Development of a Capstone Project Framework and a Policy Brief for Citizen Science Integration in Philippine Secondary Education

Development of a Capstone Project Framework and a Policy Brief for Citizen Science Integration in Philippine Secondary Education | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Development of a Capstone Project Framework and a Policy Brief for Citizen Science Integration in Philippine Secondary Education Genesis Parel, Danilo Jr. Soriano, Cynthia Lopez This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9254661/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 10 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Frameworks and policy guidelines regarding the integration of Citizen Science into high school curricula do not yet exist in the Philippine Science Education Context. Capstone Projects, a common culminating activity typically found in junior and senior high school programs, are a potential pathway for integration due to their highly immersive nature. This dissertation, therefore, birthed a framework for integrating citizen science through capstone projects. It was the result of conceptual and theoretical underpinnings translated to the current Philippine education climate, derived from data sequentially presented in the national survey of public-school science teachers, the evaluation of their learner project output samples, and hidden narratives from these samples’ proponents. In turn, the framework served as the basis for creating a policy brief geared to ensure the effectiveness of citizen science embedding. capstone projects citizen science mixed methods framework policy brief Introduction The technological era has evolved into a landscape of updates that only innovative approaches can make science education adaptable to its ever-changing nature. Among these innovative approaches, citizen science offers a promising avenue for enhancing student engagement, developing research skills, and applying scientific inquiry in real-world contexts. The definition of citizen science dates back to Dickinson et al. ( 2010 ), who state that it refers to the participation of the general public in scientific research processes (Çakar Özkan, 2022). Citizen Science is flexible and complementary to other innovative Science Education strategies, such as integrating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Capstone projects can serve as a pathway for citizen science by engaging learners in real-world scientific research that contributes to community-based data collection and problem-solving. Capstone projects are often implemented in science-oriented curricula such as the Special Science Program (SSP) in Junior High School and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) in Senior High School. It initiates learners in pursuing solutions to problems that range from environmental monitoring and biodiversity assessments to public health studies and other community-driven research areas, where students collect and analyze data alongside professional scientists or local stakeholders. However, for capstone projects to effectively integrate citizen science, educators must provide proper guidance, alignment with curriculum standards, and access to relevant scientific networks. Existing policy frameworks on citizen science, such as those from the European Commission, UNESCO, and the U.S. (Green Deal Projects Support Office, 2024; Australian Citizen Science Association, 2021 ; and Crowdsourcing and Citizen Science Act, 2017), focus on large-scale, technologically supported projects but lack emphasis on localized educational integration, particularly in secondary education (Bonney et al., 2021 ; Haklay et al., 2021). As with other approaches, the successful integration of Citizen Science requires a well-structured framework. The Philippines has initiatives such as the PINAS Project and the Citizen Science Network, as well as governance-related civic participation policies (Philippine Space Agency, 2023 ). Despite these efforts, there is currently no comprehensive framework for integrating citizen science into the formal education system. The aim of the study was therefore to design a capstone project framework for integrating citizen science in secondary education in the Philippines based on science teachers’ research skills, learner capstone project evaluation, and learner feedback. The study surveyed the science teachers nationwide, as effective capstone project implementation requires them to have a sufficient research background and skills. It also analyzed sample learner research outputs, serving as the link between teacher and learner perspectives in the Capstone Projects. Proponents of these submitted research outputs were traced and contacted for interviews. It resulted in a framework for Capstone Projects as a pathway for embedding citizen science in the Philippine Science Education Setting. The said framework, in turn, served as a basis for a policy brief that lays the groundwork for education policy implementers in the country. Methods The researchers employed an explanatory sequential research design, utilizing quantitative data collected through surveys of public high school science teachers nationwide, with a primary focus on their research background, specifically their research skill level, and their awareness and engagement with citizen science. The quantitative data also includes collecting sample learner capstone project outputs from the pool of respondents for evaluation by recruited experts. The quantitative data were then supplemented by qualitative data in the form of interviews conducted with proponents of the submitted learner capstone projects, which resulted in a rich narrative of the lived experiences of composite learners on their journey to completing their research. The data collection began by disseminating the survey to the respondents across the region through Google Forms. The research utilized a validated questionnaire that collected data relevant to their research skill level, primarily their research attitudes (using the R-ATR Scale by Papanastasiou, 2024), writing experience, and citizen science engagement. It accumulated responses that were further screened through post-hoc stratification, with the region serving as the stratum. A total of 88 science teacher responses were used in statistical analyses, as calculated by G*Power Statistical Analysis. In a linear regression model, the predictors of research skill level relevant to decision-making for improving the current population's capstone project implementation and integration of citizen science were identified. A total of ten sample research outputs were evaluated by recruited experts with a validated analytical rubric, taken from this official sample population. The output was evaluated in terms of clarity and Structure, Research Design and Methodology, Data Analysis and Interpretation, Overall Quality of Writing, and Citizen Science Engagement. It was then correlated with the research skills of the teacher-respondents who submitted the sample outputs, linking the teacher factor to how it translates to their learners as they pursue the project. Finally, the researchers contacted the proponents of the evaluated research paper for an online interview. To protect their privacy and ensure that no identifiable information is included in the study, similar narratives were merged to create composite personas using ChatGPT and Meta AI. The researchers served as the primary instrument for this aspect of the study. The qualitative data extracted from these participants reveal hidden dimensions in the overall view of the capstone project execution. Results Over a 4-month data-collection period, quantitative data were collected from the population of public high school science teachers nationwide. Their demographic profile is summarized in Table 1 , as shown below: Table 1 Profile of Public High School Science Teachers (n = 88) Variable Category F % Age 19–29 Years Old 20 22.70 30–39 Years Old 26 29.50 40–49 Years Old 23 26.10 50–65 Years Old 19 21.60 Sex Male 64 72.70 Female 24 27.30 Years of Teaching Experience 0–5 Years 19 21.60 6–10 Years 24 27.30 11–15 Years 15 17.00 More than 15 Years 30 34.10 Highest Educational Attainment Bachelor’s Degree 47 53.40 Master’s Degree 36 40.90 Doctor’s Degree 5 5.70 Field of Specialization Biology 18 20.50 Physical Science 9 10.20 General Science 48 54.50 Physics 8 9.10 Chemistry 5 5.70 Meanwhile, their research background was also identified, which is summarized in Table 2 : Table 2 Research Background of Public High School Science Teachers (n = 88) Variable Category f % Research Writing Experience Minimal 50 56.8 Developing 24 27.3 Proficient 11 12.5 Advanced 3 3.4 Citizen Science Awareness and Engagement Limited 86 97.7 Moderate 1 1.1 High 1 1.1 Attitude and Perception Towards Research Positive 3 3.4 Neutral 18 20.5 Slightly Negative 47 53.4 Negative 13 14.8 Very Negative 7 8 Level of Research Skill Needs Significant Improvement 5 5.68 Basic and Limited 5 5.68 Developing 42 47.73 Strong 27 30.68 Expert-Level 9 10.23 The researchers further assessed the relevance of these variables as predictors of research skill acquisition through a multiple linear regression analysis: Table 3 Model Coefficients for Level of Research Skill Predictor Estimate SE t p Intercept ᵃ 69.52 21.39 3.25 0.002 Age -0.32 0.48 -0.66 0.509 Years of Teaching Experience -0.01 0.52 -0.01 0.992 Research Writing Experience 0.36 0.12 3.32 0.001 Citizen Science Engagement 5.16 4.29 1.20 0.233 Attitude -1.70 3.73 -0.46 0.649 Sex: Male – Female -1.78 4.76 -0.37 0.709 Highest Educational Attainment: Master's Degree – Bachelor's Degree 0.05 4.32 0.01 0.990 Doctor's Degree – Bachelor's Degree -18.41 10.32 -1.79 0.078 Specialization: Physical Science – Biology -3.35 7.83 -0.43 0.670 General Science – Biology 0.58 5.55 0.11 0.917 Physics – Biology -14.05 8.23 -1.71 0.092 Chemistry – Biology 13.98 10.32 1.36 0.179 ᵃ Represents reference level R R² Adjusted R² Overall Model Test F df1 df2 p 0.51 0.26 0.14 2.20 12 75 0.02 Meanwhile, Table 4 shows the result of the evaluation of ten learner capstone projects. Table 4 Sample Learner Capstone Project Output Evaluation Result Sample Project Back-ground Clarity Research Design & Methodology Data Analysis & Interpretation Overall Quality of Writing Citizen Science Engagement Final Rating 1 Developing Not Evident Not Evident Not Evident Not Evident Not Evident 2 Exemplary Exemplary Competent Exemplary Not Evident Competent 3 Developing Developing Developing Competent Beginning Developing 4 Proficient Competent Developing Competent Beginning Developing 5 Competent Competent Developing Competent Not Evident Developing 6 Competent Developing Developing Beginning Not Evident Beginning 7 Proficient Competent Proficient Competent Developing Competent 8 Competent Competent Beginning Beginning Not Evident Beginning 9 Exemplary Proficient Competent Proficient Not Evident Developing 10 Proficient Proficient Competent Proficient Proficient Developing The evaluated research project outputs mirror current teacher research skill level, as confirmed by Spearman’s Rank Order Correlation Results shown in Table 5 below: Table 5 Correlation Between Teacher Research Skill and Capstone Project Quality Variables Teacher Research Skill Level Capstone Project Quality Rating Teacher Research Skill Level Spearman's rho — df — p-value — Capstone Project Quality Rating Spearman's rho 0.851** — df 8 — p-value 0.002 — Note. * p < .05, ** p < .01, *** p < .001 Meanwhile, qualitative data were taken from the proponents of the evaluated outputs. Table 6 (shown below) illustrates the emerging themes extracted from the learner’s experiences, highlighting sample significant statements: Table 6 Synthesis of Emerging Themes Across Aspects Emerging Themes Codes Illustrative Participant Statements Motivation and Future Orientation Extrinsic to Intrinsic shift; Aspirations; Regrets; Intrinsic Interest “I got interested in joining the project because I was curious about how we could make a recyclable bottle out of natural starch… my motivation grew stronger as I saw the potential impact our research could have on reducing plastic waste and promoting sustainability.” – Ivan. "Coding became so infuriating that we almost gave up… we need to finish this because it's a requirement." – Joe Lee. Deepened Understanding of Research and Science Research goals, Conceptual growth, Scientific inquiry skills “Our goal wasn't just to make something that worked, but to contribute to a more sustainable future.” – Ivan "It deepened my understanding of how some of our blood vessels aid in cancer growth." – Lorenz. Skills Development (Technical, Analytical, Digital, Writing) Methods mastery; Research process struggles; Writing/data handling “I learned different ways to disinfect materials… and how to use statistical tools like ANOVA and Tukey’s test.” – Chloe "I learned how to use SPSS and Excel to analyze data, as well as how to organize my team through Drive, Notion, Discord, and the G Suite." – Kylie. "My inefficiency in searching for related studies and literature was my greatest weakness." – Ivan. Collaboration, Leadership, and Social Learning Teamwork; Peer learning; Leadership; Teacher/ mentor guidance; Professional/ external support; Family support “Working with my group taught me the value of collaboration. We helped each other… and sharing ideas really improved our process.” – Ivan. "Our research teacher was also a big help; she did not pressure us but instead guided us into the right path." – Bea. "We had financial and emotional support from our family to cheer us up to finish the project." – Deo. Resilience, Integrity, and Personal Growth Coping with challenges; Ethics; Self-concept; Self-awareness "We kept researching, testing, and learning from our mistakes… The experience taught us valuable lessons about resilience, problem-solving, and teamwork." – Ivan. "It changed my life, my perspective, and my goals. It made me become the person I am today." – Bea. Experiential and Real-World Learning Hands-on engagement; Real-world relevance; Recognition & Validation “This felt more hands-on and real compared to regular lessons… it was more engaging.” – Ivan. "Our work was acknowledged by our esteemed panelists… who encouraged us to present it outside our campus." – Kylie. Discussion Table 1 shows that, overall, the population is diverse, particularly in terms of age and years of teaching experience. The Science Teacher population is multi-generational and male-dominated (72.70%), as are other science-related fields. Only a few have pursued postgraduate education (5%), and General Science is the most common field of specialization (54.50%), indicating a shift in the teacher education curriculum toward a spiral approach. The balance between novice and experienced teachers offers an opportunity to assess how different levels of teaching maturity interact with research competency and citizen science engagement. Meanwhile, as shown in Table 2 , more than half (56.8%) of the population has minimal research experience, and the population decreases as research experience increases. Philippine studies have reported that most Public School Teachers engage in research primarily to comply with institutional or DepEd requirements, rather than as a sustained scholarly practice (Flores, 2024 ; Palad, 2022; Morales, 2016 ). The findings suggest that many are relatively new to the service and are therefore beginning their research journey. Furthermore, almost all of them have limited awareness or knowledge regarding citizen science, at 97.7%. With these low levels of Citizen Science engagement, science teachers may struggle to expose learners to authentic, community-based scientific inquiry, thereby reducing the potential for integrating participatory science into classrooms. Regarding their attitude and perception of research, the majority have a slightly negative attitude (53.4%). As explained by both local (Oestar & Marzo, 2022 ; Hero, 2023 ) and foreign studies (Vrikki & Papanastasiou, 2024 ), research is often perceived by teachers as an additional burden rather than a meaningful professional practice, which may hinder their willingness to engage in scholarly or classroom-based inquiry. This negative disposition towards research may be evocative of barriers that diminish teachers' confidence and strengthen their resistance to engaging in research, such as a lack of time, training, and institutional support. Finally, the respondents' self-reports on their research skill level indicated that most are at the developing level, at 47.43%, followed by the strong research skills level, at 30.68%. Although this is a good indication that the population is research-oriented, it also marks areas for improvement, such as research planning, gaps in methodology, analysis, and sharing results. Table 3 presents the results of the multiple linear regression analysis of factors related to the level of research skill. It revealed a significant model, albeit with limited predictive power (Adjusted R² = 0.142). Nevertheless, research writing experience was the only significant factor in determining research skill level (p = 0.001), indicating a positive relationship between the two. Research competence develops progressively