Shifting relations with the more-than-human: six threshold concepts for transformative sustainability learning

Using the iterative process of action research, we identify six portals of understanding, called threshold concepts, which can be used as curricular guideposts to disrupt the socially constituted separation, and hierarchy, between humans and the more-than-human. The threshold concepts identified in this study provide focal points for a curriculum in transformative sustainability learning which (1) acknowledges non-human agency; and (2) recognizes that the capacity to work with multiple ways of knowing is required to effectively engage in the process of sustainability knowledge creation. These concepts are: there are different ways of knowing; we can communicate with non-human nature and non-human nature can communicate with us; knowing is relational; transrational intuition and embodied knowing are valuable and valid ways of knowing; worldview is the lens through which we view reality; and the power of dominant beliefs (represented in discourse) supports and/or undermines particular ways of knowing and being as in/valid.     

Family portrait: a profile of educational developers around the world

Educational development (also called academic or faculty development) has been described as fragmented, disconnected, and a ‘family of strangers,’ due mostly to the different academic backgrounds of its members. In this paper, the authors report on a survey of over 1000 educational developers from 38 countries on six continents. To help the field gain a clearer picture of itself at the international level, the authors provide a profile of developers’ demography, institutional locations, academic backgrounds, and current roles, and discuss the implications for educational development as a field and developers as a community.     

Tensions for educational developers in the digital university: developing the person,developing the product

ABSTRACT

Digital education, now common in higher education, is particularly evident in the expansion of blended and fully online offerings at universities. Central to this expansion are educational developers, staff who support teaching and learning improvement in courses they do not themselves teach. Working closely with staff, students, and the curriculum, educational developers see first-hand how the digital learning agenda is both implemented and experienced. This article reports on findings from a national study of three educational development groups: academic developers, academic language and learning developers, and online educational designers, from 14 Australian universities. Although their institutional settings, roles, and work practices varied considerably, a central theme was the tension arising from a perceived shift in institutional priorities from ‘people development’ to ‘product development’: that is, from building human (educator) capacity towards curriculum resource development, particularly for the online environment. Participants reported a decline in autonomy, with institutional strategy and targeted projects increasingly directing both the work that gets done, and the skill sets required to do it. Their observations have implications for how universities conceptualise the development and support of the educational process.     

Identifying threshold concepts: case study of an open catchment hydraulics course

The Threshold Concept Framework is used to initiate a dialogue on an empirically supported pedagogy that focuses on students’ conceptual understanding required for solving application-based problems. The present paper uses a triangulation approach to identify the threshold concept in a third-year undergraduate civil engineering course on open channel hydraulics. Evidence from teachers, students, and assessment data point to ‘critical flow’ as the threshold concept – a concept that is transformative, integrative, and troublesome. Identifying the threshold concept by engaging various course stakeholders in a dialogue about conceptual understanding and capabilities makes learning visible for all participants in the process. Implementing this approach can result in an empirically driven rationale for adjusting pedagogies and assessments to foster enhanced student learning outcomes.     

Wise academic development: learning from the ‘failure’ experiences of retired academic developers

ABSTRACT

Informed by Constructive Developmental Theory and the Threshold Concepts Framework, we interviewed retired academic developers from four continents and asked them to describe their processes of learning from perceived failures and how they see the role of academic developers in supporting academics through failures. Findings regarding participants’ definitions of failure, ways of making sense of and learning from failure, and recommendations for supporting academic colleagues’ learning from failure are shared through tables, quotations, and poetry. Findings show that ‘wise academic development’ embraces curiosity about failure, integrates the (sometimes) transformative nature of failure, shares the load of sense-making, and cultivates connectedness.     

The effects of globalization phenomena on educational concepts

It is becoming more and more apparent that globalization processes represent, theoretically as well as practically, a challenge for educational sciences and therefore, it must be addressed within the sphere of education. Accordingly, educational conceptions have to adapt to globafization phenomena and focus more on alternative and innovative educational concepts. The observable phenomena that appear as part of globalization then lead to the following question： Is there still space for educational concepts like emancipation, self-determination, equal opportunities and fairness in distribution, democracy and common sense？ The most indispensable tools for the development of equitable and peaceful contemporary education perspectives are a differentiated reflection on globalization phenomena and consequences, an intensive analysis and disclosure to address （global） conflict lines, the questioning of well-established concepts, the formation and embodiment of visions of the global future and the articulation of innovative education concepts. Modern social and political structures and practices have to be reoriented to combat the negative effects of globalization processes through the incorporation of more humane, socially fair and ecological principles. Educational science is sure to make an important contribution in making this a reality.     

Promoting a culture of scholarship among educational developers: exploring institutional opportunities

Educational developers tend to be located in centres and units of teaching and learning outside the academic mainstream. They have little opportunity to engage in scholarship. Through an overview of the literature on educational development and educational professional roles and responsibilities, the author suggests that promoting a culture of scholarship among educational developers will contribute significantly towards their pedagogical professional development. It will enhance the quality of professional consultation between educational developers and academic staff in the faculties. The discussion concludes with suggestions for implementing innovative strategies to promote a culture of scholarship within the higher education academic mainstream.     

