FSU Digitization Academy Development

Public Participation in Digitization of Biodiversity Collections

This course explores the design and management of projects that involve public participation in digitization, strategies for engaging and sustaining public involvement, and navigating the unique opportunities and complexities involved. This course is targeted at those already associated with a biodiversity collection, such as collections managers, curators, student technicians, administrators, or others. The course will be relevant to a diversity of collection types. Participants do not need prior knowledge of biodiversity informatics or specialized software.

Led by Austin Mast

Next offering: December 15, 2025

12 Hour course | Online | Free | Offered in English

The aim of this course is to empower participants with the knowledge and skills to successfully (1) identify and address the opportunities and additional complexity that public participation introduces to a digitization project at a biodiversity collection, including ethical and legal factors, (2) design a public participation in digitization project, including budgeting and risk management, (3) identify, evaluate, and use tools and online platforms in a public participation in digitization workflow, (4) identify and implement quality management strategies, (5) identify common participant motivations and strategies to recruit and engage participants in a project, including events, games, and online forums, (6) and perform evaluation of a public participation in digitization project.

Sample Syllabus

December 15, 2025 - December 18, 2025
M–R 1100–1230 & 1330–1500 ET

Application opens: Mon, Oct 27, 2025

Introducing you to the people behind the projects.

This course provides the opportunity to engage with a panel of experts representing different public participation platforms.

Panelists have included representatives from Biospex, SciStarter, Notes from Nature, From the Page, DigiVol, and the Smithsonian Digital Volunteers: Transcription Center.