Transforming Perspectives: Technology to Support the Teaching and Learning of Threshold Concepts

Who are we? An interdisciplinary project involving three groups at the University of Cambridge: – Centre for Applied Research in Educational Technologies Software Developers Content Developers Educational Researchers and Evaluators Faculty Liaison Staff – Department of Plant Sciences – Computer Laboratory A wider group of departments and individuals from different disciplines An interdisciplinary seminar group drawing on expertise within and beyond Cambridge

What are Threshold Concepts? Threshold concepts are characteristically: transformative – occasioning a ‘significant shift in the perception of a subject’ probably irreversible – ‘the change in perspective occasioned by acquisition of a threshold concept is unlikely to be forgotten’ integrative – exposing the ‘previously hidden interrelatedness of something’ possibly often bounded – ‘any conceptual space will have terminal frontiers, bordering with thresholds into new conceptual areas’ potentially troublesome – that which appears ‘counter-intuitive, alien (emanating from another culture or discourse), or incoherent (discrete aspects are unproblematic but there is no organising principle)’ (Meyer and Land, 2006: 7-9)

Threshold Concepts & Technology Threshold concepts present a challenge for technology enhanced learning because they necessitate sophisticated and flexible learning environments which support the reflection, ‘revisiting’ and problematisation of knowledge; Some related technologies: –the Intelligent Verilog Compiler, which uses an ontology-based architecture to provide diagnostic assessment and feedback to guide students in their programming exercises, and is used in part of the Computer Science course at the University of Cambridge; –‘Intelligent Books’, which are structured so that teachers and learners can add, reuse and restructure content and examples, and which allow alternative explanations in response to learner needs and preferences. Other Semantic Web and Adaptive Tutoring Systems

Project Activities The establishment of an interdisciplinary network to explore perspectives on the teaching and learning of threshold concepts across a number of disciplines Seminar Series A – practitioner seminars to define the nature and role of threshold concepts in a range of disciplines Seminar Series B – multi-institutional interdisciplinary seminars to explore commonality and difference in conceptual models, ontologies and methodologies Residential meeting to bring together participants from the two seminar series, focusing on interdisciplinarity and appropriate technologies The exploration of opportunities offered by a range of technologies to support the teaching and learning of threshold concepts

Selected Project Outcomes A review of literatures related to threshold concepts Construction of a series of case studies of teaching and learning of threshold concepts in the disciplines Establishment and management of an online environment to support work in both seminar series A developing dialogue leading to the specification of technologically- enhanced teaching and learning environment geared to supporting teaching and learning of threshold concepts Contact: For more information see: