Theme
8BB Teaching and learning: Principles
INSTITUTION
Imperial College London - Medical Education Research Unit - London - United Kingdom
Threshold concepts are transformative, often leading to a more integrated understanding and forming a gateway to new conceptual areas of disciplinary knowledge. They are frequently associated with knowledge that is troublesome in some way for students (Meyer & Land, 2003). It may be useful, therefore, to identify troublesome knowledge and threshold concepts in order to better organise teaching resources and support students. Concept mapping is a powerful and concise knowledge representation tool, and as such could be useful in identifying threshold concepts and the associated troublesome knowledge.
24 medical students undertaking a year 2 pharmacology course were asked (after suitable training) to draw concept maps concerning core pharmacological concepts at the beginning and end of the course. Qualitative topological analysis of the maps was undertaken to identify the presence of previously identified morphological classifications that have previously been linked to student learning.
Concept mapping can be utilised to identify subject specific troublesome knowledge and threshold concepts and may provide useful information for supporting students and in course design.
We are grateful to the Medical Education Research Unit, Imperial College London for the award of a travel grant to attend AMEEE 2015.
1. Identification of core concepts: Core concepts were identified as those concepts that were (i) most often found directly linked to the main focus question and therefore due to their hierarchical position more likely to represent general concepts and (ii) most frequently identified by the entire cohort (see Figure 1A & Figure 1C)
2. Identification of threshold concepts/troublesome knowledge: In addition to identifying whether the core concepts were identified pre-course or post-course, we also ascertained which of Hay & Kinchin’s (Hay & Kinchin, 2006) basic cognitive structures were used to describe each of the core concepts within each map (see Figure 2B). Threshold concepts (five of the eight core concepts that were identified) were characterised by high interconnectivity within student maps. Potential troublesome knowledge was identified from map content that suggested student misunderstanding/loss of understanding. Interestingly, three of the four concepts that were gained/lost as the course progressed (see Figure 1C) were frequently associated with high interconnectivity within other student maps (see Figure 2A).
Topological and content analysis of student concept maps seemed to be able to identify disciplinary threshold concepts and troublesome knowledge. Changes in concept mapping post-course may reveal successful negotiation of troublesome knowledge and threshold concepts acquisition.
Meyer, JHF. & Land, R. (2003) ‘Threshold concepts and troublesome knowledge: Linkages to ways of thinking and practising within the disciplines’. In Rust, C. (ed.), Improving Student Learning: Improving Student Learning Theory and Practice – Ten Years On. Oxford: Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development.
Hay, DB. & Kinchin IM. (2006) Using concept maps to reveal conceptual typologies. Education andTraining 48: 79–83.
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