through active engagement in research activities. The lack of a significant effect on citizen science engagement is consistent with the framework, which notes that citizen science is still in its early stages of development in Philippine secondary schools, so teachers’ low engagement levels do not yet significantly influence skill acquisition. As noted in Table 4 , no project achieved an Exemplary overall rating, indicating a need for enhanced mentoring in methodology, data analysis, and the broader application of citizen science. It was a compelling quantitative extension to the teacher survey and regression analysis, further revealing critical alignments between teacher capacity and student outcomes: While most projects demonstrate acceptable background clarity and basic methodology, they struggle with data analysis, revealing systemic deficiencies. In terms of writing quality, the evaluation yielded mixed results, with some projects rated as Proficient, but many exhibiting inconsistent formatting, citation errors, and varying depth. Overall, only a few stood out. The evaluators also noted incorrect citation and referencing, overuse and misuse of the t-test and ANOVA (Single-Factor), and a varying format across project samples. Table 5 pinpoints a strong positive relationship (Spearman's rho = 0.851) and a highly significant correlation (p = 0.002) between Teacher Research Skill Level and the Quality of the Capstone Project Results for their Learners. Teachers' limited confidence in their own research competencies constrains their ability to guide students toward ambitious, participatory projects. In turn, students produce outputs that are school-centric rather than community-embedded. Despite pockets of competence in basic research design and written presentation, the almost universal absence of citizen science engagement underscores a structural gap in how inquiry is currently framed and supported in the DepEd Public High School System. Uncovered from these evaluated projects, as summarized in Table 6 , were participant narratives that richly described the complexity of experiences learners can derive from pursuing capstone projects, marked by the interplay of numerous contrasts: challenges and breakthroughs, the development of both intrapersonal and interpersonal growth, and the integration of theoretical knowledge and practical application. As Bea, one of the composite participant personas, stated: "It broke me at times, not only mentally but also financially and physically. But in the end, it strengthened me." To Ivan, it taught them "valuable lessons about resilience, problem-solving, and teamwork." Collectively, their narratives describe capstone projects as multidimensional learning experiences situated within a context of systemic constraints and opportunities where passive knowledge reception moves beyond toward an active, inquiry-driven stance (“Somehow, I feel like I am the one who can break the cycle and present new ideas… projects to advance our technology or way of living.” – Deo). When learners connect their projects to real-life problems and find meaning relevant on a personal level, their motivation intrinsically evolves to complete them with enhanced self-perception and development of 21st-century skills: “Cancer is a worldwide issue… Using this plant in my research made the work deeply personal and gave me a stronger sense of responsibility…” – Lorenz. “This plant pollutes our rivers… at that time, alcohol was one of the most important things in my life because of what happened during COVID-19.” – Bea. “I get to experience so many things in their laboratory that I even considered becoming an agriculturist or something.” – Kylie. Teachers are shown to provide scaffolding support that helps students navigate challenges and develop self-efficacy. Like how Chloe characterized it: From my research teacher, I learned that being accurate and disciplined can really improve our results… Aside from that, she helped immensely in revising our paper to make it the best it could be, making the process less stressful and leaving me with the impression that research can also be fun with proper support from the right people. Bea’s testimony illustrated how guidance was internalized over time: “I may not always express how grateful I am, but I truly appreciate everything our teacher taught us—not just about research but about leadership and responsibility. There is a clear indication that science teachers are capable of scaffolding. However, necessary improvements are imminent to further cater to the research progress among learners. For instance, Joe Lee narrated that while his adviser gave checkpoints to ensure accuracy, the facilitation was more supervisory than pedagogical in nature: They can only give their "constructive" criticisms. Our adviser also told us from the start that, being a chemistry major by profession, she couldn't really help us with coding and programming. As Phillips & Harris ( 2018 ) explained, teachers must integrate content mastery with effective teaching strategies. According to Joe Lee's feedback, the pedagogical dimension was underdeveloped. This echoes the survey results, which show that while teachers demonstrated some strengths in planning, their gaps in mentoring, methodology, and analysis made their role primarily supervisory rather than developmental. Chloe's account offers one of the strongest cases for how project-based learning can mask teacher inadequacy as a constructivist through learner motivation: Instead of just listening to lessons or answering written activities, I was able to apply what I learned in a hands-on way. It was more engaging because we weren’t just memorizing facts; we were experimenting, observing, testing, and proving them ourselves. Her use of statistical tools, despite her teacher's acknowledgment of unfamiliarity with them, demonstrates an advanced understanding of scientific analysis rarely achieved in traditional public-school classrooms. Her self-driven persistence rings Bandura's (1997) concept of self-efficacy; however, as Golumbic et al. ( 2022 ) note, teachers should intentionally nurture sustained participation and positive experiences, rather than leaving them to chance. Chloe's independent pursuit of advanced statistical work marks a significant distinction between student capacity and the limitations imposed by teachers’ underdeveloped research skills, as confirmed by quantitative data, which indicate that such practices are seldom extended beyond required academic outputs. Lorenz revealed another systemic weakness: access to resources. “We conducted a phytochemical screening ourselves with the help of medical technologists at a lab in the nearby city at our own expense.” His learning in cancer biology was rich and meaningful, but his dependence on external labs, while a good starting point for citizen science, arraigns the public schools for their inadequacy in providing laboratory equipment. What shines in his narrative is his strong moral principles, as he affirmed, "Even if the project had numerous failures, the most rewarding aspect for me is that we maintained intellectual integrity and did not falsify our results.” This embodies Rasmussen’s ( 2019 ) call for ethical, responsible research practices in citizen science. Regardless, this perseverance came from personal commitment in the face of institutional scarcity. Deo’s journey illustrates both cumulative growth and systemic gaps. He emphasized the rigor of research writing, “ The background of the study or the RRL is the most time-consuming aspect… each line of information should be substantial, correct, and accurate." His three projects over the years gradually built his competence. However, this reliance on repeated trial-and-error across multiple cycles evokes the absence of progressive, scaffolded research instruction in the public school system. His love for experimentation and honesty in robotics signals co-creation of knowledge (Haklay et al., 2014), but his development was largely self-directed, echoing Kirkpatrick’s ( 1994 ) assertion that learning only becomes meaningful when applied in real-world contexts. Again, teachers’ limited research training and lack of methodological mastery—as surfaced in survey data—meant that students like Deo had to advance by repeated self-correction rather than guided growth. Among all the challenges, financial obstacles are the most significant concern, particularly since these participants attended a public school where free education is strictly implemented to promote inclusive learning. Deo recalled, "The main obstacle I encountered in my SIP back in 9th grade was the financial aspect, which led to frustration.” Bea was more explicit about the cost and their group’s exhaustion: We visited a lab several times for research... It was not only costly—it was physically and mentally exhausting, too. Each trip, each experiment, and each data we collected cost us so much time, effort, and energy. We were so tired that there were times we felt that just being there was an achievement. The cost and effort required to complete a research project are points worth pondering. With these issues, the question leaves the education sector in a dilemma about whether research should be incorporated into high school science curricula. Meanwhile, professional support and external resources tangibly manifested in ways that enriched learners' research experience. Joe Lee acknowledged: We sought help from IT professionals, engineers, and even our computer teachers for the project…Through brainstorming with them, I gained valuable insights that I wouldn't have considered on my own. This experience had a profoundly positive impact, making it possible to complete. In these projects, scaffolding from teacher support alone may not be sufficient. Linkages alleviate these situations. As Joe Lee shared: We are lucky because our group members happen to have connections, while other groups really struggled, especially financially, just to finish their data collection. I remembered feeling relieved that we didn’t experience stress looking for labs that were willing to accommodate us. Bea's sentiments perfectly illustrated his last statement. She was ambivalent about the experience because while the external support was evident, it was unbecoming: Although I couldn’t forget how humiliating they made us feel when we were working in the lab, I will not deny that culturing our microorganism was enough to persevere and tolerate them…. Wearing a lab gown and gloves made me feel like a professional… In contrast, Kylie recalls her luck with finding support from external stakeholders, much as Joe Lee similarly experienced: “…fortunately, Ms. Janet from the Department of Agriculture simplified the procedure by walking us through each step of the experiment.” In instances when support from either teachers or external experts was lacking, participants relied on self-directed learning. Ivan shared: “Online resources and research articles helped us understand how starch behaves as a material.” Joe Lee seconded: “We had to rely on online resources and ‘Indianos' (Referring to Indian Engineers/Technicians Doing Tutorial Content) on YouTube. These tutorials were really a lifesaver.” Lorenz highlighted, “The internet and the use of AI greatly helped me in doing the project.” Throughout the participant responses, teamwork often supplements their stories, which strongly emphasizes how capstone projects shape the collaboration skills of learners, along with other 21st -century skills. “Working with my group taught me the value of collaboration. We helped each other through challenges, and sharing ideas really improved our process.” – Ivan. “Working with others expanded my knowledge in various areas...” – Joe Lee. “Dividing the tasks showed me how important teamwork and communication are.” – Chloe. Overall, as long as it successfully allows learners to find meaning in the real world and at a personal level, it outweighs the challenges. Deo perfectly summarized this: In its totality, the whole research experience was, by definition, a rollercoaster ride, full of ups and downs, twists and turns. That said, it has given me a lot of valuable insight into group management, as well as a sneak peek into the things I need to learn and work with once I take up a BS in Computer Science. The current status of public-school science teachers relevant to Capstone Projects, and the resulting learner outputs, as supported by learner experiences from these projects summarized in Table 6 , established the key elements in the resulting framework that depict how it should embed citizen science to improve the quality of Capstone project implementation, which further discusses areas of concern through recommended policies, expounded below: Citizen Science: The Vision. Citizen Science transforms capstone projects into community-oriented applications of science for learners. When capstone projects are framed in this way, educators gain multiple perspectives on learners’ progress, from selecting problems to solve, to working on their progress against external factors and internal conflicts, to the resulting output itself. Best practices from established international policies relevant to citizen science could be adopted. Reviewing these frameworks helped model the requirements for the capstone project. Formal partnerships with external experts are what link capstone projects to citizen science. Golumbic & Oesterheld ( 2023 ) synthesized ten essential elements for citizen science projects: 1) Overview that discusses the Project Rationale, 2) Goals for Joining the project, 3) Perceived Impact of Joining the Project, 4) Activities that will be Undertaken in the Project, 5) Target Audience, 6) Benefits of Participation, 7) Joining Mechanics, 8) Training and Resources; 9) Access to Results; and 10) Recognition for contributors. These elements should be clearly established between the school and the participating external sources of science experts prior to the learner's exposure to the capstone project experience. The extent of integration, learner participation, research quality, and partnerships formed determines the success of the projects as an embodiment of citizen science. To monitor holistic project quality, schools should designate Citizen Science Coordinators for overseeing compliance with the framework. Science Teachers: The Soul . Teachers are the soul that breathes the project's character and identity. Science teachers currently have limited knowledge of citizen science, although they usually possess research skills developed through their education and commitment to lifelong learning. Nevertheless, research writing experience positively predicts their research skill level, akin to the needs of facilitating capstone projects. Strengthening such experience will equip them to ensure that they can accommodate whatever project theme their learners choose to pursue, even if it strays from their field of science specialization. Capstone Projects is deeply rooted in constructivist approaches, primarily project-, problem-, and research-based learning. They require a solid research foundation, encompassing the identification of problems, the selection of methodologies, the collection and analysis of data, and the effective communication of results (Flick, 2018 ; Cohen et al., 2018 ; Johnson et al., 2017). Its focus on cognitive growth makes it adaptable to various taxonomies, especially Bloom's. This foundation stems from science teachers' skills, particularly in their ability to tailor projects to the diverse fields of interest of learners, parallel to their career paths. Their skills should be sufficient to handle scientific research projects, ranging from life sciences to materials science, robotics and intelligent machines, and data science. As the study revealed, current science teacher research skills indicate a need for improvement in areas that include citation and referencing, mastery of statistical tools and data analysis, and aspects of designing methodologies. Learners transform from novice to expert (Lyon, 2015 ) with sufficient teacher knowledge for research and pedagogy that goes hand in hand with both stakeholders' mastery of technology. This means they should demonstrate mastery of productivity tools, educational technology, and expert management of authentic writing, plagiarism checking, and AI use. These teacher skill sets translate to learner competencies and the resulting project output. In developing the necessary skills, attitudes towards research can influence overall perception (Vriki & Papanastasiou, 2024; Oestar & Marzo, 2022 ). However, research writing experience remains the most crucial factor, with output evaluation often being the central focus, particularly on research content quality (Sasipraba et al., 2020 ). Pursuing higher education facilitates skill acquisition, but enrichment activities, such as research writing experiences, ultimately remain the most significant contributors to this process. Hence, capacity building shall be implemented through a tiered professional development program at the school, division, and national levels that expound these skill sets. Furthermore, they should be trained with just compensation in facilitating annual Citizen Science