A database to collect pictures of animals and have them identified by the site community

Pro: picture driven, mobile app available, social media presence, site design, divided by groups

Con: login required

This is a site that allows you to play a few different games to help out with there projects. The site quotes “As you play, you’ll help classify plants, animals, and insects, and you’ll produce valuable scientific data to aid scientists in their work.”

Pros: The games are more for children but are at least some what interesting and it is a different concept then some citizen science projects. The website is fairly easy to navigate and most of the information you need is readily on hand.

Cons: The site takes a longtime to register, and it requires you to confirm your enrollment via e-mail.

Participants fold proteins in a game setup.

Pro: like the game idea, large community/social media presence, lots of information on site, updated content

Con: almost too much information on the site/messy

A site that helps you find projects. You can pick projects from activity type or topic type. The site is easy to navigate and it has plenty of different projects you can look through including projects that can be done online only. Does not require a login to allow you to browse through the projects. Cons: site does redirect you to other pages which may make you login.

This project asks for participants to log marine animal sightings found around Australia and post a picture.

Pro: interactive map showing pictures and locations, site design

Con: login required

This interactive project has viewers take a test to measure their number sense.

Pro: Can immediately take test, flexibility in length of time (5-20 minutes), immediate report of results available after the test (can see where your results fall), simple game to play

Con: The site seemed geared toward a younger audience, low sense of collaboration (lack of updates)

This project asks users to watch a particular plant over a time and report on changes it exhibits by sending it periodic reports.

Pro: Site is easy to navigate, options in involvment (ie. can submit a single report or regular reports)

Con: login required, site geared toward teachers (to involve students)

This project asks participants to submit a map of their yard in order to compile data to understand how that habitat affects native bird species.

Pro: Like the design of the site, interesting idea

Con: Not really in our target age range, login required

This project has participants add pictures of nature and uses its online community to help identify it.

Pro: Picture driven observations, sense of collaboration in identification process

Con: Login required, site is a bit disorganized

Using twitter, this group asks viewers to tweet their location and snow depth through a hashtag. They are collecting data for creating more accurate snowfall simulations.

Pro: Like the social media aspect, when I got on twitter there were several posts tweeted about the project and it led to discussion. An easy thing to tweet. They have an interactive map that looks at where tweets are coming from, and snow is falling. Website is pretty straightforward and easy to navigate.

Cons: Lack of reward for particpants, no feedback on ongoing research

This project tracks weather by asking users to download an app on their phone and send in periodic reports as weather occurs.

Pros: Very easy to use, I downloaded the app on my phone and sending in a report takes seconds- very straightforward. Gives a sense of helping meteorologists through the interactive map they have online that allows people to see their reports among others.

Cons: Don’t like site color, not very inviting. The content could also be more specific and ordered so easier to read. App is much better in design. To see the report you sent in among others you have to open a browser window, which I can do on my phone, but the quality would be better on a computer.

Another well established project where viewers look at various pictures of galaxies and help classify them.

Pro: Site is straightforward, consistent, easy to navigate. You can immediately start classifying and creating a login is optional if you want to keep track of your work.

Con: Not much information is given about why this work is important. What is the point of classification and how can the viewers feel like they are working for a bigger cause, no sense of reward/followup

This was basically the first citizen project and has a long established history (Since 1999). It is the subject in multiple articles we’ve discussed.

Pros: easy installation (listed as 2 steps), no login required (a download is though), well established project, updated site in terms of posts.

Cons: Lots of text on the website, don’t particularly like the web forum layout they have as their home page, lack of consistency in web layout (not a universal design)

Site for citizens to help develop nueral pathways in the brain. Con- Requires a download of special software and you do have to create a login. I have not yet been able to load the software on my work machine.

This collection of lessons and web resources is aimed at classroom teachers, their students, and students’ families. Most of these resources come from the National Science Digital Library (NSDL). NSDL is the National Science Foundation’s online library of resources for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education.

National Academy of Engineering issue of The Bridge on K-12 Engineering Education

Engineering is Elementary from the Boston Museum of Science