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Skill map

Module 2 – Session 4 – Activity 1

In this activity, participants assess the skills needed in a Citizen Science project and evaluate which skills they personally bring to the project. This will later help them to find a good balance of all the required skills when putting together the project team. The activity is suitable for researchers and citizens in a group or individual learning setting.

The activity trains participants to observe their own skills and evaluate the skills of their team. The activity also introduces them to the details of planning a Citizen Science project and prepares them for the actual team and project planning.

Materials needed

Duration and setting

  • Setting: Single or group work
  • Execution: 60 minutes

Process description – what has to be done

Step 1 – Warm up (10 minutes)

Think about your last projects and write down 3 things that went well and 3 that you didn’t like.

Step 2 – Your strengths (10 minutes)

Take the printed worksheet “Module2_4-1-skill_map.pdf” and start by marking the skills that you would classify as your strengths with a color. If more strengths come to your mind, add them to the sheet. Think about:

  • What are you really good at? What do other people ask you about because they know you are good at it?
  • What do you enjoy doing?
  • What motivates you?

Step 3 – What are you not so good at? (10 minutes)

Use a different color to mark the things you are not so good at. You can add additional items to the sheet again. Think about:

  • What do you find difficult?
  • What did not work in your last project?
  • Why didn’t it work?
  • What makes you dissatisfied?

Step 4 – Tasks and skills in a Citizen Science project (20 minutes)

Take the worksheet “Module2_4-1-Task_and_Skill_Assessment_Project“, which contains a list of tasks and skills commonly found in Citizen Science projects. Now think of your own Citizen Science project, go through the list and check:

  • What tasks can you do with your skills?
  • Which tasks can be done by your team?
  • For which tasks is there no one with the right skills?
  • Which tasks are not relevant for your project?

This list will help you later on to put together a suitable project team.

Step 5 – Reflect on the results (10 minutes)

  • What proportion of the project tasks can you and your team already cover?
  • What do you think of the open tasks? Is it realistic to find someone to take on these tasks?
  • Are there sections where you have the feeling that there could be more tasks that you do not yet have on your list?

Learning Outcomes – which skills are addressed?

The activity trains participants to observe their own skills and evaluate the skills of their team. The activity also introduces them to the details of planning a Citizen Science project and prepares them for the actual team and project planning.

How do you check the outcomes are reached?

The participants have completed both worksheets and have a clear idea of their skills and the skills of their team.

De-Briefing questions

  • What skills will you bring to your Citizen Science project?
  • What skills will your team bring to your Citizen Science project?
  • Which tasks cannot be taken on by you or your team?
  • How likely is it to find someone for the open tasks?

References – further information

 

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