Threshold concepts theory suggests that learning is akin to a passage through a portal and learning has some as yet unaccounted effects like loss of identity. Meyer & Land, the original innovators, propose that there is a set of certain central concepts that all learning in any discipline is dependent and there needs to be a focus on proper learning on those to achieve curriculum goals.
Dear Phillips,
Just an opinion, but while I respect the insight represented by the theory, it isn't necessarily good to take it too seriously. The problem I would highlight first is that the idea of concept is not as well developed as it would need to be to put a theory like this to a test. We do not know, in advance, or even with naive measurement, what it means to have a learned an abstract concept. There is no clear reason to suppose that it would be the same thing for all people. In fact the theory itself is consistent with the idea that some arrangements of concepts may have a qualitatively different impact on thought than certain others.
If you accept this line of thought, then what is meant by a rigorous curriculum and what damage could a threshold based approach possibly make?
Who are "those who argue that threshold concept theory is depriving a rigorous curriculum"?. And, is a rigorous curriculum a curriculum that adresses all concepts that are part of a particular subject (in my case biology)? In my interpretation a treshold concept is build out of a number of "minor" or subordinate concepts and the question is if it is necessary to first learn the subordinate concepts in order to fully understand and appreciate the treshold concept (as happens in many curricula) or that it is also possible to start with the treshold concept? Mostly we start at the building blocks to arrive at the treshold concept and it might be that this is what is called a rigorous curriculum. If and how the opposite approach is viable is open to research I assume.
In the real world of Biology teacher education in which I work I am happy when students eventually recognise the conceptual framework and treshold concepts therein. Preferrably before they graduate... But more likely after some years of experience as a teacher. Probably their pupils need to travel the same journey instead a starting at the endpoint.
Hello
As you explain
concepts theory suggests that learning is akin to a passage through a portal and learning has some as yet unaccounted effects like loss of identity.
Also connective theory is important for me all concepts are conective
ingrid
Mr René Almekinders thank you very much for your elaborate answer. we mean the same thing about a "rigorous" curriculum. Your interpretation is not consistent with the threshold theory from what I can tell, however, regarding being having minor concepts. A threshold concepts approach necessarily removes the emphasis from covering all concepts to a selected few. In subjects like biology where there are many concepts, it is a reason that the approach will be objected. Indeed, there is low number of studies in these subjects.
As for the original question, I cannot recall or if the objection is framed properly.
I have not seen a relation with connective theory in current articles about threshold theory Ingrid Del Valle García Carreño I find ground in the theory as well
Dear Bruce E Oddson your insights are welcome and appreciated. They frame the theory of learning context where threshold concept theory operates. However, as an ideal resolution of learning pedagogy or process is out of the scope, it has the credentials to be tested empirically and examined on whether and in what aspects it serves better than other approaches, in its applied form, which is valuable. There is little as yet on the applied approaches on the theory, mostly done in tetriary education but some results show some promise.
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