Bootcamps in partnership with local universities, where learners will be trained in field data collection, digital platforms (e.g., iNaturalist, Zooniverse), and research ethics (Adopting and Preparing ISEF Forms). The outcomes of this component are expected to yield a corps of teachers who are not only proficient in guiding research but are also actively publishing outputs. Learners: The Heart. Pursuing capstone projects is an active involvement of learners who are the reason for the project’s very existence. Motivation is a crucial factor that drives individuals to complete their studies, where they must experience ownership to make the overall experience meaningful (Phillips et al., 2019; MacLeod & Scott, 2021 ). The process is also driven by constant scaffolding from stakeholders, starting with teachers, gradually giving learners independence (Çakar Özkan; Richardson et al., 2022; Yohannes & Chen, 2021 ). By the end of the project, confidence should have been powerfully demonstrated through collaboration with peers, other researchers, institutions, and communities (Haklay et al., 2014, 2020 ). Protecting learners' motivation should therefore be a priority. All forms of support are needed, ranging from top-down (DepEd, LGU) to bottom-up (schools, local groups), with clear roadmaps for scaling. The roles of teachers are crucial in applying long-term strategies, as School administrations spearhead the creation of research clubs and interest groups as recognized student organizations. They should also regulate ethical practices and release standardized paper templates. True to the no collection policy, these should be supported by seed funding from MOOE allocations or local partnerships. Learners should receive reimbursement for unavoidable expenses with verifiable evidence, such as receipts. Also, learner-incurred personal expenses for research project pursuits should be minimized, if not prohibited. Project proposals should be submitted for clearance through the school or division's Research Management Committee to ensure adherence to ethical practices. These clearances should be accompanied by documentation in the form of consent forms, logbooks, and reflection journals. Regular events where learners share research findings will also help nurture long-term motivation and a positive research culture. Recognition and motivation mechanisms will include division- and region-level research showcases, the publication of outputs in student journals, and the awarding of merits to exemplary citizen science projects that epitomize the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. Scientific Rigor, Technology, and Innovation: The Mind. The mind governs the capstone project process, which shapes the cognitive and affective aspects of the learner experience. One of the reasons why capstone projects mesh well with citizen science is their emphasis on scientific rigor. This covers valid data collection, adherence to protocols, and integration into decision-making (Bonney et al., 2016 ; Heigl et al., 2020 ). Henceforth, affective domains of the project revolve around these elements, which are often recorded through participant reflections on their research progress. Throughout the project, the learners are presented with sets of skills they need to acquire, as required by their chosen project themes. These include experimentations and knowledge on assays and statistical analyses of data. It also covers writing skills and scientific comprehension, such as literature synthesis and referencing. These requirements were simplified and made more accessible through the integration of technology, including productivity tools, statistical software, communication platforms, assistive tools for grammar and writing quality, plagiarism detection, authenticity, and responsible use of AI. A mind disconnected from the heart (the learners) results in disengagement, burnout, and poor outcomes. Without intellectual clarity and technological fluency, learning and growth could not thrive. The pedagogical mastery of both teachers and learners benefits well from capacity building and scaffolding. Therefore, capstone Projects should be placed as a standalone subject in the curriculum, acting as a culminating activity. Capstone projects in the curricula shall be explicitly tied to community-based issues such as waste management, biodiversity conservation, disaster resilience, and public health, depending on the learner's career path. The schools should have a facility (a national hub or designated platform) to accommodate student researchers, along with small but visible pilot projects, spearheaded by school heads. Moreover, schools should adopt a standardized reporting format for research projects, encompassing structured abstracts and datasets, as well as reflective reports on community impact. Policy Guidelines: The Integument. The sustainable integration of citizen science requires precise governance mechanisms within DepEd's organizational framework. The project should start with explicit permission and guidelines enforced by the education authorities. The challenges will outweigh the benefits of implementing capstone projects without establishing policy guidelines. The integument is the protective and defining layer that keeps the entire system safe, especially for the learners. Advocacy and community development (Sauermann et al., 2020 ) are closely linked to inclusivity and accessibility (Cooper et al., 2021 ). The project regulation is not just a teacher's responsibility, but also of the schools that will implement it. The projects should adhere to ethical standards that cover, but are not limited to, data privacy, consent, and responsible research conduct (Rasmussen, 2019 ). Research Management Committees (RMCs) should be established as a technical support to both teachers and students, with the task of maintaining research records, monitoring progress, and submitting annual reports to division offices. Just compensation shall be bestowed to science teachers who will be given responsibilities in these delegations, either by service credits, allowance, or both. Aside from facility construction and needs assessment of current school laboratory facilities, equipment, and reagents, fund allocation shall be provided in internet accessibility and software support, such as development and maintenance of Accredited and Official School Online Research Journal Publication, accessibility to writing and AI tools such as School Grammarly Subscription for regulating paper quality, plagiarism checking, and authenticity/originality verification. Finally, clear monitoring mechanisms should be in place to guide application at every level. School Improvement Plans (SIPs) and Annual Implementation Plans (AIPs) are among the possible evaluation tools for ensuring funding support and institutional accountability, with a focus on citizen science. Mandating citizen science through these government structures strengthens its practice rather than treating it as a peripheral add-on. The External Linkages: The Extension. External stakeholders expand the project's reach and validate its impact. These linkages also set the context and are sources of learner scaffolding support needed for the success of the capstone project. The school should establish partnerships with higher education institutions (HEIs), local government units (LGUs), research institutes, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and the private sector to access technical expertise, logistical support, and funding. Extension reduces the unnecessary burden that is often left to their discretion. At the community level, barangay councils can collaborate with schools on projects. HEIs can deliver laboratory access and mentoring, while NGOs may facilitate community-based training. The private sector can support digital platforms for data collection and dissemination. Formalization of these partnerships will be achieved through Memoranda of Agreement (MOAs), Letters of Intent (LOIs), or Letters of Commitment, complemented by partnership reports and evaluation records when collaborating with external partners. These documents also safeguard learners' rights and data privacy while ensuring the legitimacy of citizen science outputs. Henceforth, a policy brief for the Philippine education context was created to address the concerns: 1. Status Quo. Maintain current research project implementation. · Pros: No immediate systemic change. · Cons: Sustains teacher skill gaps, minimal learner engagement, and absence of citizen science. 2. Partial Integration. Introduce citizen science selectively (e.g., modules, contests). · Pros: Low-cost, incremental. · Cons: Risk of tokenistic adoption; uneven implementation. 3. Full Integration (Recommended). Institutionalize citizen science in SHS curricula, teacher training, and community linkages. · Pros: Builds sustained teacher competence, authentic learner engagement, and real-world science impact. · Cons: Requires resources, training, and systemic support. Full Integration of Citizen Science in Capstone Projects requires readiness to align with both curricula and the locale where outputs could and should be formalized. In this regard, pilot testing in select schools/divisions, followed by phased scale-up, will be necessary. As such, citizen science hubs must be created to link schools to local stakeholders, organize a research management committee for regulated research and ethics, and minimize out-of-pocket expenses through verified cost reimbursement. Full integration will also be improved by prioritizing continuous professional development for teachers, as well as by recognizing and incentivizing research-related tasks assigned to teachers to sustain long-term engagement. Conclusions The use of capstone projects as pathways for citizen science in Science Education for high schools is a long way from success, and this concerns not only the willingness of teachers to develop. Their nature as lifelong learners may come into play, but their efforts alone are not enough to realize the full potential of such an integration. In an education system with limited knowledge or awareness of citizen science, the fact that research writing experience comes with research skill development is a significant determinant of teacher readiness to facilitate experiences that will resonate with learners’ future endeavors. Passionate teachers deserve motivational educational leaders. They will need all forms of support to achieve this goal, from prioritizing the construction of school science laboratories equipped with complete facilities to funding training that enriches their research writing experience and citizen science engagement. The research level of teacher skills increases with the quality of learner capstone projects. These projects undertaken by their learners are a testament to an ongoing development process. Hidden etches in these projects were memories of sleepless nights, stress, financial exhaustion, and turmoil they experienced as they sought intrinsic motivation to complete the process. The study was fruitful, as it resulted in a Capstone Project Framework, accompanied by a Policy Brief, both of which are geared towards ensuring the effectiveness of citizen science embedment. However, the journey is far from over as its true success can only be tested once it has reached the rightful audience, that is, the education authorities that govern the Philippines' educational setting. While waiting for Citizen Science Integration to materialize in the Philippines, science teachers may form within-school or division-wide communities for mentorship and sharing of best practices. Public high school heads may establish school-based research support units to scaffold learners. Finally, Policymakers and Education Leaders should take time to study the capstone project framework and policy brief created in this dissertation as a reference point in creating national directives on citizen science in secondary education. With sound decision-making, they can evaluate and refine it to put its implications into action within broader educational frameworks. Declarations Ethical approval The paper was reviewed and approved by the Research and Innovation Management Office of Lyceum Northwestern University in accordance with ethical standards and the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Permission to conduct the study was also obtained from the Department of Education of the Philippines. Consent to participate Informed consent was obtained from all respondents and participants. Participants were informed of their right to withdraw from the study at any time without penalty. Participants under 18 years of age at the time of data collection were included only with written consent from their parents or legal guardians. Consent to publish Informed consent for publication was obtained from all participants, provided that no identifiable information would be disclosed. Conflict of Interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. No financial, personal, institutional, or professional relationships have influenced the conduct or reporting of this research. The study was undertaken independently, and the results presented in this manuscript reflect the authors’ objective analysis and interpretation of the data. Funding information The study did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. Data availability The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are not publicly available due to confidentiality and ethical restrictions involving human participants, but are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request. Authors' contributions Genesis S. Parel conceptualized and designed the study, conducted data collection and analysis, developed the framework and policy brief, and drafted the manuscript. Danilo G. Soriano Jr. contributed to theoretical validation and manuscript revision. Cynthia P. Lopez contributed to statistical review, policy alignment analysis, and critical review of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final version of the manuscript. References Australian Citizen Science Association. (2021). Citizen science and open science: A brief for the Australian Citizen Science Association. https://citizenscience.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/ACSA_ Brief_OpenScience_March-2021.pdf Bandura A. 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Participatory action research (PAR) cum action research (AR) in teacher professional development: A literature review. Int J Res Educ Sci (IJRES). 2016;2(1):156–65. https://doi.org/10.21890/ijres.01395 . Palad AL. A. (n.d.). Teachers’ research proficiency: Basis for enhancement program. E-Saliksik: The DepEd Research Portal. Department of Education. https://e-saliksik.deped.gov.ph/teachers-research- proficiency-basis-for-enhancement-program/?download = 6552 Papanastasiou EC. (2014). Revised Attitudes Toward Research Scale (R-ATR): A first look at its psychometric properties. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/ 10.1037/t35506-000 Oestar JM, Marzo CC. Teachers as researchers: Skills and challenges in action research making. Int J Theory Application Elementary Secondary School Educ. 2022;4(2):95–104. https://doi.org/10.31098/ijtaese.v4i2.1020 . Phillips M, Harris J. (2018). PCK and TPCK/TPACK: More than etiology. In E. Langran & J. Borup, editors, Proceedings of Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference (pp. 2109– 2116). Washington, D.C.: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education. Retrieved from https://www.learntechlib.org/p/18287 Philippine Space Agency. (2023). PhilSA Integrated Network for Space-Enabled Actions towards Sustainability (PINAS) Project Citizen Science Network. https://philsa.gov.ph/news/pinas-project-citizen-science- network/ Rasmussen LM. When citizens do science: Stories from labs, garages, and beyond. Narrative Inq Bioeth. 2019;9:1–4. https://doi.org/10.1353/nib.2019.0001 . Republic Act No. 10533, Enhanced Basic Education Act of., 2013, § 3 (2013). https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2013/05/15/republic-act-no- 10533/ Republic Act No. 11337, Philippine Innovation Act of 2019, § 4. (2019). https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2019/04/17/republic-act-no- 11337/ Richardson JC, Fiock H, Olesova L, Stenbom S. Evidence-based practices for developing community of inquiry. In: Piña AA, Cifuentes L, Martindale T, editors. Handbook of research in online learning: Insights and advances. Brill; 2024. pp. 276–306. Sauermann H, Vohland K, Antoniou V, Balázs B, Göbel C, Karatzas K, Mooney P, Perelló J, Ponti M, Samson R, Winter S. Citizen science and sustainability transitions. Res Policy. 2020;49(5):103978. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2020.103978 . Sasipraba T, Bantha Navas K, Nandhitha R, Prakash NM, Jayaprabakar S, Poorna Pushpakala J, Subbiah S, Kavipriya G, Ravi P, T., Arunkumar G. Assessment tools and rubrics for evaluating the capstone projects in outcome-based education. Procedia Comput Sci. 2020;172:296–301. