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Short Abstract

"CitizER Science in Action" is an educational workshop that integrates co-design, citizen science, and game thinking to engage teenagers in civic participation. Through co-creating citizen science app mockups, over 500 students enhanced digital skills, collaboration, and civic awareness.

Abstract

Engaging teenagers in citizen science is crucial for nurturing active, informed, and responsible citizens. In this light, we developed an educational workshop integrating three complementary approaches: (i) co-design, (ii) citizen science, and (iii) game thinking. This methodology aims to equip teenagers with conceptual and digital skills while fostering civic awareness and engagement.

The workshop follows a five-step structure: (1) introduction to key concepts and interactive quizzes; (2) warm-up activity (a hands-on citizen science experience); (3) co-design session for the group creation of low-fidelity mockups; (4) presentation of the co-designed mobile apps; and (5) evaluation through feedback and reflection. As a final outcome, participants co-design mockups of citizen science mobile apps addressing local social or environmental issues such as urban accessibility, sustainability, biodiversity conservation, or sustainable mobility and tourism.

By participating in these hands-on citizen science–related activities, teenagers experience a powerful threefold impact: (i) they develop new scientific and digital skills, (ii) they learn through practical, collaborative experiences, and (iii) they strengthen their sense of civic responsibility and belonging to their local territory. Such involvement transforms teenagers from passive learners into active contributors, fostering both personal growth and community well-being.

The initiative was implemented and evaluated within "CitizER Science", a project led by Agenda Digitale of the Emilia-Romagna Region, which promotes digital innovation and the expansion of citizen science practices, while supporting the use of open data in policymaking. Through this collaboration, we engaged more than 500 students aged 12 to 18 across several cities in the region.

Our findings reveal two main outcomes: (i) the workshop significantly enhanced teenagers’ perception of and engagement in civic participation, and (ii) the co-design process generated valuable insights and creative proposals for citizen science projects capable of empowering young people to actively contribute to their communities and local environments.