Threshold concepts and troublesome knowledge: Linkages to ways of thinking and practising within the disciplines (2025)

Meyer, J. H. F., & Land, R. (2003). Threshold concepts and troublesome knowledge: Linkages to ways of thinking and practising within the disciplines. In ISL10 Improving Student Learning: Theory and Practice Ten Years On (pp. 412-424). Oxford Brookes University.

Meyer, J.H.F. ; Land, Ray. / Threshold concepts and troublesome knowledge : Linkages to ways of thinking and practising within the disciplines. ISL10 Improving Student Learning: Theory and Practice Ten Years On. Oxford Brookes University, 2003. pp. 412-424

@inproceedings{9b135ca3d3314faca92019807e1fd8aa,

title = "Threshold concepts and troublesome knowledge: Linkages to ways of thinking and practising within the disciplines",

abstract = "This paper arises from ongoing research undertaken by the Economics team of the ESRC/ TLRP Project 'Enhancing Teaching and Learning Environments' (ETL) 1 . This forms part of the large scale ESRC Teaching and Learning Research Programme Phase 2. ETL is seeking to identify factors leading to high quality learning environments within five disciplinary contexts across a range of HE institutions. Meyer's notion of a threshold concept was introduced into project discussions on learning outcomes as a particular basis for differentiating between core learning outcomes that represent 'seeing things in a new way' and those that do not. A threshold concept is thus seen as something distinct within what university teachers would typically describe as 'core concepts'. Furthermore, threshold concepts may represent, or lead to, what Perkins (1999) describes as 'troublesome knowledge' — knowledge that is conceptually difficult, counter-intuitive or 'alien'. The paper attempts to define characteristics of threshold concepts and, in the light of Perkins' work, to indicate correspondences between the notion of threshold concepts and that of 'troublesome knowledge.'",

author = "J.H.F. Meyer and Ray Land",

year = "2003",

month = jan,

day = "1",

language = "English",

isbn = "1 873576 68 2",

pages = "412--424",

booktitle = "ISL10 Improving Student Learning",

publisher = "Oxford Brookes University",

address = "United Kingdom",

}

Meyer, JHF & Land, R 2003, Threshold concepts and troublesome knowledge: Linkages to ways of thinking and practising within the disciplines. in ISL10 Improving Student Learning: Theory and Practice Ten Years On. Oxford Brookes University, pp. 412-424.

Threshold concepts and troublesome knowledge: Linkages to ways of thinking and practising within the disciplines. / Meyer, J.H.F.; Land, Ray.
ISL10 Improving Student Learning: Theory and Practice Ten Years On. Oxford Brookes University, 2003. p. 412-424.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

TY - GEN

T1 - Threshold concepts and troublesome knowledge

T2 - Linkages to ways of thinking and practising within the disciplines

AU - Meyer, J.H.F.

AU - Land, Ray

PY - 2003/1/1

Y1 - 2003/1/1

N2 - This paper arises from ongoing research undertaken by the Economics team of the ESRC/ TLRP Project 'Enhancing Teaching and Learning Environments' (ETL) 1 . This forms part of the large scale ESRC Teaching and Learning Research Programme Phase 2. ETL is seeking to identify factors leading to high quality learning environments within five disciplinary contexts across a range of HE institutions. Meyer's notion of a threshold concept was introduced into project discussions on learning outcomes as a particular basis for differentiating between core learning outcomes that represent 'seeing things in a new way' and those that do not. A threshold concept is thus seen as something distinct within what university teachers would typically describe as 'core concepts'. Furthermore, threshold concepts may represent, or lead to, what Perkins (1999) describes as 'troublesome knowledge' — knowledge that is conceptually difficult, counter-intuitive or 'alien'. The paper attempts to define characteristics of threshold concepts and, in the light of Perkins' work, to indicate correspondences between the notion of threshold concepts and that of 'troublesome knowledge.'

AB - This paper arises from ongoing research undertaken by the Economics team of the ESRC/ TLRP Project 'Enhancing Teaching and Learning Environments' (ETL) 1 . This forms part of the large scale ESRC Teaching and Learning Research Programme Phase 2. ETL is seeking to identify factors leading to high quality learning environments within five disciplinary contexts across a range of HE institutions. Meyer's notion of a threshold concept was introduced into project discussions on learning outcomes as a particular basis for differentiating between core learning outcomes that represent 'seeing things in a new way' and those that do not. A threshold concept is thus seen as something distinct within what university teachers would typically describe as 'core concepts'. Furthermore, threshold concepts may represent, or lead to, what Perkins (1999) describes as 'troublesome knowledge' — knowledge that is conceptually difficult, counter-intuitive or 'alien'. The paper attempts to define characteristics of threshold concepts and, in the light of Perkins' work, to indicate correspondences between the notion of threshold concepts and that of 'troublesome knowledge.'

M3 - Conference contribution

SN - 1 873576 68 2

SP - 412

EP - 424

BT - ISL10 Improving Student Learning

PB - Oxford Brookes University

ER -

Meyer JHF, Land R. Threshold concepts and troublesome knowledge: Linkages to ways of thinking and practising within the disciplines. In ISL10 Improving Student Learning: Theory and Practice Ten Years On. Oxford Brookes University. 2003. p. 412-424