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2020.05.047 . Vrikki M, Papanastasiou EC. Research attitudes among pre-service teachers: Unexpected outcomes emerging from a natural experiment. J Appl Res High Educ. 2024;16(5):2155–67. https://doi.org/10.1108/JARHE-07-2023-0282 . Yohannes A, Chen HL. GeoGebra in mathematics education: A systematic review of journal articles published from 2010 to 2020. Interact Learn Environ. 2021;31(9):5682–97. https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2021.2016861 . Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Reviews received at journal 14 May, 2026 Reviews received at journal 12 May, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 11 May, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 06 May, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 05 May, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 27 Apr, 2026 Editor invited by journal 08 Apr, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 07 Apr, 2026 Submission checks completed at journal 02 Apr, 2026 First submitted to journal 02 Apr, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-9254661","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":631929994,"identity":"d3a94c38-fa93-41ff-a371-7344c7af3f9e","order_by":0,"name":"Genesis Parel","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAABGUlEQVRIiWNgGAWjYNACAwYGNhibj70BJGJBghY2ngMgEQkSbGSTSABRuLXIu/cefPijoM6ej//wsccFNffk2CSfX93wo0CCgb+9OwGbFsMz55KNeQwOJ7ZJpKUbzzhWbMwmnVN2swfoMIkzZzdg1TIjx0yaweBAApsEj5k0D1tCYpt0TtoNHqAWA4lc7FrmvzH/+cOgzp6N/wxQy7+E+jbJM2k3/+DRIg80nIHHgJmxjQFoHW9bAtA69mO38dliwJNjLA31S5r0zL4EwzaeHLbbMgYSPLj8It9+xvDjjz919vL9h49JF3xLkOdnP/7s5ps/NnL87b3YbTmAxGGGUDwGYBKbcrAtDZha2B/gUj0KRsEoGAUjEwAAtjBXrr1ZWSMAAAAASUVORK5CYII=","orcid":"","institution":"Lyceum-Northwestern University","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Genesis","middleName":"","lastName":"Parel","suffix":""},{"id":631929995,"identity":"0f38fdbb-3b9f-440d-bcdb-0c7d8d645671","order_by":1,"name":"Danilo Jr. Soriano","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Lyceum-Northwestern University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Danilo","middleName":"Jr.","lastName":"Sor","suffix":"Jr."},{"id":631929996,"identity":"fb5f85f1-35c1-408e-a54c-05230d672105","order_by":2,"name":"Cynthia Lopez","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Lyceum-Northwestern University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Cynthia","middleName":"","lastName":"Lopez","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-03-28 18:23:08","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9254661/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9254661/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":108804542,"identity":"e27995db-0a33-424e-965c-bd900d7562e0","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-05-08 15:21:27","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":487373,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9254661/v1/53389ac5-341c-4c6c-9c3b-5773eb5c4e89.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Development of a Capstone Project Framework and a Policy Brief for Citizen Science Integration in Philippine Secondary Education","fulltext":[{"header":"Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe technological era has evolved into a landscape of updates that only innovative approaches can make science education adaptable to its ever-changing nature. Among these innovative approaches, citizen science offers a promising avenue for enhancing student engagement, developing research skills, and applying scientific inquiry in real-world contexts. The definition of citizen science dates back to Dickinson et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2010\u003c/span\u003e), who state that it refers to the participation of the general public in scientific research processes (\u0026Ccedil;akar \u0026Ouml;zkan, 2022). Citizen Science is flexible and complementary to other innovative Science Education strategies, such as integrating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Capstone projects can serve as a pathway for citizen science by engaging learners in real-world scientific research that contributes to community-based data collection and problem-solving. Capstone projects are often implemented in science-oriented curricula such as the Special Science Program (SSP) in Junior High School and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) in Senior High School. It initiates learners in pursuing solutions to problems that range from environmental monitoring and biodiversity assessments to public health studies and other community-driven research areas, where students collect and analyze data alongside professional scientists or local stakeholders. However, for capstone projects to effectively integrate citizen science, educators must provide proper guidance, alignment with curriculum standards, and access to relevant scientific networks.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eExisting policy frameworks on citizen science, such as those from the European Commission, UNESCO, and the U.S. (Green Deal Projects Support Office, 2024; Australian Citizen Science Association, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e; and Crowdsourcing and Citizen Science Act, 2017), focus on large-scale, technologically supported projects but lack emphasis on localized educational integration, particularly in secondary education (Bonney et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e; Haklay et al., 2021). As with other approaches, the successful integration of Citizen Science requires a well-structured framework. The Philippines has initiatives such as the PINAS Project and the Citizen Science Network, as well as governance-related civic participation policies (Philippine Space Agency, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR28\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). Despite these efforts, there is currently no comprehensive framework for integrating citizen science into the formal education system.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe aim of the study was therefore to design a capstone project framework for integrating citizen science in secondary education in the Philippines based on science teachers\u0026rsquo; research skills, learner capstone project evaluation, and learner feedback. The study surveyed the science teachers nationwide, as effective capstone project implementation requires them to have a sufficient research background and skills. It also analyzed sample learner research outputs, serving as the link between teacher and learner perspectives in the Capstone Projects. Proponents of these submitted research outputs were traced and contacted for interviews. It resulted in a framework for Capstone Projects as a pathway for embedding citizen science in the Philippine Science Education Setting. The said framework, in turn, served as a basis for a policy brief that lays the groundwork for education policy implementers in the country.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Methods","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe researchers employed an explanatory sequential research design, utilizing quantitative data collected through surveys of public high school science teachers nationwide, with a primary focus on their research background, specifically their research skill level, and their awareness and engagement with citizen science. The quantitative data also includes collecting sample learner capstone project outputs from the pool of respondents for evaluation by recruited experts. The quantitative data were then supplemented by qualitative data in the form of interviews conducted with proponents of the submitted learner capstone projects, which resulted in a rich narrative of the lived experiences of composite learners on their journey to completing their research.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe data collection began by disseminating the survey to the respondents across the region through Google Forms. The research utilized a validated questionnaire that collected data relevant to their research skill level, primarily their research attitudes (using the R-ATR Scale by Papanastasiou, 2024), writing experience, and citizen science engagement. It accumulated responses that were further screened through post-hoc stratification, with the region serving as the stratum. A total of 88 science teacher responses were used in statistical analyses, as calculated by G*Power Statistical Analysis. In a linear regression model, the predictors of research skill level relevant to decision-making for improving the current population's capstone project implementation and integration of citizen science were identified.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA total of ten sample research outputs were evaluated by recruited experts with a validated analytical rubric, taken from this official sample population. The output was evaluated in terms of clarity and Structure, Research Design and Methodology, Data Analysis and Interpretation, Overall Quality of Writing, and Citizen Science Engagement. It was then correlated with the research skills of the teacher-respondents who submitted the sample outputs, linking the teacher factor to how it translates to their learners as they pursue the project.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFinally, the researchers contacted the proponents of the evaluated research paper for an online interview. To protect their privacy and ensure that no identifiable information is included in the study, similar narratives were merged to create composite personas using ChatGPT and Meta AI. The researchers served as the primary instrument for this aspect of the study. The qualitative data extracted from these participants reveal hidden dimensions in the overall view of the capstone project execution.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Results","content":"\u003cp\u003eOver a 4-month data-collection period, quantitative data were collected from the population of public high school science teachers nationwide. Their demographic profile is summarized in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e, as shown below:\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eProfile of Public High School Science Teachers (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;88)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"4\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVariable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCategory\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eF\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"3\" rowspan=\"4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAge\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e19\u0026ndash;29 Years Old\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e20\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e22.70\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e30\u0026ndash;39 Years Old\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e26\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e29.50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e40\u0026ndash;49 Years Old\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e23\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e26.10\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e50\u0026ndash;65 Years Old\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e19\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e21.60\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSex\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMale\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e64\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e72.70\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFemale\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e24\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e27.30\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"3\" rowspan=\"4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eYears of Teaching Experience\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0\u0026ndash;5 Years\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e19\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e21.60\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6\u0026ndash;10 Years\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e24\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e27.30\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e11\u0026ndash;15 Years\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e15\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMore than 15 Years\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e30\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e34.10\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHighest Educational Attainment\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBachelor\u0026rsquo;s Degree\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e47\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e53.40\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMaster\u0026rsquo;s Degree\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e36\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e40.90\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDoctor\u0026rsquo;s Degree\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.70\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"4\" rowspan=\"5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eField of Specialization\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBiology\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e18\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e20.50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePhysical Science\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e10.20\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGeneral Science\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e48\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e54.50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePhysics\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e9.10\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eChemistry\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.70\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMeanwhile, their research background was also identified, which is summarized in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e:\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab2\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 2\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eResearch Background of Public High School Science Teachers (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;88)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"4\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVariable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCategory\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ef\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"3\" rowspan=\"4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eResearch Writing Experience\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMinimal\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e50\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e56.8\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDeveloping\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e24\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e27.3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eProficient\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e11\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e12.5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAdvanced\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCitizen Science Awareness and Engagement\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eLimited\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e86\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e97.7\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eModerate\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHigh\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"4\" rowspan=\"5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAttitude and Perception Towards Research\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePositive\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNeutral\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e18\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e20.5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSlightly Negative\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e47\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e53.4\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNegative\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e13\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e14.8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVery Negative\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"4\" rowspan=\"5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eLevel of Research Skill\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNeeds Significant Improvement\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.68\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBasic and