Easing the transition: threshold concepts and IL workshops for visiting Y13 students

This paper describes a method by which incoming Level 4 (First-Year) students might be supported by academic librarians in their transition into Higher Education in the area of research and academic standards. Previous research indicated that students transitioning into higher education found it difficult to narrow down topics, were uncertain about the expectations of their lecturers, were overwhelmed by the breath of resources available and were confused over how to conduct university level research. In order to address these issues, the idea of threshold concepts (Meyer and Land 2003, 2005) needed to be addressed as part of a redesigned programme. The “backward design process” outlined in Understanding by Design (Wiggins and McTighe 2006) formed the basis for changes to the workshops. This method of design means that one can move the process along from experiences which merely focus on knowledge that is worth being familiar with (which is what is happening in our research workshops at the moment) to experiences which promote enduring knowledge, skills and understanding. Whereas previous workshops for Y13 students focussed on the “how”, the new workshops centred on a genuine Level 4 assignment which students were asked to complete in small groups. We moved the session away from computer based searching for the first session to a brainstorming session covering three aspects of the search. Feedback was then sought both in written format (“3-2-1” technique) and informally to gauge students engagement with the exercise. Initial findings indicated that students left the sessions with a better understanding of the expectations of university level work. Students indicated surprise over the variety of sources which they might use (in particular, primary research) and some indicated an understanding of how research skills could be transferred into everyday life. (288 words) References Meyer, J.H.F and Land, R. (2003) Threshold Concepts and Troublesome Knowledge (1): Linkages to Ways of Thinking and Practising [Internet]. Occasional Report 4. London, Economic and Social Research Council. Available from: http://www.etl.tla.ed.ac.uk/docs/ETLreport4.pdf [Accessed 15 October 2012]. Meyer, J. H. F. and Land, R. (2005). Threshold concepts and troublesome knowledge (2): Epistemological considerations and a conceptual framework for teaching and learning, Higher Education [Internet], 49(3), pp. 373-388. Available from: http://web.ebscohost.com [Accessed 15 October 2012]. Wiggins, G. and McTighe, J. (2006) Understanding by Design. Ohio, Pearson.