Leveling Up or Dropping Out: Searching for Learning Routines in Crowdsourced Environments

We explore patterns of interaction with different learning resources (e.g., forums) to predict learning outcomes in an online citizen science project called Gravity Spy. To explore how volunteers engage with and benefit from these resources, we classify them based on Sørensen's three forms of presence in learning environments—authority-subject, agent-centered, and communal presence. Methodologically, we apply sequence analysis to traces of volunteer interactions with the project to identify engagement patterns with these resources that predict learning. Our interpretation of these patterns is augmented by insights gleaned from interviews with volunteers about their work and use of learning resources. We find that early in the project, volunteers have only a simple task to learn, and completing that task is most predictive of their learning. At more advanced levels, when the task becomes more complex, discussions with other volunteers become important and interaction patterns become more varied. Viewing learning as a series of routines allows us to articulate precisely how and in what context learning occurs. We conclude by discussing the implications of these findings for designing citizen science projects that promote learning.