Application deadline: 9 November 2026
Can a smartphone turn a walk in the park into a real contribution to global biodiversity research?
In this shared lecture, we will explore how citizen science is transforming the way citizens engage with the natural world.
Citizen science invites non-professionals to take part in authentic research by mobilising science process skills to collect, share and analyse real data. Biodiversity monitoring is one of its most successful fields: every observation, even from a backyard or a school garden, can feed international databases used by researchers and policy-makers.
During the session, participants will be introduced to two free, accessible and widely used digital tools: the Seek app, which supports real-time species identification through image recognition, and the iNaturalist platform, a global community where observations are validated and made available for scientific use. We will discuss how these tools can become a starting point for innovative teaching and learning strategies that connect species identification with broader reflections on ecosystems, sustainability and environmental citizenship.
Course Time
11h30 WET | 12h30 CET | 13h30 EET
Tutors
Sílvia Ferreira
Contact Hours
1
European Qualifications Framework (EQF)
Bachelor level (EQF6)
Prerequisites
Participants are kindly asked to install the free Seek app on their smartphone before the session.
Further information
Course Recognition
Attendance certificate upon request
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this shared lecture, students will be able to:
- Explain the concept of citizen science and describe its contribution to biodiversity monitoring at local and global scales.
- Use the Seek app and the iNaturalist platform autonomously to identify species, submit observations that can be validated by the community and engage with collaborative projects.
- Analyse critically the potential, limitations and ethical considerations of citizen science as a strategy for research and for teaching and learning.
- Reflect on possible applications of citizen science tools in formal, non-formal or informal educational contexts.
Literature & Materials
Powerpoint presentation; Mentimeter; Smartphone with the Seek app installed; Access to the iNaturalist platform (web or mobile)
Please note
Please be aware of the course timezone provided in the course description. Converting the course times to your timezone may be necessary to ensure your availability.
