Exploring the role of coherence in science teachers’ sensemaking of science‐specific formative assessment in professional development

Abstract This study explores the role of conceptual coherence in science teacher learning of science‐specific formative assessment. Conceptual coherence refers to the alignment of ideas about teaching and learning and may be difficult with certain teaching practices, like formative assessment, that have a central role in accountability mechanisms in schools. The case study analyzes how one department of science teachers surfaced and managed issues of coherence as they developed and implemented science‐specific formative assessments during a 3‐year, job‐embedded professional development program. The issues of coherence shifted over the course of the 3 years of professional development as organizational changes happened at the district and the school. These shifting sources of incoherence resulted in varied uptake and use of the resources provided through professional development. When the source of incoherence was with changes introduced by the district or the school administration, the teachers did not leverage the resources provided by the professional development team. However, when the teachers surfaced issues of coherence in their classroom instruction, the science teachers relied on the professional development resources in their sensemaking. The results of this study have implications for the design of science teacher professional learning to provide teachers opportunities to manage sources of incoherence as they work to implement new instructional practices in their classrooms.