ERIC Number: EJ1431880
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024
Pages: 21
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: EISSN-1936-4660
Available Date: N/A
Threshold Concepts in Quantitative Reasoning
Judith Canner; Jennifer E. Clinkenbeard
Numeracy, v17 n1 Article 1 2024
The idea of "threshold concepts" has been used to identify discipline-based concepts that are critical to that academic area. Threshold concepts are often difficult for students to assimilate in a meaningful way but, once done, can be powerful for the learner. In general, threshold concepts are 1) transformative to learner thinking; 2) bounded by the discipline; 3) integrative with other concepts; and 4) irreversible once understood (Meyer and Land 2003). This paper presents five threshold concepts in quantitative reasoning (QR) developed by transdisciplinary faculty workgroups that may be applicable for non-mathematics disciplines as well. They are as follows: 1) QR is an iterative process; 2) Abstract patterns can represent relationships between variables or objects; 3) There is a bidirectional translation between the concrete and the abstract; 4) Effective comparison depends on proportional reasoning; and 5) Different visual representations can communicate varying perspectives on the same quantitative information. The purpose of this paper is twofold: to explore and justify the proposed concepts as threshold concepts in QR-based courses and to offer practical examples which might assist students in developing and understanding these proposed threshold concepts.
Descriptors: Concept Formation, Comparative Analysis, Interdisciplinary Approach, Thinking Skills, Mathematics Instruction, Teaching Methods, College Faculty, Teacher Workshops, State Universities, Task Analysis, Learner Engagement, Logical Thinking, Undergraduate Students
National Numeracy Network. 906 West 2nd Avenue, Suite 100, Spokane, WA 99201. Tel: 507-222-5239; Web site: https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/numeracy/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: California
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Author Affiliations: N/A