A Framework for Articulating and Measuring Individual Learning Outcomes from Participation in Citizen Science

Since first being introduced in the mid 1990s, the term “citizen science”—the intentional engagement of the public in scientific research—has seen phenomenal growth as measured by the number of projects developed, people involved, and articles published. In addition to contributing to scientific knowledge, many citizen science projects attempt to achieve learning outcomes among their participants, however, little guidance is available for practitioners regarding the types of learning that can be supported through citizen science or the measuring of learning outcomes. This study provides empirical data to understand how intended learning outcomes first described by the informal science education field have been employed and measured within the citizen science field. We also present a framework for describing learning outcomes that should help citizen science practitioners, researchers, and evaluators in designing projects and in studying and evaluating their impacts. This is a first step in building evaluation capacity across the field of citizen science

Food system resilience measurement: principles, framework and caveats

There is growing recognition that a better understanding of how food systems respond to crises is critical to build and protect the food security of local populations. But rigorous and reliable methods to measure food system resilience are still missing. In this paper, we build on the current literature to develop an analytical framework aimed at assessing the resilience of food systems at local level. The novel element of the analysis lies in the levels at which resilience is considered. Combining the individual actor level with the notion of 'emergent properties' of food systems, we argue that the overall resilience of food system results from processes that take place – and need to be measured – at both individual and system levels. The framework is structured around three components: (i) the mapping of the actors and the local food system; (ii) the assessment of the resilience of these actors and that of the food system, and (iii) the outcomes of this resilience, assessed in term of local population’s food security. For each of those components, indicators are proposed and the ways to collect them are discussed. The paper then presents the types of analyses that would be necessary to complete to gain a better understanding of the situation regarding the resilience of the local food system under consideration, including the analysis of “positive deviance” among food system actors. The paper concludes with a series of reflections about the caveats and challenges that one may face when attempting to assess food system resilience

Constas, Mark A., The Changing Nature of Educational Research and a Critique of Postmodernism, Educational Researcher, 27(March, 1998), 26-33.*

Explains postmodernism and its influence on educational research; discusses three problems it poses--distinction, expistemological genre, and procedural infomality; critiques its reluctance to arrive at conclusions, to suggest practical implications, and to fall victim to its own desire to free inquiry from oppressive conditions

An audit of patients currently using legally acquired cannabis as a means of managing chronic pain

Introduction: Chronic pain constitutes a significant challenge to healthcare today. In Canada, it is estimated that it costs healthcare over $6 billion per year. This audit investigates the medically approved use of cannabis in the treatment of chronic pain in 29 patients at the Alan Edwards Pain Management Unit of the Montreal General Hospital (MGH). Methods: Twenty-nine patient charts were accessed at MGH. Relevant patient and usage information were collected from both patient charts and Marijuana Medical Access Regulations (MMAR) documents and compiled into a spreadsheet for analysis. Results: Information gathered from 19 males and 10 females revealed that chronic back pain was the most common cause of chronic pain. In addition to cannabis, 11 were currently taking prescribed narcotic medications, five were taking synthetic cannabinoids, and five were using over-the-counter medications. The remaining eight used cannabis alone as their primary means of managing pain. All patients reported improvements in pain after using cannabis. Conclusions: This audit suggests that cannabis can be effective at managing mild to moderate levels of pain in patients suffering from a variety of pathologies. Considering the economic, psychological and physical burden associated with pain, and the growing problem of prescribed narcotic dependency around the world, the need for further research into the uses of cannabis as an alternative method of pain management is clear.</p

Multidimensional Education Research: Managing Multiple Data Streams

We discuss collecting data simultaneously from many different instruments, including both qualitative and quantitative sources. A list of instruments used is provided, and data collection methods are described. Many practical logistical concerns are discussed, warning of potential pitfalls to be avoided. This article is intended to be a practical guide for other research groups wishing to use data from multiple sources, especially if they have not collected qualitative data before

Resilient food systems – A proposed analytical strategy for empirical applications

The food systems concept has attracted a considerable amount of attention as it provides an opportunity to better understand and represent the array of factors that explain food security in a comprehensive and holistic manner. The value-added proposition of food systems resilience is that the ability to respond to shocks and stressors may be incorporated into such explanations. The qualities that make food system resilience attractive, however, also make it difficult to model in empirical terms. This paper, by drawing on the literature of food systems and on the measurement of resilience, demonstrates how food systems resilience can be measured at a country level. Clustering countries into regions shows that North America and Oceania have the highest levels of food systems resilience, followed by Europe and North Africa and Western Asia. Food systems resilience is lower in Latin America and the Caribbean and South Asia and sub-Saharan countries exhibited the lowest levels of food systems resilience. In low- and middle-income countries, increasing market resilience plays a significant role in increasing overall food systems resilience. This working paper has been developed as a background document for The State of Food and Agriculture 2021 – Making agrifood systems more resilient to shocks and stresses

Measuring progress toward the Malabo Declaration goals in the midst of COVID-19: A measurement approach for a health systems-sensitive resilience score

As an outgrowth of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), the Malabo Declaration on Accelerated Agricultural Growth and Transformation for Shared Prosperity and Improved Livelihoods (AUC 2014) established both a clear strategic direction and a well-articulated set of agriculture-focused strategic priorities for Africa. Beyond the two overarching commitments to supporting the CAADP process and enhancing investments, the Malabo Declaration drew attention to the goals of achieving zero hunger, halving poverty, boosting intra-African trade in agricultural commodities and services, enhancing the resilience of livelihoods and production systems to climate variability and other shocks, and building mutual accountability to actions and results. With climate change pressures, much of the work on resilience, in connection with the Malabo Declaration and other initiatives, is justifiably based in weather-related shocks. The protracted and pervasive effects of a global pandemic have, however, altered the range of risks to which resilience may be viewed as a strategic response. The present chapter is therefore motivated by the need to explore how indicators related to the shocks and stresses caused by COVID-19 may be incorporated into the CAADP measurement process.PRIFPRI4; 1 Fostering Climate-Resilient and Sustainable Food Supply; 2 Promoting Healthy Diets and Nutrition for all; Feed the Future Initiative; ReSAKSSAF