Mobile app prototype for citizen science:towards the development of complex thinking

Abstract

Mobile technology applied to citizen science has helped renovate its meaning and educational impact. Numerous apps collect data, identify species, monitor the environment, and educate and disseminate science, which can impact citizens' engagement and complex thinking, among other aspects. However, developing citizen-science-related apps is not yet considered a priority or standard to address in the design stage. Therefore, we present a case study on developing a citizen science mobile app whose prototype was evaluated through the eight components of the Threshold for Citizen Science projects. We offer the results of an online focus group that answered trigger questions regarding the app's objective and the development of complex thinking. The results showed the limitations and strengths of the prototype, leading to a better consideration of the components of the Threshold for a more comprehensive impact on its subsequent development. By documenting this case study and the evaluation process, we intended to support other studies seeking to apply the Threshold to evaluate the impact of citizen-science mobile applications.