Threshold Concepts in Photography
Jon Nicholls
What is a Threshold Concept?
A threshold concept can be considered as akin to a portal, opening up a new and previously inaccessible way of thinking about something. It represents a transformed way of understanding, or interpreting, or viewing something without which the learner cannot progress. As a consequence of comprehending a threshold concept there may thus be a transformed internal view of subject matter, subject landscape, or even world view. This transformation may be sudden or it may be protracted over a considerable period of time, with the transition to understanding proving troublesome. Such a transformed view or landscape may represent how people ‘think’ in a particular discipline, or how they perceive, apprehend, or experience particular phenomena within that discipline (or more generally) -- Meyer and Land, Threshold Concepts and Troublesome Knowledge: Linkages to Ways of Thinking and Practising within the Disciplines, 2005 What are the threshold concepts that help to define the discipline of photography? Over a period of weeks I worked with colleagues in and outside my school to develop a set of ten concepts. I felt that these would help us build a more coherent curriculum for our students from Years 9 through to 13. If we had a clear idea ourselves about what we wanted students to be able to understand about our discipline, perhaps we might be better placed to design sequences of lessons, beginning with the GCSE course, that would enable them to begin to tackle this "troublesome knowledge" and perhaps develop a degree of mastery over the course of their studies. I also felt that it was important for colleagues, who may not necessarily feel particularly expert in the field of photography, to develop a shared understanding of these concepts so that we could together as a department build a more effective critical engagement with the discipline. Thanks to www.photopedagogy.com for the creation of this resource. |
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Summary
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Threshold Concept Cards
I decided to create a set of cards to help disseminate the concepts. These cards can be printed out and used individually or collectively to stimulate debate and reflection in a photography class. Click o the images below to expand. The complete set of cards can be downloaded below as JPEGS.
I decided to create a set of cards to help disseminate the concepts. These cards can be printed out and used individually or collectively to stimulate debate and reflection in a photography class. Click o the images below to expand. The complete set of cards can be downloaded below as JPEGS.
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