@Sui Fai John Mak

John, you are raising a bunch of related questions, many of which I will have to address in the intro and theoretical framework sections of my paper. Thank you for voicing them.

Threshold concepts are a framework to describe certain elements that seem common within disciplines that students often struggle with, and which they in turn must understand (to some extent) before they can progress in the field. An example described in the literature (though mentioned in a different “field” than my own) is the concept of hegemony. I could not get it at first, though once I finally grasped it I found that my perspective, both ontological as well as epistemological, shifted. There are some things I started to see as if for the first time. It had an effect on me that I could no longer go back to my status quo, as if nothing happened. I could not unlearn it, and while not everybody experiences things in the same way, this was one of those lessons that has shifted me as a teacher, learner, and practitioner.

These are the sorts of experiences that many faculty members seem to recognize where people get stuck. That is the phenomena I want to study.

I do want to investigate your final suggestions once I finish this brief, pilot study. If only I had longer than 4 weeks!!

Jeffrey