Learning to teach science when science matters: teacher training in the age of citizen participation

​[[{“value”:”

CC-BY, provided by author

Abstract

We live in a world marked by climate crisis and scientific misinformation. In this context, the educational challenge lies in training future teachers capable of delivering meaningful science education. This document explores how citizen science, integrated into initial teacher training for primary education, transcends traditional models based on content transmission and moves towards active, contextualized, and socially relevant science education. Through educational experiences that connect universities, schools, and the community, preservice teachers learn not only scientific concepts but also how to design learning sequences in which children participate as producers of knowledge about their environment. In this way, citizen science emerges as a path to training teachers with the capacity to educate in, from, and for a world in transformation.

Training teachers for a world that demands answers

For decades, the teaching of experimental sciences in schools has been marked by the idea that science is objective, neutral, and detached from social problems. However, this view of science is no longer relevant in a world threatened by climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental pollution, among other issues. Therefore, teaching science today goes beyond explanation and the learning of concepts; it is essential to help future teachers understand the phenomena that directly affect daily life and the future of society.

Preservice teachers are walking along the riverbank looking for plastic. They are participating in the citizen science project Plastic Pirates. CC-BY, provided by author

Addressing this challenge is especially crucial in primary teacher training. Preservice teachers must foster the development of scientific competencies in their students, enabling them to interpret data, evaluate evidence, and make informed decisions when faced with real-world problems. In this context, citizen science emerges as an educational opportunity that deserves consideration.

Learning science through participation

Citizen science requires the participation of citizens in scientific processes, from collecting data (on biodiversity, air quality, or microplastics in rivers, for example) to formulating questions relevant to the local community. Although citizen science has traditionally been linked to research projects carried out by institutions, given its educational potential, there is a growing push to integrate it into educational curricula. In particular, when citizen science is integrated into initial teacher training, it transforms how future teachers engage with science. This approach involves learning about science by experiencing how scientific knowledge is constructed in real-world contexts, with uncertainties, methodological decisions, and social consequences. Thus, participating in citizen science projects allows for connecting academic scientific content with local environmental issues, giving meaning to learning.

Preservice teachers experiment with alternative materials to synthetic plastics. CC-BY, provided by author

University-school-territory relationship through citizen science

Among the benefits of citizen science, we can highlight its ability to build bridges between institutions and the community. For example, through projects related to environmental observation, future teachers come into contact with issues affecting their own community and social environment. It is precisely this connection with the local area that fosters a deeper understanding of environmental education as an educational practice committed to social reality. Furthermore, this allows student teachers to experiment with diverse teaching methods that they can later transfer to their classrooms, providing a quality science and environmental education. Therefore, it is clear that citizen science is not merely a one-off activity, but rather a way of understanding science education as a social practice. In this way, the classroom can become a space for research where students can formulate relevant questions and where scientific knowledge is not static, but rather under constant collaborative construction.

This experience is relevant for teachers, also contributing to the development of key professional skills such as collaborative work, critical data analysis, scientific communication, and an ethical and reasoned reflection on environmental issues. Furthermore, it challenges the notion that primary school students are “too young” to participate in authentic scientific activities, given the numerous educational experiences in which children actively participate in observing and analysing their environment when given the appropriate opportunity and guidance.

Preservice teachers develop teaching materials on environmental issues. CC-BY, provided by author

Conclusion

In the current context where individual and collective decisions have a direct impact on the planet, science education takes on an ethical dimension that must be addressed. Thus, the scientific training of future teachers must foster participation, responsibility, and commitment from all social actors through the creation of connections and synergies. These learning aspects are enhanced by the curricular integration of citizen science, which also allows for a coherent response to the challenges of a changing world.

In summary, teaching science today involves helping to understand the world around us and providing the ability to transform it. This requires training teachers who learn to view science through participation and engagement with their environment.

 

About the Authors

María Diez Ojeda holds doctorates in Experimental Sciences (2016) and Education (2025). Her profile integrates scientific research and pedagogical innovation. Her main interests focus on environmental sustainability, resource management, science education, active learning methodologies, and improving science and engineering education, with an emphasis on current environmental and educational challenges.

Miguel Ángel Queiruga Dios holds a degree in Physics from the University of Salamanca and a PhD from the Universities of Burgos (Physics Education, 2016) and Vigo (Integrative Teaching Approaches, 2025). He is Professor of Didactics of Experimental Sciences at the University of Burgos. He is Scientix Ambassador, European Climate Pact Ambassador, and member of the Board of Directors of the Physics Teaching and Outreach Division of the Royal Spanish Physics Society.

The post Learning to teach science when science matters: teacher training in the age of citizen participation appeared first on Scientix blog.

“}]]