Educators concerned with the quality of learning and instruction have called for a greater focus on students’ thinking to inform instruction and have offered a variety of pathways for achieving that aim (Brookfield, 2017; Robertson, Scherr, & Hammer, 2015; Simkins & Maier, 2010; Weimer, 2013). These approaches acknowledge the need for teachers to understand students’ concepts and misconceptions as they are being formed so that learning experiences can be tailored to support students’ continued concept and skill development. This kind of targeted teaching requires intentional instructional planning and design that grows out of the actual needs of students.
