Contributors’ stories sought
Ben Brown wants to hear your perspectives on the changing biological recording landscape
The NBN Strategy 2015-2020 and accompanying Action Plan emphasise the crucial importance of volunteer recorders, including their recruitment, development of expertise, and access to streamlined tools for information and sharing of sightings. With shifts such as the trend toward online recording systems (e.g. BRC’s iRecord) likely to continue over the coming years, it is vital that we understand in turn how volunteer recorders have evolved, and what drives their continued participation in a changing ecology scene.
The NBN Secretariat will be joined by Ben Brown, a PhD student from Nottingham University later this year to focus on furthering our understanding of recorder motivations. Through questionnaires and conversations with volunteer recorders (particularly those using iRecord), Ben wants to hear recorders’ stories – why they first got involved through to today.
Ben is a PhD student with a background in psychology and an interest in citizen science, funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) to undertake the three-month project this winter. He hopes to delineate the varied motives for recording and continuing to record, as a resource for organisations recruiting and developing the expertise of volunteers.
Questionnaires seeking a broad, quantifiable picture will be disseminated to iRecord users and members of the National Biodiversity Network in October. The topics – e.g. rate of submission; amount of recording experience – are intended to provide a contextual framework supporting detailed narratives; therefore, the more responses received the better this picture will be.
Those respondents who agree may also be contacted to impart their narratives during a phone call. Interviewees will be given the opportunity to relate their experience and motivations as a volunteer recorder, with the goal being more focussed, in-depth accounts. Again, considering the diversity of recorders, everybody’s story would be valued.
Finally, Ben will be looking for opportunities to meet and get involved with the recording community, especially those who don’t use services like iRecord. He will be attending the NBN Crowdsourcing Data Capture Summit on the 25th September, and introducing his work via a flash talk at the NBN's Annual Conference – so anybody who can spare time for a chat would be well received!
Please contact Ben by email if you would like more information or would like to be involved in this project.