Limited\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.68\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDeveloping\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e42\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e47.73\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eStrong\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e27\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e30.68\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eExpert-Level\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e10.23\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe researchers further assessed the relevance of these variables as predictors of research skill acquisition through a multiple linear regression analysis:\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab3\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 3\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eModel Coefficients for Level of Research Skill\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"11\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c8\" colnum=\"8\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c9\" colnum=\"9\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c10\" colnum=\"10\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c11\" colnum=\"11\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"3\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePredictor\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEstimate\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSE\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c9\" namest=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003et\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c11\" namest=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ep\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"3\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eIntercept ᵃ\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e69.52\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e21.39\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c9\" namest=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.25\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c11\" namest=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.002\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"3\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAge\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.32\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.48\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c9\" namest=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.66\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c11\" namest=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.509\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"3\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eYears of Teaching Experience\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.01\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.52\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c9\" namest=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.01\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c11\" namest=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.992\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"3\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eResearch Writing Experience\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.36\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.12\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c9\" namest=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.32\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c11\" namest=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.001\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"3\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCitizen Science Engagement\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.16\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.29\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c9\" namest=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.20\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c11\" namest=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.233\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"3\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAttitude\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-1.70\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.73\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c9\" namest=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.46\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c11\" namest=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.649\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"3\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSex:\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"8\" nameend=\"c11\" namest=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"3\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMale \u0026ndash; Female\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-1.78\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.76\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c9\" namest=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.37\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c11\" namest=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.709\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"3\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHighest Educational Attainment:\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"8\" nameend=\"c11\" namest=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"3\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMaster's Degree \u0026ndash; Bachelor's Degree\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.05\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.32\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c9\" namest=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.01\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c11\" namest=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.990\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"3\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDoctor's Degree \u0026ndash; Bachelor's Degree\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-18.41\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e10.32\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c9\" namest=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-1.79\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c11\" namest=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.078\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"3\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSpecialization:\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"8\" nameend=\"c11\" namest=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"3\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePhysical Science \u0026ndash; Biology\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-3.35\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7.83\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c9\" namest=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.43\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c11\" namest=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.670\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"3\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGeneral Science \u0026ndash; Biology\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.58\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.55\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c9\" namest=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.11\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c11\" namest=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.917\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"3\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePhysics \u0026ndash; Biology\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-14.05\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8.23\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c9\" namest=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-1.71\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c11\" namest=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.092\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"3\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eChemistry \u0026ndash; Biology\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e13.98\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e10.32\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c9\" namest=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.36\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c11\" namest=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.179\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"11\" nameend=\"c11\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eᵃ Represents reference level\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eR\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eR\u0026sup2;\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" morerows=\"1\" nameend=\"c4\" namest=\"c3\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAdjusted R\u0026sup2;\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"6\" nameend=\"c10\" namest=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eOverall Model Test\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"1\" nameend=\"c11\" namest=\"c11\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c6\" namest=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eF\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003edf1\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003edf2\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c10\" namest=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ep\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"1\" nameend=\"c11\" namest=\"c11\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.51\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.26\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c4\" namest=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.14\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c6\" namest=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.20\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e12\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e75\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c10\" namest=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.02\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"1\" nameend=\"c11\" namest=\"c11\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMeanwhile, Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e shows the result of the evaluation of ten learner capstone projects.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab4\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 4\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSample Learner Capstone Project Output Evaluation Result\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"7\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSample Project\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBack-ground Clarity\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eResearch Design \u0026amp; Methodology\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eData Analysis \u0026amp; Interpretation\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOverall Quality of Writing\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCitizen Science Engagement\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFinal Rating\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDeveloping\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNot Evident\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNot Evident\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNot Evident\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNot Evident\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNot Evident\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eExemplary\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eExemplary\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCompetent\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eExemplary\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNot Evident\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCompetent\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDeveloping\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDeveloping\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDeveloping\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCompetent\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBeginning\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDeveloping\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eProficient\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCompetent\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDeveloping\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCompetent\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBeginning\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDeveloping\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCompetent\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCompetent\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDeveloping\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCompetent\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNot Evident\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDeveloping\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCompetent\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDeveloping\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDeveloping\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBeginning\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNot Evident\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBeginning\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eProficient\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCompetent\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eProficient\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCompetent\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDeveloping\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCompetent\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCompetent\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCompetent\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBeginning\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBeginning\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNot Evident\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBeginning\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eExemplary\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eProficient\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCompetent\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eProficient\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNot Evident\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDeveloping\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e10\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eProficient\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eProficient\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCompetent\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eProficient\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eProficient\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDeveloping\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe evaluated research project outputs mirror current teacher research skill level, as confirmed by Spearman\u0026rsquo;s Rank Order Correlation Results shown in Table 5 below:\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab5\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 5\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCorrelation Between Teacher Research Skill and Capstone Project Quality\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"4\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVariables\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTeacher Research Skill Level\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCapstone Project Quality Rating\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTeacher Research Skill Level\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSpearman's rho\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026mdash;\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003edf\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026mdash;\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ep-value\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026mdash;\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCapstone Project Quality Rating\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSpearman's rho\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.851**\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026mdash;\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003edf\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026mdash;\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ep-value\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.002\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026mdash;\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003ctfoot\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"4\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eNote. * p \u0026lt; .05, ** p \u0026lt; .01, *** p \u0026lt; .001\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tfoot\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMeanwhile, qualitative data were taken from the proponents of the evaluated outputs. Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab6\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e (shown below) illustrates the emerging themes extracted from the learner\u0026rsquo;s experiences, highlighting sample significant statements:\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab6\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 6\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSynthesis of Emerging Themes Across Aspects\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"3\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEmerging Themes\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCodes\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eIllustrative Participant Statements\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMotivation and Future Orientation\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eExtrinsic to Intrinsic shift; Aspirations; Regrets; Intrinsic Interest\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I got interested in joining the project because I was curious about how we could make a recyclable bottle out of natural starch\u0026hellip; my motivation grew stronger as I saw the potential impact our research could have on reducing plastic waste and promoting sustainability.\u0026rdquo; \u0026ndash; Ivan.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"Coding became so infuriating that we almost gave up\u0026hellip; we need to finish this because it's a requirement.\" \u0026ndash; Joe Lee.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDeepened Understanding of Research and Science\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eResearch goals, Conceptual growth, Scientific inquiry skills\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Our goal wasn't just to make something that worked, but to contribute to a more sustainable future.\u0026rdquo; \u0026ndash; Ivan\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"It deepened my understanding of how some of our blood vessels aid in cancer growth.\" \u0026ndash; Lorenz.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSkills Development (Technical, Analytical, Digital, Writing)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMethods mastery; Research process struggles; Writing/data handling\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I learned different ways to disinfect materials\u0026hellip; and how to use statistical tools like ANOVA and Tukey\u0026rsquo;s test.\u0026rdquo; \u0026ndash; Chloe\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"I learned how to use SPSS and Excel to analyze data, as well as how to organize my team through Drive, Notion, Discord, and the G Suite.\" \u0026ndash; Kylie.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"My inefficiency in searching for related studies and literature was my greatest weakness.\" \u0026ndash; Ivan.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCollaboration, Leadership, and Social Learning\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTeamwork; Peer learning; Leadership; Teacher/\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003ementor guidance; Professional/\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eexternal support; Family support\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Working with my group taught me the value of collaboration. We helped each other\u0026hellip; and sharing ideas really improved our process.\u0026rdquo; \u0026ndash; Ivan.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"Our research teacher was also a big help; she did not pressure us but instead guided us into the right path.\" \u0026ndash; Bea.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"We had financial and emotional support from our family to cheer us up to finish the project.\" \u0026ndash; Deo.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eResilience, Integrity, and Personal Growth\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCoping with challenges; Ethics; Self-concept; Self-awareness\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"We kept researching, testing, and learning from our mistakes\u0026hellip; The experience taught us valuable lessons about resilience, problem-solving, and teamwork.\" \u0026ndash; Ivan.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"It changed my life, my perspective, and my goals. It made me become the person I am today.\" \u0026ndash; Bea.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eExperiential and Real-World Learning\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHands-on engagement; Real-world relevance; Recognition \u0026amp; Validation\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;This felt more hands-on and real compared to regular lessons\u0026hellip; it was more engaging.\u0026rdquo; \u0026ndash; Ivan.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"Our work was acknowledged by our esteemed panelists\u0026hellip; who encouraged us to present it outside our campus.\" \u0026ndash; Kylie.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e shows that, overall, the population is diverse, particularly in terms of age and years of teaching experience. The Science Teacher population is multi-generational and male-dominated (72.70%), as are other science-related fields. Only a few have pursued postgraduate education (5%), and General Science is the most common field of specialization (54.50%), indicating a shift in the teacher education curriculum toward a spiral approach. The balance between novice and experienced teachers offers an opportunity to assess how different levels of teaching maturity interact with research competency and citizen science engagement.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMeanwhile, as shown in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e, more than half (56.8%) of the population has minimal research experience, and the population decreases as research experience increases. Philippine studies have reported that most Public School Teachers engage in research primarily to comply with institutional or DepEd requirements, rather than as a sustained scholarly practice (Flores, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e; Palad, 2022; Morales, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e). The findings suggest that many are relatively new to the service and are therefore beginning their research journey.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFurthermore, almost all of them have limited awareness or knowledge regarding citizen science, at 97.7%. With these low levels of Citizen Science engagement, science teachers may struggle to expose learners to authentic, community-based scientific inquiry, thereby reducing the potential for integrating participatory science into classrooms. Regarding their attitude and perception of research, the majority have a slightly negative attitude (53.4%). As explained by both local (Oestar \u0026amp; Marzo, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e; Hero, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e) and foreign studies (Vrikki \u0026amp; Papanastasiou, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e), research is often perceived by teachers as an additional burden rather than a meaningful professional practice, which may hinder their willingness to engage in scholarly or classroom-based inquiry. This negative disposition towards research may be evocative of barriers that diminish teachers' confidence and strengthen their resistance to engaging in research, such as a lack of time, training, and institutional support.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFinally, the respondents' self-reports on their research skill level indicated that most are at the developing level, at 47.43%, followed by the strong research skills level, at 30.68%. Although this is a good indication that the population is research-oriented, it also marks areas for improvement, such as research planning, gaps in methodology, analysis, and sharing results.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e presents the results of the multiple linear regression analysis of factors related to the level of research skill. It revealed a significant model, albeit with limited predictive power (Adjusted R\u0026sup2; = 0.142). Nevertheless, research writing experience was the only significant factor in determining research skill level (p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.001), indicating a positive relationship between the two. Research competence develops progressively through active engagement in research activities. The lack of a significant effect on citizen science engagement is consistent with the framework, which notes that citizen science is still in its early stages of development in Philippine secondary schools, so teachers\u0026rsquo; low engagement levels do not yet significantly influence skill acquisition.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAs noted in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e, no project achieved an Exemplary overall rating, indicating a need for enhanced mentoring in methodology, data analysis, and the broader application of citizen science. It was a compelling quantitative extension to the teacher survey and regression analysis, further revealing critical alignments between teacher capacity and student outcomes: While most projects demonstrate acceptable background clarity and basic methodology, they struggle with data analysis, revealing systemic deficiencies. In terms of writing quality, the evaluation yielded mixed results, with some projects rated as Proficient, but many exhibiting inconsistent formatting, citation errors, and varying depth. Overall, only a few stood out. The evaluators also noted incorrect citation and referencing, overuse and misuse of the t-test and ANOVA (Single-Factor), and a varying format across project samples.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e pinpoints a strong positive relationship (Spearman's rho\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.851) and a highly significant correlation (p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.002) between Teacher Research Skill Level and the Quality of the Capstone Project Results for their Learners. Teachers' limited confidence in their own research competencies constrains their ability to guide students toward ambitious, participatory projects. In turn, students produce outputs that are school-centric rather than community-embedded. Despite pockets of competence in basic research design and written presentation, the almost universal absence of citizen science engagement underscores a structural gap in how inquiry is currently framed and supported in the DepEd Public High School System.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eUncovered from these evaluated projects, as summarized in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab6\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e, were participant narratives that richly described the complexity of experiences learners can derive from pursuing capstone projects, marked by the interplay of numerous contrasts: challenges and breakthroughs, the development of both intrapersonal and interpersonal growth, and the integration of theoretical knowledge and practical application. As Bea, one of the composite participant personas, stated: \u003cem\u003e\"It broke me at times, not only mentally but also financially and physically. But in the end, it strengthened me.\"\u003c/em\u003e To Ivan, it \u003cem\u003etaught them \"valuable lessons about resilience, problem-solving, and teamwork.\"\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eCollectively, their narratives describe capstone projects as multidimensional learning experiences situated within a context of systemic constraints and opportunities where passive knowledge reception moves beyond toward an active, inquiry-driven stance \u003cem\u003e(\u0026ldquo;Somehow, I feel like I am the one who can break the cycle and present new ideas\u0026hellip; projects to advance our technology or way of living.\u0026rdquo; \u0026ndash; Deo).\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhen learners connect their projects to real-life problems and find meaning relevant on a personal level, their motivation intrinsically evolves to complete them with enhanced self-perception and development of 21st-century skills:\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;Cancer is a worldwide issue\u0026hellip; Using this plant in my research made the work deeply personal and gave me a stronger sense of responsibility\u0026hellip;\u0026rdquo; \u0026ndash; Lorenz.\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;This plant pollutes our rivers\u0026hellip; at that time, alcohol was one of the most important things in my life because of what happened during COVID-19.\u0026rdquo; \u0026ndash; Bea.\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;I get to experience so many things in their laboratory that I even considered becoming an agriculturist or something.\u0026rdquo; \u0026ndash; Kylie.\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTeachers are shown to provide scaffolding support that helps students navigate challenges and develop self-efficacy. Like how Chloe characterized it:\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eFrom my research teacher, I learned that being accurate and disciplined can really improve our results\u0026hellip; Aside from that, she helped immensely in revising our paper to make it the best it could be, making the process less stressful and leaving me with the impression that research can also be fun with proper support from the right people.\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBea\u0026rsquo;s testimony illustrated how guidance was internalized over time: \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;I may not always express how grateful I am, but I truly appreciate everything our teacher taught us\u0026mdash;not just about research but about leadership and responsibility.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThere is a clear indication that science teachers are capable of scaffolding. However, necessary improvements are imminent to further cater to the research progress among learners. For instance, Joe Lee narrated that while his adviser gave checkpoints to ensure accuracy, the facilitation was more supervisory than pedagogical in nature:\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eThey can only give their \"constructive\" criticisms. Our adviser also told us from the start that, being a chemistry major by profession, she couldn't really help us with coding and programming.\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAs Phillips \u0026amp; Harris (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e) explained, teachers must integrate content mastery with effective teaching strategies. According to Joe Lee's feedback, the pedagogical dimension was underdeveloped. This echoes the survey results, which show that while teachers demonstrated some strengths in planning, their gaps in mentoring, methodology, and analysis made their role primarily supervisory rather than developmental.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eChloe's account offers one of the strongest cases for how project-based learning can mask teacher inadequacy as a constructivist through learner motivation:\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eInstead of just listening to lessons or answering written activities, I was able to apply what I learned in a hands-on way. It was more engaging because we weren\u0026rsquo;t just memorizing facts; we were experimenting, observing, testing, and proving them ourselves.\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eHer use of statistical tools, despite her teacher's acknowledgment of unfamiliarity with them, demonstrates an advanced understanding of scientific analysis rarely achieved in traditional public-school classrooms. Her self-driven persistence rings Bandura's (1997) concept of self-efficacy; however, as Golumbic et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e) note, teachers should intentionally nurture sustained participation and positive experiences, rather than leaving them to chance. Chloe's independent pursuit of advanced statistical work marks a significant distinction between student capacity and the limitations imposed by teachers\u0026rsquo; underdeveloped research skills, as confirmed by quantitative data, which indicate that such practices are seldom extended beyond required academic outputs.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eLorenz revealed another systemic weakness: access to resources. \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;We conducted a phytochemical screening ourselves with the help of medical technologists at a lab in the nearby city at our own expense.