vessels.
Observing Microplastics in the Environment through Citizen-Science-Inspired Laboratory Investigations
This paper describes three hands-on laboratory activities developed for high school students to extract, count, and identify microplastics from personal care products, water, and sediment samples, inspired by citizen science methods. The activities aim to increase students' environmental literacy and motivate engagement with the microplastics problem through direct experimentation. Engaging young people in microplastics science is important for building the next generation of environmentally aware citizens and researchers.
The potential for freshwater citizen science to engage and empower: a case study of the Rivers Trusts, United Kingdom
Researchers examined freshwater citizen science programs run by UK Rivers Trusts, finding that volunteer monitoring of water quality, plastic pollution, and invasive species effectively engaged communities and in some cases led directly to pollution source remediation.
Community-Engaged Research Projects in School Settings: Science Teachers’ Practices and Reflections
Not relevant to microplastics — this education research study analyzes how nine teachers implemented community-engaged research projects addressing environmental justice issues in their classrooms, focusing on pedagogy, student empowerment, and institutional challenges.
Pedagogical Purposes of Scientifical and Technological Literacy within Sustainable and Green Chemistry in the High School
This paper distinguishes between environmental, sustainable, and green chemistry and discusses how these frameworks can be integrated into high school science education. Teaching students about plastic pollution and its chemical impacts is part of developing scientifically literate citizens.