Developing action competence for insect preservation
The proposed research project ""Developing Action Competence for Insect Preservation"" (DACIP) approaches the current problem of insect decline from an educational perspective using methods of Educational Design Research (EDR). The research project aims to (i) improve theoretical understanding of citizens’ readiness to take action against insect decline and (ii) to design and investigate options to raise citizens' abilities to preserve insects. To achieve these aims, a novel theoretical framework - Action Competence for Insect Preservation (ACIP) - will be developed in a first step. In a second step, this framework is used for developing novel quantitative and qualitative research instruments to investigate citizens' abilities to preserve insects and for designing innovative educational interventions to raise citizens’ ACIP. These interventions will include wildlife gardening and citizen science as core elements. In a third step, the effectiveness of these interventions will be assessed: For this assessment, the designed interventions will be implemented at compulsory schools in Karlstad (grade 7). The change of ACIP will be assessed in a pre-post-design with 500 students, comparing the intervention group with a control group using the new quantitative and qualitative instruments. Consequently, the proposed research project provides three important benefits: a) The new framework (ACIP) builds a foundation for the development of conservation initiatives addressing citizens effectively b) The new instruments make it possible to investigate citizens'  abilities in preserving insects: This can be used to assess the effectiveness of initiatives focusing on insect preservation, which can boost the effectiveness of such iniatives by enabling targeted improvements. c) The designed interventions to foster citizens' ACIP will be made available on a large scale. Therefore, the project can contribute significantly to achieve global biodiversity and sustainability goals.