试论刘皑风的教育思想

刘皑风是一位革命教育家。抗日战争和解放战争时期 ,曾任晋察冀边区行政委员会教育处处长、华北人民政府教育部副部长。新中国成立后 ,历任高等教育部、教育部副部长等职务。刘皑风关于儿童教育、小学生生活指导、教育与生产劳动相结合以及论小学教师等教育思想 ,对革命根据地和新中国教育的发展起到了奠基的作用。     

Promise and challenge of identifying threshold concepts: a cautionary account of using transactional curriculum inquiry

The original work on threshold concepts arose from a project designed to improve students’ learning experiences by taking seriously the features of disciplinary knowledge as its starting point. The conceptual and empirical work on threshold concepts has since developed and matured. While many disciplines have engaged enthusiastically with the identification of threshold concepts, healthcare has not been well represented. Drawing on Cousin’s (2007, 2009) notion of transactional curriculum inquiry, the study explores the identification of threshold concepts in a physiotherapy subject, with a sample of physiotherapy clinical educators, using nominal group technique (NGT). While the article presents a set of concepts from the pilot study, this is not its key contribution. Instead, three novel insights are offered for future threshold concepts research. First, there is a need to extend the stakeholders involved in curriculum reform and renewal beyond the university (particularly, for professions). Second, there must be ongoing opportunities for these external stakeholders to engage with and reflect on the distinct features of threshold concepts if the context and authenticity of practice is to be taken seriously for enhancing student learning. Third, the problem of identification is beset with conceptual challenges that remain unresolved for researchers.     

Identifying the potential organizational impact of an educational peer review program

The literature on educational peer review (EPR) has focused on evaluating EPR's impact on faculty and/or student learning outcomes; no literature exists on the potential organizational impact. A qualitative (case study) research design explored perceptions of 17 faculty and 10 administrators within a school of nursing in an Ontario university regarding the potential impact of an EPR program on organizational goals. Findings suggested that the implementation of an EPR program may increase consistency in the delivery of the curriculum, provide opportunities for faculty development, act as a method of teaching evaluation, and enhance faculty retention. Higher education institutions may be more likely to provide the resources required for EPR if the organizational benefits can be demonstrated.

La documentation au sujet de “l'évaluation éducative par les pairs” (educational peer review) (EPR) est centrée sur l'étude d'impact de l'EPR sur les objectifs d'apprentissage (learning outcomes) des enseignants et/ou des étudiants; il n'existe aucune documentation portant sur l'impact organisationnel potentiel. Cette recherche qualitative (études de cas) a permis d'explorer les perceptions à l'égard de l'impact potentiel d'un programme d'EPR sur les objectifs organisationnels de 17 enseignants et 10 administrateurs provenant d'une école de sciences infirmières rattachée à une université de l'Ontario (Canada). Les résultats suggèrent que l'implantation d'un programme d'EPR peut accroître la constance de mise en ?uvre du cursus, fournir des occasions de développement pédagogique, servir de méthode d'évaluation de l'enseignement, et améliorer la rétention du corps enseignant. Les institutions d'enseignement supérieur seront peut‐être davantage susceptibles de fournir les ressources nécessaires à l'EPR si l'on peut faire la preuve de ses bénéfices organisationnels.     

Putting threshold concepts to work in health sciences: insights for curriculum design from a qualitative research synthesis

The idea of threshold concepts (TC) has been well received across the higher education community. However the concept’s framework is still evolving and the literature uses the framework in different ways. Just over a decade since the idea first captured interest, it is opportune to explore the nature of that discourse, and the kinds of enquiry undertaken to date. This article reports on a qualitative synthesis that analyses published research on TC in health sciences. It provides a fresh perspective on the literature to identify key themes. Inducting students into complex practices; beyond concepts and developing students’ agency, are the three themes to arise from our findings. These themes offer insights on the ways TC have been used to develop scholarly curriculum, teaching and learning practices. They not only reflect the concerns of the community, but represent a set of empirically based principles for curriculum and course design.     

Lonergan's insight and threshold concepts: students in the liminal space

Threshold concepts are a widely used idea, particularly in curriculum design and evaluation of student learning. However they can be criticised as being hard to identify, vague and teacher imposed. Using the cognitive theory of Bernard Lonergan we argue that his epistemology enables us to reframe threshold concepts by adding a learner focussed understanding. We extend this to include considerations of liminality and ‘stuckness’, as well as the multiple paths to the threshold learners may take. Adding an understanding of cognitive process to the idea of threshold concepts also enables us to understand how they can be identified in disparate subjects.     

For want of a better word: unlocking threshold concepts in natural sciences with a key from the humanities?

