Partner models of explainers

Explanations are frequent interactional phenomena in educational and further professional settings. Constructivist instructional approaches emphasize that effective explanations must be adapted to learners’ individual characteristics. This requires that explainers form an adequate mental “partner model” of their audience. This study investigates which dimensions of such models are considered particularly important when explaining. We conducted 26 semi-structured interviews with professionals who regularly explain complex content: schoolteachers, university lecturers, and physicians. A qualitative content analysis was based on five literature-based (deductive) categories identified as key partner model dimensions: explainees’ Understanding, Prior Knowledge, Interest, Emotions, and Engagement. These were complemented by the inductively derived categories of Skills & Abilities and Agency. To address how the central dimension Understanding was associated with the other dimensions relational analyses were conducted. Strong associations emerged particularly with Skills & Abilities and Engagement. The findings highlight how experienced explainers actively consider multiple dimensions of their audience when explaining and suggest that considerations of Understanding are tightly linked to other dimensions as prerequisites and outcomes. Implications for teacher education and digital learning tools designed to foster adaptive explanation skills are discussed.