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e His learning in cancer biology was rich and meaningful, but his dependence on external labs, while a good starting point for citizen science, arraigns the public schools for their inadequacy in providing laboratory equipment. What shines in his narrative is his strong moral principles, as he affirmed, \u003cem\u003e\"Even if the project had numerous failures, the most rewarding aspect for me is that we maintained intellectual integrity and did not falsify our results.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e This embodies Rasmussen\u0026rsquo;s (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR29\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e) call for ethical, responsible research practices in citizen science. Regardless, this perseverance came from personal commitment in the face of institutional scarcity.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDeo\u0026rsquo;s journey illustrates both cumulative growth and systemic gaps. He emphasized the rigor of research writing, \u0026ldquo;\u003cem\u003eThe background of the study or the RRL is the most time-consuming aspect\u0026hellip; each line of information should be substantial, correct, and accurate.\"\u003c/em\u003e His three projects over the years gradually built his competence.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eHowever, this reliance on repeated trial-and-error across multiple cycles evokes the absence of progressive, scaffolded research instruction in the public school system. His love for experimentation and honesty in robotics signals co-creation of knowledge (Haklay et al., 2014), but his development was largely self-directed, echoing Kirkpatrick\u0026rsquo;s (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1994\u003c/span\u003e) assertion that learning only becomes meaningful when applied in real-world contexts. Again, teachers\u0026rsquo; limited research training and lack of methodological mastery\u0026mdash;as surfaced in survey data\u0026mdash;meant that students like Deo had to advance by repeated self-correction rather than guided growth.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAmong all the challenges, financial obstacles are the most significant concern, particularly since these participants attended a public school where free education is strictly implemented to promote inclusive learning. Deo recalled, \u003cem\u003e\"The main obstacle I encountered in my SIP back in 9th grade was the financial aspect, which led to frustration.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBea was more explicit about the cost and their group\u0026rsquo;s exhaustion:\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eWe visited a lab several times for research... It was not only costly\u0026mdash;it was physically and mentally exhausting, too. Each trip, each experiment, and each data we collected cost us so much time, effort, and energy. We were so tired that there were times we felt that just being there was an achievement.\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe cost and effort required to complete a research project are points worth pondering. With these issues, the question leaves the education sector in a dilemma about whether research should be incorporated into high school science curricula.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMeanwhile, professional support and external resources tangibly manifested in ways that enriched learners' research experience. Joe Lee acknowledged:\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eWe sought help from IT professionals, engineers, and even our computer teachers for the project\u0026hellip;Through brainstorming with them, I gained valuable insights that I wouldn't have considered on my own. This experience had a profoundly positive impact, making it possible to complete.\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn these projects, scaffolding from teacher support alone may not be sufficient. Linkages alleviate these situations. As Joe Lee shared:\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eWe are lucky because our group members happen to have connections, while other groups really struggled, especially financially, just to finish their data collection. I remembered feeling relieved that we didn\u0026rsquo;t experience stress looking for labs that were willing to accommodate us.\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBea's sentiments perfectly illustrated his last statement. She was ambivalent about the experience because while the external support was evident, it was unbecoming:\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eAlthough I couldn\u0026rsquo;t forget how humiliating they made us feel when we were working in the lab, I will not deny that culturing our microorganism was enough to persevere and tolerate them\u0026hellip;. Wearing a lab gown and gloves made me feel like a professional\u0026hellip;\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn contrast, Kylie recalls her luck with finding support from external stakeholders, much as Joe Lee similarly experienced: \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;\u0026hellip;fortunately, Ms. Janet from the Department of Agriculture simplified the procedure by walking us through each step of the experiment.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn instances when support from either teachers or external experts was lacking, participants relied on self-directed learning. Ivan shared: \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;Online resources and research articles helped us understand how starch behaves as a material.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e Joe Lee seconded: \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;We had to rely on online resources and \u0026lsquo;Indianos' (Referring to Indian Engineers/Technicians Doing Tutorial Content) on YouTube. These tutorials were really a lifesaver.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e Lorenz highlighted, \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;The internet and the use of AI greatly helped me in doing the project.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThroughout the participant responses, teamwork often supplements their stories, which strongly emphasizes how capstone projects shape the collaboration skills of learners, along with other 21st -century skills.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;Working with my group taught me the value of collaboration. We helped each other through challenges, and sharing ideas really improved our process.\u0026rdquo; \u0026ndash; Ivan.\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;Working with others expanded my knowledge in various areas...\u0026rdquo; \u0026ndash; Joe Lee.\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;Dividing the tasks showed me how important teamwork and communication are.\u0026rdquo; \u0026ndash; Chloe.\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOverall, as long as it successfully allows learners to find meaning in the real world and at a personal level, it outweighs the challenges. Deo perfectly summarized this:\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eIn its totality, the whole research experience was, by definition, a rollercoaster ride, full of ups and downs, twists and turns. That said, it has given me a lot of valuable insight into group management, as well as a sneak peek into the things I need to learn and work with once I take up a BS in Computer Science.\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe current status of public-school science teachers relevant to Capstone Projects, and the resulting learner outputs, as supported by learner experiences from these projects summarized in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab6\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e, established the key elements in the resulting framework that depict how it should embed citizen science to improve the quality of Capstone project implementation, which further discusses areas of concern through recommended policies, expounded below:\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003eCitizen Science: The Vision.\u003c/b\u003e Citizen Science transforms capstone projects into community-oriented applications of science for learners. When capstone projects are framed in this way, educators gain multiple perspectives on learners\u0026rsquo; progress, from selecting problems to solve, to working on their progress against external factors and internal conflicts, to the resulting output itself. Best practices from established international policies relevant to citizen science could be adopted. Reviewing these frameworks helped model the requirements for the capstone project. Formal partnerships with external experts are what link capstone projects to citizen science. Golumbic \u0026amp; Oesterheld (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e) synthesized ten essential elements for citizen science projects: 1) Overview that discusses the Project Rationale, 2) Goals for Joining the project, 3) Perceived Impact of Joining the Project, 4) Activities that will be Undertaken in the Project, 5) Target Audience, 6) Benefits of Participation, 7) Joining Mechanics, 8) Training and Resources; 9) Access to Results; and 10) Recognition for contributors. These elements should be clearly established between the school and the participating external sources of science experts prior to the learner's exposure to the capstone project experience. The extent of integration, learner participation, research quality, and partnerships formed determines the success of the projects as an embodiment of citizen science. To monitor holistic project quality, schools should designate Citizen Science Coordinators for overseeing compliance with the framework.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003eScience Teachers: The Soul\u003c/b\u003e. Teachers are the soul that breathes the project's character and identity. Science teachers currently have limited knowledge of citizen science, although they usually possess research skills developed through their education and commitment to lifelong learning. Nevertheless, research writing experience positively predicts their research skill level, akin to the needs of facilitating capstone projects. Strengthening such experience will equip them to ensure that they can accommodate whatever project theme their learners choose to pursue, even if it strays from their field of science specialization. Capstone Projects is deeply rooted in constructivist approaches, primarily project-, problem-, and research-based learning. They require a solid research foundation, encompassing the identification of problems, the selection of methodologies, the collection and analysis of data, and the effective communication of results (Flick, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e; Cohen et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e; Johnson et al., 2017). Its focus on cognitive growth makes it adaptable to various taxonomies, especially Bloom's. This foundation stems from science teachers' skills, particularly in their ability to tailor projects to the diverse fields of interest of learners, parallel to their career paths. Their skills should be sufficient to handle scientific research projects, ranging from life sciences to materials science, robotics and intelligent machines, and data science.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAs the study revealed, current science teacher research skills indicate a need for improvement in areas that include citation and referencing, mastery of statistical tools and data analysis, and aspects of designing methodologies. Learners transform from novice to expert (Lyon, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e) with sufficient teacher knowledge for research and pedagogy that goes hand in hand with both stakeholders' mastery of technology. This means they should demonstrate mastery of productivity tools, educational technology, and expert management of authentic writing, plagiarism checking, and AI use. These teacher skill sets translate to learner competencies and the resulting project output.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn developing the necessary skills, attitudes towards research can influence overall perception (Vriki \u0026amp; Papanastasiou, 2024; Oestar \u0026amp; Marzo, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). However, research writing experience remains the most crucial factor, with output evaluation often being the central focus, particularly on research content quality (Sasipraba et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR34\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e). Pursuing higher education facilitates skill acquisition, but enrichment activities, such as research writing experiences, ultimately remain the most significant contributors to this process. Hence, capacity building shall be implemented through a tiered professional development program at the school, division, and national levels that expound these skill sets.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFurthermore, they should be trained with just compensation in facilitating annual Citizen Science Bootcamps in partnership with local universities, where learners will be trained in field data collection, digital platforms (e.g., iNaturalist, Zooniverse), and research ethics (Adopting and Preparing ISEF Forms). The outcomes of this component are expected to yield a corps of teachers who are not only proficient in guiding research but are also actively publishing outputs.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003eLearners: The Heart.\u003c/b\u003e Pursuing capstone projects is an active involvement of learners who are the reason for the project\u0026rsquo;s very existence. Motivation is a crucial factor that drives individuals to complete their studies, where they must experience ownership to make the overall experience meaningful (Phillips et al., 2019; MacLeod \u0026amp; Scott, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). The process is also driven by constant scaffolding from stakeholders, starting with teachers, gradually giving learners independence (\u0026Ccedil;akar \u0026Ouml;zkan; Richardson et al., 2022; Yohannes \u0026amp; Chen, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR36\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). By the end of the project, confidence should have been powerfully demonstrated through collaboration with peers, other researchers, institutions, and communities (Haklay et al., 2014, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e). Protecting learners' motivation should therefore be a priority.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAll forms of support are needed, ranging from top-down (DepEd, LGU) to bottom-up (schools, local groups), with clear roadmaps for scaling. The roles of teachers are crucial in applying long-term strategies, as School administrations spearhead the creation of research clubs and interest groups as recognized student organizations. They should also regulate ethical practices and release standardized paper templates. True to the no collection policy, these should be supported by seed funding from MOOE allocations or local partnerships. Learners should receive reimbursement for unavoidable expenses with verifiable evidence, such as receipts. Also, learner-incurred personal expenses for research project pursuits should be minimized, if not prohibited. Project proposals should be submitted for clearance through the school or division's Research Management Committee to ensure adherence to ethical practices. These clearances should be accompanied by documentation in the form of consent forms, logbooks, and reflection journals. Regular events where learners share research findings will also help nurture long-term motivation and a positive research culture. Recognition and motivation mechanisms will include division- and region-level research showcases, the publication of outputs in student journals, and the awarding of merits to exemplary citizen science projects that epitomize the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003eScientific Rigor, Technology, and Innovation: The Mind.\u003c/b\u003e The mind governs the capstone project process, which shapes the cognitive and affective aspects of the learner experience. One of the reasons why capstone projects mesh well with citizen science is their emphasis on scientific rigor. This covers valid data collection, adherence to protocols, and integration into decision-making (Bonney et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e; Heigl et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e). Henceforth, affective domains of the project revolve around these elements, which are often recorded through participant reflections on their research progress. Throughout the project, the learners are presented with sets of skills they need to acquire, as required by their chosen project themes. These include experimentations and knowledge on assays and statistical analyses of data. It also covers writing skills and scientific comprehension, such as literature synthesis and referencing. These requirements were simplified and made more accessible through the integration of technology, including productivity tools, statistical software, communication platforms, assistive tools for grammar and writing quality, plagiarism detection, authenticity, and responsible use of AI. A mind disconnected from the heart (the learners) results in disengagement, burnout, and poor outcomes. Without intellectual clarity and technological fluency, learning and growth could not thrive. The pedagogical mastery of both teachers and learners benefits well from capacity building and scaffolding.