The process of identifying threshold concepts invites experts to reflect on their discipline in a new way with the ultimate goal of improving learning and teaching. During a workshop to identify threshold concepts in biochemistry, we asked a group of natural scientists to explore ‘signification,’ a threshold concept from the humanities, as a mechanism to push them out of their comfort zones and recall how it feels to experience learning from a student’s perspective. In addition to accomplishing this goal, we subsequently realized that signification could also help us uncover and remedy ways in which use of scientific terminology impedes learning in biochemistry. Using the results of a survey of university teachers that aimed at refining a list of possible threshold concepts, we present three scenarios to illustrate the challenges that teachers and students encounter when attempting to cement a label (the signifier) and a concept (the signified) into a coherent sign. Based on these findings, we propose that teachers can better explore threshold concepts if they carefully consider the role terminology plays in learning and teaching. Thus we describe the ‘terminological canyon’ through which university teachers must journey in order to produce effective learning and teaching activities related to the threshold concepts. While the work described here pertains to biochemistry, we believe the process and findings can be generalized to a broad range of disciplines.     

Identification of histological threshold concepts in health sciences curricula: Students' perception

Students' metacognitive skills and perceptions are considered important variables for high-quality learning. In this study, students' perceptions were used to identify histological threshold concepts (integrative, irreversible, transformative, and troublesome) in three health sciences curricula. A specific questionnaire was developed and validated to characterize students' perceptions of histological threshold concepts. A sample of 410 undergraduate students enrolled in the dentistry, medicine, and pharmacy degree programs participated in the study. Concepts assessed in the study were clustered to ten categories (factors) by exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Concepts linked to tissue organization and tissue functional states received the highest scores from students in all degree programs, suggesting that the process of learning histology requires the integration of both static concepts related to the constituent elements of tissues and dynamic concepts such as stem cells as a tissue renewal substrate, or the euplasic, proplasic and retroplasic states of tissues. The complexity of integrating static and dynamic concepts may pose a challenging barrier to the comprehension of histology. In addition, several differences were detected among the students in different degree programs. Dentistry students more often perceived morphostructural concepts as threshold concepts, whereas medical students highlighted concepts related to two-dimensional microscopic identification. Lastly, pharmacy students identified concepts related to tissue general activity as critical for the comprehension and learning of histology. The identification of threshold concepts through students' perceptions is potentially useful to improve the teaching and learning process in health sciences curricula.     

Threshold concepts as ‘jewels of the curriculum’: rare as diamonds or plentiful as cubic zirconia?

ABSTRACT

The framework of threshold concepts has been used across several disciplines in higher education. Although the literature surrounding the identification of threshold concepts and their nature has flourished, their conceptualization has seemingly diverged across disciplinary lines, which should be recognized by educational developers who work with multiple disciplines. Inspired by a failed implementation of one framing of threshold concepts in Engineering, this article compares the conceptualization of threshold concepts in Engineering with their framing in Writing Studies and Information Literacy by drawing on Bernstein’s notion of knowledge structures. Recommendations for educational developers are provided and situated within the framework of ‘ways of thinking and practising’ (WTP).     

论蔡元培科学教育思想的内涵及现代价值

蔡元培作为中国知识界的卓越前驱，他的教育思想及实践，对中国近代教育乃至中国近代社会的发展都产生了广泛而深刻的影响。蔡元培的科学教育思想，对于我国科教兴国战略的落实、高等教育的发展，都有重要的借鉴意义。     

学生数学认识信念的研究述评

学生数学认识信念是理解学生数学学习过程的关键成分之一.学生认识信念的研究属于个体认识论研究范畴.研究发现,学生的数学认识信念对学习产生消极影响,即学生所持有的信念对促进学习是无效的.目前,对影响学生认识信念形成的因素研究主要发生在数学教育领域,而关于学生认识信念的发展研究主要集中在教育心理学界.关于数学认识信念对学习影响的研究主要集中在学生数学认识信念对数学学习的情感和动机、行为参与、认知过程和数学学业成就的影响.学生数学认识信念的形成与发展,既深受学生的学习环境的影响,又深刻影响了自身的学习过程.     

Video diaries: a tool to investigate sustainability-related learning in threshold spaces

This paper takes as a case study an undergraduate field class from a UK university to rural Uganda. It describes and evaluates the use of video diaries as a tool for investigating the process of transformative learning in the context of education for sustainability. The applicability of threshold concept theory to this learning is investigated. Results show the video diary technique to be much more successful in capturing the development of student learning than written diaries. Despite some practical difficulties, rich data were generated. Analysis demonstrated that learning met three of the five criteria for threshold concepts: the learning was transformative, integrative and troublesome. Further research could test whether the learning in this case study met the threshold concept criterion of irreversibility. Further elaboration of the theoretical relationship between threshold concepts, transformative learning and education for sustainability is also needed. It is concluded that the video diary method is potentially transferable to other educational research contexts and may be particularly suitable for researching learning in threshold spaces.