Just imagine a technology-enhanced learning platform that provides all the tools necessary for citizens to engage independently in cooperative learning activities driven by inquiry-based research strategies. Through this platform, a citizen--not necessarily a scientist and possibly aided by other similarly motivated citizens--can carry out scientific research, from idea formulation to the publication of results. If we were to develop such a platform, we would adopt an iterative development method to identify user needs; elaborate on the system requirements; and design, implement, and test the system. As learning is the objective, we would also assess whether citizens learn when using this platform (and if so, how much).

This is a short paper with a long title packed with noun phrases, each of which needs substantial elaboration not found anywhere within. Similarly, the abstract introduces a list of terms, including pedagogy at scale, pedagogy-informed design, citizen inquiry-led investigations, evaluation and effectiveness, and so on, with the implicit promise that the body of the paper will define and describe them. Unfortunately, the paper does not address any of the issues it raises in its abstract. It reads more like an advertisement for a platform that the authors describe in more detail elsewhere.