ABSTRACT Shared understanding is often achieved in communication interactions at the point in which the participants come to an agreement upon meaning. Without shared meaning, misunderstandings can lead to a breakdown in communication, and possibly failure on collaborative tasks. The purpose of the present study was to examine how students, preservice, and in-service teachers used different strategies to attempt to reach shared meaning during a spatial visualization task in a STEM instructional context. The data included 15 transcribed recordings analyzed through constant comparative analysis to identify the characteristics of the communication during clarification exchanges. Findings highlight three features of these exchanges: confirmation, rethinking, and misdirection. Within these exchanges, communication involved precise, technical language as well as analogous, everyday language to attempt to reach shared meaning. Exchanges that were successful (in moving toward task completion) illustrated the use of this language to affirm or move toward shared vocabulary. Unsuccessful exchanges (that hindered task completion) resulted from misunderstandings due to lack of shared language or meaning. Classroom implications for teaching and learning include recognizing that everyday language and technical language can potentially serve as points of confusion, and embracing the importance of accurately assessing and responding to students’ current understandings.

中文翻译：

---

STEM 词及其多重含义：提出澄清问题的复杂性

摘要 在交流互动中，当参与者就意义达成一致时，通常会达成共识。如果没有共同的意义，误解会导致沟通中断，并可能导致协作任务失败。本研究的目的是检查学生、职前教师和在职教师如何在 STEM 教学环境中的空间可视化任务中使用不同的策略来尝试达到共同的意义。数据包括 15 个转录的录音，这些录音通过不断的比较分析进行分析，以确定澄清交流期间的通信特征。调查结果突出了这些交流的三个特征：确认、重新思考和误导。在这些交流中，交流涉及精确、技术语言以及类似的日常语言，以试图达到共同的意义。成功的交流（朝着完成任务的方向发展）说明了使用这种语言来肯定或朝着共享词汇的方向发展。由于缺乏共同的语言或意义而导致误解导致不成功的交流（阻碍任务完成）。课堂对教学和学习的影响包括认识到日常语言和技术语言可能成为混淆点，并认识到准确评估和回应学生当前理解的重要性。由于缺乏共同的语言或意义而导致误解导致不成功的交流（阻碍任务完成）。课堂对教学和学习的影响包括认识到日常语言和技术语言可能成为混淆点，并认识到准确评估和回应学生当前理解的重要性。由于缺乏共同的语言或意义而导致误解导致不成功的交流（阻碍任务完成）。课堂对教学和学习的影响包括认识到日常语言和技术语言可能成为混淆点，并认识到准确评估和回应学生当前理解的重要性。