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Threshold Concepts may be considered to be
“akin to passing through a portal”
(Meyer and Land, 2004)
Peter Hadfield, Peter Wolstencroft and James Atherton
"A threshold concept can be considered as
akin to a portal, opening up a new and previously inaccessible way of thinking about something. It
represents a transformed way of understanding, or interpreting, or
viewing something without which the learner cannot progress."
(Meyer and Land, 2003:412)
Why Threshold concepts?• Generic application for all subjects/disciplines, but
discipline specific for Interest groups to ‘uncover’
• A new way of looking at content Must know Should know Could know
• About more than teaching & learning a subject
Political
Background
Legal
AspectsResearchmethods
EthicsPhilosophies / models ofPractice
Discipline-SpecificTheory
ProfessionalStudies
Practiceskills
Technology
Values
In vocational or professional education, the amorphous green background represents what the student needs to learn, but it is never fully covered by the formal curriculum represented by the geometrical shapes
Threshold concepts open up the opportunity to address this other material
The following material is from “Simple Minds” (written and produced by Philip Sadler) shown on BBC2 on 19 September 1994
This video material is not incorporated directly in the on-line slide show, but may be found with commentary at; http://www.doceo.co.uk/tools/thresholds_7.htm
Prelim1
Exercise in break
Plenary discussion
Prelim2
Mainargument
Introduction
This is the structure of the presentation
Preliminary point 1; A little of what we teach is just the accumulation of discrete and isolated facts
Remembering
Understanding
Applying
Analysing
Evaluating
Creating
Krathwohl and Anderson 2001, after Bloom, 1956
That applies only to the bottom level of the revised taxonomy in the cognitive domain
Systems andArguments
All the other stuff emphasises the connectedness and context of ideas and concepts. Threshold concepts are about open up connected areas of knowledge
Prelim1
Exercise in break
Plenary discussion
Prelim2
Mainargument
Introduction
Hattie (2009) is an important contribution to knowledge about teaching. He has always emphasised the importance of feedback...
Learner Teacher
From T to L on howshe is doing and howto get better
From L to T on errorsand what T needs toconcentrate on
...to the learner. Now he stresses the importance of feedback from the learner to the teacher, about the extent and limitations of the learner’s understanding. This is particularly critical concerning the acquisition of threshold concepts.
Time
Kno
wle
dge/
ski
ll et
c.
This naive diagram represents the view of learning shared by most policy-makers and managers (even those who used to be teachers...)
Time
Kno
wle
dge/
ski
ll et
c.
Once we engage with threshold concepts, however, we have to recognise that the graph is not a straight line, and that uncertainty, confusion and regression is a likely part of the process
Time
Kno
wle
dge/
ski
ll et
c.Liminal trough
This is the “liminal” experience (meaning “on the edge”) of crossing a threshold of understanding.
Prelim1
Exercise in break
Plenary discussion
Prelim2TCs
Introduction
And so to the characteristics of Threshold Concepts
Transformative
Prelim1
Exercise in break
Plenary discussion
Prelim2TCs
Introduction
Why the T.A.R.D.I.S.? Entering it is crossing a transformative threshold; it’s bigger on the inside that the outside
Subject
Transformative
Prelim1
Exercise in break
Plenary discussion
Prelim2TCs
IntroductionThe transformation will apply to your understanding of a subject (the epistemological element), but...
Learner
Subject
Transformative
Prelim1
Exercise in break
Plenary discussion
Prelim2TCs
Introduction
It may also, disconcertingly, apply to your understanding of yourself (the ontological element)
Always use a hand basin provided exclusively for washing hands
Use comfortably hot water. Rub your hands vigorously to work in the soap
Don’t forget the areas in between your fingers and around your wrists
Rinse your handsbefore drying them
Now wash your hands!
(Issue suggested by Catering Interest Group at a previous Study Day)
It’s not only that there is more to washing your hands than you thought, but the fact that you learn to pay so much attention to it also says something about you. You are becoming someone who is professionally concerned about cleanliness
Troublesome
Transformative
Prelim1
Exercise in break
Plenary discussion
Prelim2TCs
Introduction
Because often counter-intuitive
The sharpest tool is the safest tool
• “Wood is made out of thin air and sunlight? Get real!”
• “The cost of production has nothing to do with price? Rubbish!”
• “So you are saying that the fact that someone’s legs don’t work is not a disability? Come on!”
• “In a vacuum, a feather falls at the same speed as a lead shot? No way!”
“Well, that was a waste of time. I could have been doing something or anything else more productively”
(One response to a previous Study Day)Although sometimes we actually know a threshold concept already, without recognising its significance. This is a common-sense statement of “opportunity cost”, a critical TC in economics!
Irreversible
Troublesome
Transformative
Prelim1
Exercise in break
Plenary discussion
Prelim2TCs
IntroductionYou may change your understanding of a TC, but you can’t go back to where you were before you got it.
Once I can read—
I can’t not read
Once I can read—
I can’t not read
Once I can read—
I can’t not read
Once I can read—
I can’t not read
Once I can read—
I can’t not read
Once
I c
an
read
—I ca
n’t
not
read
Once I can read—I can’t not read
Once I can read
—
I can’t not read
Integrative
Irreversible
Troublesome
Transformative
Prelim1
Exercise in break
Plenary discussion
Prelim2TCs
Introduction
TCs create and open up connections between areas of a subject
A gateway is opened between previously isolated parts of the subject
And again! By the way, when you look back on the first one, you may not recognise it from the other side...
Integrative
Bounded
Irreversible
Troublesome
Transformative
Prelim1
Exercise in break
Plenary discussion
Prelim2TCs
Introduction
Much about the boundaries of subject and disciplines; indeed, its TCs may define a subject.
Integrative
Bounded
Irreversible
Troublesome
Transformative
Prelim1
Exercise in break
Plenary discussion
Prelim2TCs
Introduction
• ...think back to when you were learning the subject or skill set which you now teach, and identify a Threshold Concept you learned, and how it changed your understanding and/or practice.
• Meet with one or two others from the same area...
• Swap ideas, and use the check-list to test whether a threshold concept is the genuine article.
• In the plenary, we shall ask some of you to share your ideas, and we’ll discuss them with you.
Briefing for the exercise in the refreshment break
Check-list items are the features identified earlier