Open Science as a communication strategy in european citizen science projects and emerging tools
Keywords:
Open science; Citizen science; Scientific communication; European projects; Emerging tools;; Horizon 2020 and Horizon EuropeAbstract
Objective: To analyze the adoption of emerging communication tools in European R&D&I projects developed under the citizen science approach within the Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe programs, as well as to identify their main areas of application. Design/Methodology/Approach: An exploratory study based on case analysis was conducted using a purposive sample of 129 European projects. A codebook including eleven categories of emerging tools was designed and applied through content analysis, with intercoder reliability validation (PAo=94%; κ=0.80), complemented by descriptive statistical analysis. Results/Discussion: The findings reveal a high level of adoption of digital tools, particularly collaborative and crowdsourcing platforms (43.9%), citizen contribution tools (42.6%), and GIS viewers and dashboards (27.1%). These technologies reinforce participatory communication models based on open data and citizen engagement. In contrast, tools such as augmented reality, chatbots, and Big Data show limited adoption. Implementation is mainly concentrated in health sciences, computer science, and social sciences, reflecting an interdisciplinary ecosystem. Conclusions: The integration of emerging tools fosters a shift toward more participatory, inclusive, and impact-oriented communication strategies, where citizens play an active role in the production and dissemination of scientific knowledge. Originality/Value: This study provides a novel systematization of the implementation of emerging tools in communication strategies within European projects, offering empirical evidence to support decision-making in open science policies.
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