Citizen Naturalists

Childhood and Nature advocate Richard Louv wrote recently about the need for Citizen Naturalists. Although his comment was made in reference to the adults who are interested in “salvaging threatened natural habitats and creating new ones”, the definition could as well include the young children we hope will grow into these needed adults. To the extent we are able to provide our Proto-Citizen Naturalists with opportunities to explore the natural world during the course of the school day, we are declaring this aspect of learning is as important as any other we promote.  Moreover, in a world with growing concern over the loss of after-school outside play and exploration, the school day for many students may provide the greatest opportunity for the outdoor experiences that fosters this development.   

A 2009 article entitled: Children’s Nature Deficit:What We Know – and Don’t Know (Charles & Louv) http://www.childrenandnature.org/blog/  has a long list of annotated findings such as:

• Children’s discretionary time at home is diminishing.
• Children spend increased time with media and multiple forms of media.
• International study suggests low rates of children’s nature experiences across many countries.
• Evidence of decreased mobility, reduced availability of natural areas, and restrictions placed on children’s activities in natural areas, suggests fewer opportunities to engage in the natural world.
• Children’s access to public play space has declined.
• Private and public land is increasingly restrictive regarding children’s free play.

However, one accounts for the information available on the changes in children’s outdoor experiences over the past few decades, it is doubtful many of us would argue that children are spending more time in outdoor play than did their parents. Nor would any parent or teacher deny the seemingly innate curiosity that young children demonstrate in the natural world.  Aside from the community loss that might result from a generation of children growing up with limited exposure to the natural world, it is a great personal loss to them if they are missing out on interactions with the natural world that can provide counter-balance to the fast paced digital one that is becoming the norm for modern life.

Having barely stepped into my new role as The Harley School's Citizen Science Coordinator, extensions of the Citizen Science concept beyond that of data collection and interpretation seems increasingly important. Even if students never share their outdoor experiences beyond classroom discussion, to the extent their innate curiosity about the natural world is maintained, I believe we all gain. For this reason, I am particularly excited about the possibilities that I am exploring with several primary teachers who have an equal interest in this area of curricular development. I welcome the input and experiences of others.

General References:

Richard Louy, (“The Nature Principle: Reconnecting with Life in a Virtual Age” and “Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder.”) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Louv

Children & Nature Network http://www.childrenandnature.org/

Spinning Out Ideas on Citizen Science

In my new position as N-12 Citizen Science Educator, the question begs: What is the relationship between Citizen Science and Citizen? Considering this question while peddling to nowhere in my 5:45 Spin Class, I recalled Palo Alto days in the late 60's. Nearby was the SRI (Stanford Research Institute) where I and my anti-Vietnam protestor friends assumed 'bad stuff' was going on. Perhaps our conviction was based more on emotion than fact. At least I can't recall anyone I knew undertaking a real investigation to find out other than reading radical street papers, but then we didn't have the easy access to information that exists today.

This morning, Wikipedia quickly provided me the following information:

• The trustees of Stanford University established SRI in 1946 as a center of innovation to support economic development in the region. SRI is now one of the largest contract research institutes in the world.
• In the early 1950s, Walt and Roy Disney consulted with SRI on their proposal for Disneyland in Burbank, California.^[20] S
• SRI also developed inkjet printing (1961) and optical disc recording (1963).
• This first true Internet transmission occurred on November 22, 1977, when SRI originated the first connection between three disparate networks. Data flowed seamlessly through a mobile van between SRI in Menlo Park, California and the University of Southern California in Los Angeles via London, England, across three types of networks: packet radio, satellite, and the ARPANET.^[48
• -The Vietnam War (1955–1975) was an important issue on college campuses across the United States in the 1960s and 1970s. As a belated response to Vietnam War protesters who believed that funding from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) made the university part of the military–industrial complex, the Stanford Research Institute split from Stanford University in 1970. The organization subsequently changed its name from the Stanford Research Institute to SRI International in 1975.^[50][51][52

^{Thus, it is seen that we were not wrong in our suspicions that SRI was contributing to the war via DARPA funding of military reserach. More importantly, it is clear that the "Citizen" action of students led Standford to formally sever ties with this organization. This is an aspect of Citizen Science that is not usually considered when the topic is discussed , that is, Citizens' responsibility to respond to the ethical implications of science research.}

^{As my job continues to unfold and be defined, I am wary of coming too quickly to a decision as what CS is and is not. But on the is side, I have added the work ongoing in the lower school to help students explore the meaning of Community Responsibility. This is undertaken in a variety of ways and I am focusing on the approach I've witnessed in one of the primary classrooms where both teachers are committed to a program called, Responsive Classroom. One of them, attended a two week summer training in the philosophy and application of this approach several years ago. At this time, both teachers have several years utilizing the Responsive Classroom approach which begins the first full week of school when the foundations are laid.  It will become a framework that supports all areas of classroom life throughout the year.}

^{More on this topic to come. Meanwhile here is a good starting place for very basic information:}

^{Responsive Classroom}