Sensemaking is conceptualized as a trajectory to develop better understanding and is advocated as one of the fundamental practices in science education. However, the field is lacking of a framework to view the prolonged process of sensemaking that starts from a raise of uncertainty of a target phenomenon to a grasping of a better understanding of…

Research has focused on identifying and overcoming determinants that impede widespread adoption of instructional interventions, with little empirical examination of postsecondary educators' perceptions about these interventions. We explored postsecondary biology educators' sensemaking of education improvement interventions targeting undergraduate…

The use of diagrams in learning and communication is generally considered efficacious and an important skill to cultivate, especially among science students. At the same time, previous research has revealed many problems in student diagram use, including a lack of spontaneity in such use, but the extent to which these problems persist into the…

Fourth-grade students' knowledge of observable moon phases and patterns of change, as well as conceptual understanding of the cause of moon phases, was investigated before and after special instruction. Pretest and post-test data for 48 students were used to address the research question related to observable moon phases and patterns of change.…

The "Help! Kit" for elementary school teachers was produced in 1989 by a task force of Virginia migrant educators who were getting an increasing number of requests for information about and assistance with their English language learners (ELLs). This secondary version of the "Help! Kit" provides helpful information to busy…

For the twenty-ninth year, the Research and Theory Division of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) is sponsoring the publication of these Proceedings. Papers published in this volume were presented at the National AECT Convention in Orlando, Florida. The Proceedings of AECT's Convention are published in two…