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Making Learning Personally Relevant: Sensemaking Assets Used in Families' Discussions While Using a Pollinator-Focused Mobile Augmented Reality App

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Title: Making Learning Personally Relevant: Sensemaking Assets Used in Families' Discussions While Using a Pollinator-Focused Mobile Augmented Reality App
Language: English
Authors: Lucy R. McClain (ORCID 0000-0002-6027-4703), Lillyanna Cowdery-Faimon (ORCID 0009-0001-2634-9054), Heather Toomey Zimmerman, Susan M. Land
Source: Science Education. 2026 110(2):525-542.
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 18
Publication Date: 2026
Sponsoring Agency: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Contract Number: 1811424
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Rural Population, Outdoor Education, Learning Experience, Handheld Devices, Computer Oriented Programs, Geographic Information Systems, Informal Education, Entomology, Family Involvement, Science Education, Science Activities, Place Based Education, Relevance (Education), Prior Learning
DOI: 10.1002/sce.70023
ISSN: 0036-8326
1098-237X
Abstract: This study seeks to better understand the unique sensemaking assets that rural families weave into their outdoor learning experience while using a location-based mobile app focused on healthy habitats for solitary bees. The project included mobile augmented reality (AR) technologies, which are increasingly used as educational tools at informal learning institutions, including nature centers, to deepen visitors' learning experiences. Guided by the lenses of sociocultural learning theory and an asset-based perspective, we aim to advance the field's understanding of equitable family science learning, with a focus on rural families and their unique ways of knowing and sharing memories together during a guided mobile program centered around a local science issue in their community. Our qualitative approach analyzed the experiences of nine families (29 individuals; 14 adults, 15 youths) from two rural Appalachian counties by capturing their in-the-moment conversations and identifying personally relevant learning moments that contributed to the families' sensemaking around the topic of pollinator habitats. Our analysis of 6.5 h of audiovisual data resulted in 71 sensemaking conversations that exemplify two categories of assets--family experiences (places, people, and shared activities) and rural community connections (localized knowledge of place, ecosystems, and biotic species)--that contributed to the nine families' personally relevant learning experiences. We further identified how these assets facilitated the rural families' sensemaking processes, such as connecting prior observations of natural phenomena to concepts within the app. Recommendations for practitioners and researchers aiming to engage rural family groups with locally relevant science through mobile AR technologies are included.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1496862
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Making Learning Personally Relevant: Sensemaking Assets Used in Families' Discussions While Using a Pollinator-Focused Mobile Augmented Reality App
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lucy+R%2E+McClain%22">Lucy R. McClain</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6027-4703">0000-0002-6027-4703</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lillyanna+Cowdery-Faimon%22">Lillyanna Cowdery-Faimon</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0001-2634-9054">0009-0001-2634-9054</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Heather+Toomey+Zimmerman%22">Heather Toomey Zimmerman</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Susan+M%2E+Land%22">Susan M. Land</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Science+Education%22"><i>Science Education</i></searchLink>. 2026 110(2):525-542.
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  Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
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  Data: Y
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  Data: 18
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: National Science Foundation (NSF)
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Rural+Population%22">Rural Population</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Outdoor+Education%22">Outdoor Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Learning+Experience%22">Learning Experience</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Handheld+Devices%22">Handheld Devices</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Computer+Oriented+Programs%22">Computer Oriented Programs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Geographic+Information+Systems%22">Geographic Information Systems</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Informal+Education%22">Informal Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Entomology%22">Entomology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Family+Involvement%22">Family Involvement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Science+Education%22">Science Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Science+Activities%22">Science Activities</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Place+Based+Education%22">Place Based Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Relevance+%28Education%29%22">Relevance (Education)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Prior+Learning%22">Prior Learning</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1002/sce.70023
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  Data: 0036-8326<br />1098-237X
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: This study seeks to better understand the unique sensemaking assets that rural families weave into their outdoor learning experience while using a location-based mobile app focused on healthy habitats for solitary bees. The project included mobile augmented reality (AR) technologies, which are increasingly used as educational tools at informal learning institutions, including nature centers, to deepen visitors' learning experiences. Guided by the lenses of sociocultural learning theory and an asset-based perspective, we aim to advance the field's understanding of equitable family science learning, with a focus on rural families and their unique ways of knowing and sharing memories together during a guided mobile program centered around a local science issue in their community. Our qualitative approach analyzed the experiences of nine families (29 individuals; 14 adults, 15 youths) from two rural Appalachian counties by capturing their in-the-moment conversations and identifying personally relevant learning moments that contributed to the families' sensemaking around the topic of pollinator habitats. Our analysis of 6.5 h of audiovisual data resulted in 71 sensemaking conversations that exemplify two categories of assets--family experiences (places, people, and shared activities) and rural community connections (localized knowledge of place, ecosystems, and biotic species)--that contributed to the nine families' personally relevant learning experiences. We further identified how these assets facilitated the rural families' sensemaking processes, such as connecting prior observations of natural phenomena to concepts within the app. Recommendations for practitioners and researchers aiming to engage rural family groups with locally relevant science through mobile AR technologies are included.
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        Value: 10.1002/sce.70023
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      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
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        PageCount: 18
        StartPage: 525
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Rural Population
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Outdoor Education
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      – SubjectFull: Learning Experience
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      – SubjectFull: Handheld Devices
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      – SubjectFull: Computer Oriented Programs
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      – SubjectFull: Family Involvement
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      – SubjectFull: Science Education
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      – SubjectFull: Prior Learning
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      – TitleFull: Making Learning Personally Relevant: Sensemaking Assets Used in Families' Discussions While Using a Pollinator-Focused Mobile Augmented Reality App
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