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTherefore, capstone Projects should be placed as a standalone subject in the curriculum, acting as a culminating activity. Capstone projects in the curricula shall be explicitly tied to community-based issues such as waste management, biodiversity conservation, disaster resilience, and public health, depending on the learner's career path. The schools should have a facility (a national hub or designated platform) to accommodate student researchers, along with small but visible pilot projects, spearheaded by school heads. Moreover, schools should adopt a standardized reporting format for research projects, encompassing structured abstracts and datasets, as well as reflective reports on community impact.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e Policy Guidelines: The Integument.\u003c/b\u003e The sustainable integration of citizen science requires precise governance mechanisms within DepEd's organizational framework. The project should start with explicit permission and guidelines enforced by the education authorities. The challenges will outweigh the benefits of implementing capstone projects without establishing policy guidelines. The integument is the protective and defining layer that keeps the entire system safe, especially for the learners. Advocacy and community development (Sauermann et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e) are closely linked to inclusivity and accessibility (Cooper et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). The project regulation is not just a teacher's responsibility, but also of the schools that will implement it. The projects should adhere to ethical standards that cover, but are not limited to, data privacy, consent, and responsible research conduct (Rasmussen, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR29\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eResearch Management Committees (RMCs) should be established as a technical support to both teachers and students, with the task of maintaining research records, monitoring progress, and submitting annual reports to division offices. Just compensation shall be bestowed to science teachers who will be given responsibilities in these delegations, either by service credits, allowance, or both. Aside from facility construction and needs assessment of current school laboratory facilities, equipment, and reagents, fund allocation shall be provided in internet accessibility and software support, such as development and maintenance of Accredited and Official School Online Research Journal Publication, accessibility to writing and AI tools such as School Grammarly Subscription for regulating paper quality, plagiarism checking, and authenticity/originality verification. Finally, clear monitoring mechanisms should be in place to guide application at every level. School Improvement Plans (SIPs) and Annual Implementation Plans (AIPs) are among the possible evaluation tools for ensuring funding support and institutional accountability, with a focus on citizen science. Mandating citizen science through these government structures strengthens its practice rather than treating it as a peripheral add-on.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003eThe External Linkages: The Extension.\u003c/b\u003e External stakeholders expand the project's reach and validate its impact. These linkages also set the context and are sources of learner scaffolding support needed for the success of the capstone project. The school should establish partnerships with higher education institutions (HEIs), local government units (LGUs), research institutes, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and the private sector to access technical expertise, logistical support, and funding. Extension reduces the unnecessary burden that is often left to their discretion. At the community level, barangay councils can collaborate with schools on projects. HEIs can deliver laboratory access and mentoring, while NGOs may facilitate community-based training. The private sector can support digital platforms for data collection and dissemination.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFormalization of these partnerships will be achieved through Memoranda of Agreement (MOAs), Letters of Intent (LOIs), or Letters of Commitment, complemented by partnership reports and evaluation records when collaborating with external partners. These documents also safeguard learners' rights and data privacy while ensuring the legitimacy of citizen science outputs. Henceforth, a policy brief for the Philippine education context was created to address the concerns:\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Status Quo. Maintain current research project implementation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026middot; Pros: No immediate systemic change.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026middot; Cons: Sustains teacher skill gaps, minimal learner engagement, and absence of citizen science.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e2.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Partial Integration. Introduce citizen science selectively (e.g., modules, contests).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026middot; Pros: Low-cost, incremental.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026middot; Cons: Risk of tokenistic adoption; uneven implementation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e3.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Full Integration (Recommended). Institutionalize citizen science in SHS curricula, teacher training, and community linkages.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026middot; Pros: Builds sustained teacher competence, authentic learner engagement, and real-world science impact.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026middot; Cons: Requires resources, training, and systemic support.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFull Integration of Citizen Science in Capstone Projects requires readiness\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;to align with both curricula and the locale where outputs could and should be formalized. In this regard, pilot testing in select schools/divisions, followed by phased scale-up, will be necessary. As such, citizen science hubs must be created to link schools to local stakeholders, organize a research management committee for regulated research and ethics, and minimize out-of-pocket expenses through verified cost reimbursement. Full integration will also be improved by prioritizing continuous professional development for teachers, as well as by recognizing and incentivizing research-related tasks assigned to teachers to sustain long-term engagement.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Conclusions","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe use of capstone projects as pathways for citizen science in Science Education for high schools is a long way from success, and this concerns not only the willingness of teachers to develop. Their nature as lifelong learners may come into play, but their efforts alone are not enough to realize the full potential of such an integration. In an education system with limited knowledge or awareness of citizen science, the fact that research writing experience comes with research skill development is a significant determinant of teacher readiness to facilitate experiences that will resonate with learners\u0026rsquo; future endeavors. Passionate teachers deserve motivational educational leaders. They will need all forms of support to achieve this goal, from prioritizing the construction of school science laboratories equipped with complete facilities to funding training that enriches their research writing experience and citizen science engagement.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe research level of teacher skills increases with the quality of learner capstone projects. These projects undertaken by their learners are a testament to an ongoing development process. Hidden etches in these projects were memories of sleepless nights, stress, financial exhaustion, and turmoil they experienced as they sought intrinsic motivation to complete the process. The study was fruitful, as it resulted in a Capstone Project Framework, accompanied by a Policy Brief, both of which are geared towards ensuring the effectiveness of citizen science embedment. However, the journey is far from over as its true success can only be tested once it has reached the rightful audience, that is, the education authorities that govern the Philippines' educational setting.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhile waiting for Citizen Science Integration to materialize in the Philippines, science teachers may form within-school or division-wide communities for mentorship and sharing of best practices. Public high school heads may establish school-based research support units to scaffold learners. Finally, Policymakers and Education Leaders should take time to study the capstone project framework and policy brief created in this dissertation as a reference point in creating national directives on citizen science in secondary education. With sound decision-making, they can evaluate and refine it to put its implications into action within broader educational frameworks.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthical approval\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003eThe paper was reviewed and approved by the Research and Innovation Management Office of Lyceum Northwestern University in accordance with ethical standards and the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Permission to conduct the study was also obtained from the Department of Education of the Philippines.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsent to participate\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInformed consent was obtained from all respondents and participants. Participants were informed of their right to withdraw from the study at any time without penalty. Participants under 18 years of age at the time of data collection were included only with written consent from their parents or legal guardians.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsent to publish\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInformed consent for publication was obtained from all participants, provided that no identifiable information would be disclosed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConflict of Interest\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. No financial, personal, institutional, or professional relationships have influenced the conduct or reporting of this research. The study was undertaken independently, and the results presented in this manuscript reflect the authors\u0026rsquo; objective analysis and interpretation of the data.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFunding information\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe study did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eData availability\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are not publicly available due to confidentiality and ethical restrictions involving human participants, but are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthors\u0026apos; contributions\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGenesis S. Parel conceptualized and designed the study, conducted data collection and analysis, developed the framework and policy brief, and drafted the manuscript. Danilo G. Soriano Jr. contributed to theoretical validation and manuscript revision. Cynthia P. Lopez contributed to statistical review, policy alignment analysis, and critical review of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final version of the manuscript.\u003c/p\u003e\n"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAustralian Citizen Science Association. (2021). 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Interact Learn Environ. 2021;31(9):5682\u0026ndash;97. \u003cspan class=\"ExternalRef\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"RefSource\"\u003ehttps://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2021.2016861\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan address=\"10.1080/10494820.2021.2016861\" targettype=\"DOI\" class=\"RefTarget\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"discover-education","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"diedu","sideBox":"Learn more about [Discover Education](https://www.springer.com/journal/44217)","snPcode":"44217","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/44217/3","title":"Discover Education","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Discover Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"capstone projects, citizen science, mixed methods, framework, policy brief","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9254661/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9254661/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003e Frameworks and policy guidelines regarding the integration of Citizen Science into high school curricula do not yet exist in the Philippine Science Education Context. Capstone Projects, a common culminating activity typically found in junior and senior high school programs, are a potential pathway for integration due to their highly immersive nature. This dissertation, therefore, birthed a framework for integrating citizen science through capstone projects. It was the result of conceptual and theoretical underpinnings translated to the current Philippine education climate, derived from data sequentially presented in the national survey of public-school science teachers, the evaluation of their learner project output samples, and hidden narratives from these samples\u0026rsquo; proponents. In turn, the framework served as the basis for creating a policy brief geared to ensure the effectiveness of citizen science embedding.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Development of a Capstone Project Framework and a Policy Brief for Citizen Science Integration in Philippine Secondary Education","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-05-05 23:33:27","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9254661/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-05-15T00:05:45+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-05-12T11:32:59+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"337922007983411429920847133097618276860","date":"2026-05-11T08:16:00+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"219620910392916336048278165088571222190","date":"2026-05-06T05:58:47+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"175735230225187961954718080512245603863","date":"2026-05-05T22:35:22+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2026-04-27T09:48:36+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvited","content":"","date":"2026-04-08T19:40:38+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2026-04-07T11:58:18+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2026-04-02T14:51:08+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Discover Education","date":"2026-04-02T13:34:58+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"discover-education","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"diedu","sideBox":"Learn more about [Discover Education](https://www.springer.com/journal/44217)","snPcode":"44217","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/44217/3","title":"Discover Education","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Discover Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"75562dc2-20b5-4c1d-a1ce-f8189af7dc21","owner":[],"postedDate":"May 5th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-05-15T00:05:45+00:00","index":73,"fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-05-12T11:32:59+00:00","index":72,"fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"337922007983411429920847133097618276860","date":"2026-05-11T08:16:00+00:00","index":71,"fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"219620910392916336048278165088571222190","date":"2026-05-06T05:58:47+00:00","index":65,"fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"175735230225187961954718080512245603863","date":"2026-05-05T22:35:22+00:00","index":63,"fulltext":""}],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-05-05T23:33:27+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-05-05 23:33:27","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-9254661","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-9254661","identity":"rs-9254661","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}