Defining the term ‘threshold concepts’
An extract from Meyer and Land (2003:1)1
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. As a consequence of comprehending a threshold concept there may thus be a
transformed internal view of subject matter, subject landscape, or even world view. This
transformation may be sudden or it may be protracted over a considerable period of time,
with the transition to understanding proving troublesome. Such a transformed view or
landscape may represent how people ‘think’ in a particular discipline (or more generally).
In other words, threshold concepts having the following interrelated characteristics:
-
Denotes significant concepts (or webs of related concepts, principles, skills,
processes)
-
Reflective of (and therefore essential to) the way of thinking of a particular discipline,
community of research and/or practice
-
Requires transformation of existing ways of knowing, perceiving, valuing,
apprehending, and (perhaps) of enacting
-
May be irreversible and unlikely to be unlearned
-
Integrative or synthesises other aspects of subject matter and knowledge
-
May be bounded within a particular conceptual space
-
Often troublesome for learning (and teaching!) i.e. appears counter-intuitive, alien,
incoherent, common-sensical, inert, ritualised, conceptually difficult, complex, tacit,
linguistically/discursively inaccessible.
Some examples:
Mathematics
complex number – a number that is formally defined as consisting of
a ‘real’ and an ‘imaginary’ component and which is simply
expressed in symbolic (abstract) terms as x + iy….
Physics
inertia – objects in motion (such as a rolling ball) will continue in
motion (and not slow down) unless an external force of some kind
(such as gravity or friction) affects the motion of the object
Cultural Studies
deconstruction – the analysis of discourse and text with the purpose
to identify and critique the implicit message, positioning or
structuring of the argument by the author (as opposed to the message
itself)
Psychology
attribution theory – two individuals within the same scenario can
have distinctly different experiences of that scenario depending upon
how they account for and attribute aspects of the experience
1
Meyer, J. & Land, R. (2003). Threshold concepts and troublesome knowledge: Linkages to ways of
thinking and practicing within the disciplines. ETL Project, Occasional Report 4, May 2003. TLRP
Foundations Colloquium (2006)
Group:_______________ 1
Threshold Concept Bibliography
Meyer, J.H.F. and Land, R. (2003) Threshold concepts and troublesome knowledge
(1) – Linkages to ways of thinking and practising. Occasional Report, ETL Project 4
May 2003. Downloaded 19 October 2006:
http://www.ed.ac.uk/etl/docs/ETLreport4.pdf
Meyer, J.H.F. & Land, R. (2005). Threshold concepts and troublesome knowledge
(2): Epistemological considerations and a conceptual framework for teaching and
learning. Higher Education, 49, pp 373-388.
Land, R., Cousin, G., Meyer, J.H.F., & Davies, P. (2005) Threshold concepts and
troublesome knowledge (3): Implications for course design and evaluation. In C. Rust
(Ed). Proceedings of the 12th International Symposium Improving Student Learning.
Birmingham, 2005. Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development, Oxford
Brookes University, UK.
Meyer, J.H.F. and Land, R. (2006) Overcoming Barriers to Student Understanding:
Threshold Concepts and Troublesome Knowledge. Routledge: London and New York
O’Brien, M. (forthcoming) Threshold concepts for university teaching and learning.
Paper accepted for 2006 International Society for Scholarship in Teaching and
Learning Conference, 9-12 November 2006, Washington University, Washington DC
For your interest:
Threshold Concepts: from theory to practice
Symposium
Kingston, Ontario, Canada
June 18th – 20th 2008
Keynote Event: Jan Meyer and Ray Land
Contact Lauren Sharpe via: sharpel@post.queensu.ca
Foundations Colloquium (2006)
Group:_______________ 2
WHAT ARE THE THRESHOLD CONCEPTS FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION?
THRESHOLD CONCEPT
(and/or key concepts)
What needs to be learned (and why)?
What is ‘transformational’ about this
threshold concept (for the learner)?
What are the challenges and problems
people may face when learning this
threshold concept?
What do/can we do to support and
facilitate people to engage in this
threshold concept in terms of teaching
and learning practice?
Foundations Colloquium (2006)
Group:_______________ 3
THRESHOLD CONCEPT
(and/or key concepts)
What needs to be learned (and why)?
What is ‘transformational’ about this
threshold concept (for the learner)?
What are the challenges and problems
people may face when learning this
threshold concept?
What do/can we do to support and
facilitate people to engage in this
threshold concept in terms of teaching
and learning practice?
Foundations Colloquium (2006)
Group:_______________ 4
THRESHOLD CONCEPT
(and/or key concepts)
What needs to be learned (and why)?
What is ‘transformational’ about this
threshold concept (for the learner)?
What are the challenges and problems
people may face when learning this
threshold concept?
What do/can we do to support and
facilitate people to engage in this
threshold concept in terms of teaching
and learning practice?
Foundations Colloquium (2006)
Group:_______________ 5
THRESHOLD CONCEPT
(and/or key concepts)
What needs to be learned (and why)?
What is ‘transformational’ about this
threshold concept (for the learner)?
What are the challenges and problems
people may face when learning this
threshold concept?
What do/can we do to support and
facilitate people to engage in this
threshold concept in terms of teaching
and learning practice?
Foundations Colloquium (2006)
Group:_______________ 6
THRESHOLD CONCEPT
(and/or key concepts)
What needs to be learned (and why)?
What is ‘transformational’ about this
threshold concept (for the learner)?
What are the challenges and problems
people may face when learning this
threshold concept?
What do/can we do to support and
facilitate people to engage in this
threshold concept in terms of teaching
and learning practice?
Foundations Colloquium (2006)
Group:_______________ 7