A lot of posts from newbies, tagged " bioblitz-S295-2021".
Wonderful: lots of posts from new users, what joy!
But how frustrating, too. So many fungi represented only by “cap shots”, and often with specific IDs that even I can see are wrong. But many of these would be easily corrected if there were more detail in the photos and text.
We all have to start somewhere, and it’s only by making mistakes and (hopefully) having ID clues pointed out when better naturalists add revisions, that we learn. I’m sure I’ve made more than my fair share (and will continue to do so).
But: presumably these blitzes are planned and anticipated. Could the promoters not add some simple guidance when inviting contributions (“If you want to submit photos to iSpot or iNat, remember to…”)? I fear that many of these new users will be deterred by responses that fall far short of their expectations. I still recall my disappointment at early posts of mine that could not be taken anywhere near species level.
The mistakes are inevitable, but it is considerable consolation (and it eases the embarrassment) when one of the kindly iSpot veterans says " not, it’s not that, it’s this; because…"
Oh dear. I’ve finally become a grumpy old man…
I entirely agree. It is noticeable that fewer of them are getting responses because they almost never respond themselves.
Also it seems they are told to ID to Species - nothing else will be accepted.
I have been quietly on at admin about this issue for quite a while.
Do not be fooled into thinking these are New users (“what joy”) part of their brief is to upload their compulsory sightings to iSpot.
I MUST say, one or two have the right idea, maybe they will stay.
I’m firmly in the grumpies club.
My problem is that I hate to pass any post by, and I want to encourage any potential regular contributor to “stay”. I also, of course, want to learn. But I was thinking of a rather disheartening future “
Rescuing Observations” project, And when someone posts a photo of half a slug…
At least they’re being told to check their Changes Tracker this time.
In principle they should have some interest - they did sign up for the free course.
Free? Usual cost for a 30 point unit is ~£530 (though the OU do try to point students to appropriate sources of funding.) So, yes, they should be interested and, yes, they should expect guidance of the OU’s usual high standard re using iSpot.
I see I wasn’t paying sufficient attention - I hadn’t noticed that this wasn’t the same course as the one being advertised as free on the iSpot home page.
This thread should not die
I have been looking at a few of the 2022 Observations - they have been largely forgotten as have our 2021 suggestions about how the ‘course’ might be run
Using only two of the 6 tags I found over 40 Observations without a likely Banner. WHRE are the Tutors?
I have added a comment to this one, but not an ID (thus keeping it the forgotten list)