Children as researchers - exchange in the ECSA working group ‘Learning and Education’

The ‘Learning and Education’ working group, which is part of the European Citizen Science umbrella organisation ECSA, consists of researchers, citizen science practitioners and citizen science organisations throughout Europe. Together, the members regularly exchange information on good practice and current developments in the field. On the main topic of ‘Children as researchers’, we presented examples from Sparkling Science projects and the Citizen Science Award 2025, in which children, in some cases from primary school onwards, are actively involved in research. The co-researchers contribute to the processing of research questions from the natural sciences, social sciences and didactics, among others, and are also involved in science communication and the dissemination of results. 

In the subsequent discussion, the participants raised questions about the feasibility of the programmes in the school context, the motivation of the participants and the results of impact analyses. The Austrian programmes are not only unique because of their long duration, but also because they create early points of contact with citizen science for a large number of children and young people.

Further information on the ‘Learning and Education’ working group

Further information on Sparkling Science 2.0

Further information on the Citizen Science Award