Crossing Threshold: a personal experience
As we all read about ‘threshold concept’ each has shared various ideas, knowledge or experiences that have relation to this concept. I myself would like to start by saying this concept or word, ‘threshold concept’ which is also interchangeable with crossing a barrier can be part of each and everyone’s everyday life as we grow from childhood till we aged. Meyer, Jan, and Ray (2006), explain the threshold concept as, “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.” [1] ‘Threshold concept has been widely used in variety of fields such like economics, psychology, educations and a lot more that we could name. I believe that threshold concept is an experience that we experience in a lot of areas of our daily living.
During childhood, there are several thresholds that had been crossed. For example, when a child has not learned of fire that it burns or hurt, after experimenting with it, he/she may have crossed that threshold. As we know that this does not only applies to fire, but whatever they experiment with that gives them the same or repeated reaction. Two things that I seen from my two children: (1.) my three year old daughter has crossed a threshold concept that if she wanted something and she would cry and ask for it; I most of the time would give-in, and (2.) on the other hand, my thirteen year old son when wanting something, he would come up with the advantages or excuse of having what he wants. He always tries to have me sold on it; he knows that if I am sold, I would say yes. What I am trying to illustrate here is that these two children have crossed the threshold where they learned that if I do this, this will be the reaction or end results.
Before coming to America, I many different understandings of what is like in the U.S. Just watching movies that were produced in America or made by Americans does not give the full understands or prevent the misconceptions. This happens especially if one comes from a totally different settings, or cultures and traditions. I believe that is the key word, ‘different’ settings; that is the barrier to be crossed or the threshold to break through. I found myself in what I did not then that was lacking cultural intelligence.
Now that I am in my golden years, I crossed the barriers in some areas of my life where I could say, “oh, I did not know about this.” I was growing up with grandparents and heard them talking and complaining about their debilitating health, but when your young, they were just stories to you. But these days I have learned that ‘those stories’ are real. Crossing threshold barriers take place in every stage of each individual life. But what is the most important lesson to take away from this concept or crossing threshold barriers?
Hudson (“Threshold Concepts: A Bridge between Skills and Content,” n.d.), stated that, “according to Meyer and Land, mastering a threshold concept requires the learner to enter an uncomfortable space where they must question what they know, wrestle with abstract ideas, and seek new ways to organize and process information.” [2]
[1] Meyer, Jan, and Ray Land. 2006. Overcoming Barriers to Student Understanding. Routledge.
[2] “Threshold Concepts: A Bridge between Skills and Content.” n.d. GOA. http://globalonlineacedamy.org/insights/articles/threshold-concepts-a-bridge-between-skills-and-content.
About the Author
Noel Liemam
12 responses to “Crossing Threshold: a personal experience”
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Noel, I appreciated reading your post. Thank you for sharing about your experience arriving in the United States. It is very challenging to step into a new culture. It truly changes us. What threshold have you been challenged to cross recently? Have you made it to ‘the other side’?
Hi, Ms. Burns, thank you for reading and commenting. Well, the first cultural difference that I experience when first arrived in Portland, Oregon was the cultural or shall I say the blessing of work. My first job in the U.S. was working in a production factory that was from 7:30am to 4:00pm. The first and only week that I worked, I was working overtime every day.
Back in the islands, we don’t have a lot of work, the economy is poor, but even if you have a hourly job (that pays very poor), the working environment is very relaxed. Because of that, most of the work consist of going to farm or going fishing. That six days that I worked, I woke up at 4am took the bus to work and be back at home around 8pm was kind of overwhelming for me, especially doing that for six days and during winter. This is the time that I did not understand that it is the way of life in the community that I was in.
To answer your question, it is this doctoral journey that I have the feeling that I am in the liminal space. Thanks again, Ms. Burns.
Noel, thanks for your blog post. I understand what you’re talking about regarding the aging process. I appreciate your perspective that we are crossing thresholds all the time, particularly as we experience change. It seems, however, that sometimes we’re like the people of Israel. God let them wander in the wilderness until they were ready and able to cross the threshold of faith. They lived in liminality for 40 years! Why do you think some people are able to cross these threshold barriers and others don’t seem to be able to grasp them?
Hi, Mr. English, thank you for the comments. Most of the time that I felt my life is just circling arounds several points and feeling like I have not gone anywhere, I thought about the Israelites in the wilderness and their 40yrs sojourn.
I came to Oregon to further my education in the year 1995; it took me several years to finish community college. The two years I was supposed to be done by turned into closed to 10yrs. I always referred to those wandering days as the LORD teaching me something days and days that I was doing my own and our LORD was shaping and refining me into something. All I know is a better version of myself.
Thanks again, Mr. English.
Noel! Thank you for sharing. I appreciate your perspective on threshold and culture. I actually wrote about this in my blog post. As the United States continues to growing in diversity and we hear of the “Browning of America” I was surprised to learn how many American citizens only speak English. Traveling to a lot of international destinations I am sometimes amazed
at the amount of people who are bi-lingual. This is a threshold concept many can embrace in bridging the gap or at least attempting to go the extra mile to gain some cultural competence can be a threshold concept many can easily embrace.
Hi, Mr. Jaime, I definitely agree with you. Increasing
one’s cultural intelligence itself is an act of breaking through a threshold. Thanks for your comment.
Noel, thank you for offering insight into a bit of your story! It is so true that we cross through these thresholds all throughout our lives and I appreciate how you’ve applied the concept to some practical everyday scenarios. I had to laugh when you spoke about how just watching movies doesn’t give one an adequate understanding of life in America. I have personally witnessed multiple family members experience threshold moments related to this. I appreciate this reminder to think about its application in cultural settings, especially being that I live in a country outside of my culture of origin and can reflect back on soooo many things I’ve had to learn the hard way.
That’s definitely true. I visited my home island after being out here in the U.S. for five years, and one of the island kids asked me if I had ever met Jet Lee, or Chuck Norris. Because they watched American movies, that thought that when you are out here in the U.S., you see all the people in the movies. Back home is small and almost everybody know each other.
Thanks for your comment, Ms. Nkemontoh.
Noel, along with Elysse, I am curious about the threshold concepts you have navigated recently? From your experience transitioning to the U.S., what would you identify as threshold concepts in transitioning to a new culture?
Hi, Mr. Warren, I believe it is good to get to know the people and the culture with open mindedness. This is what helped me to get to know and understand the people and the culture. It is also helped against misunderstanding and misconceptions. Thank you, Mr. Warren for you comment.
Noel, Thank you for sharing your story with us. I think my question is similar to Chad’s. Given that you had preconceived ideas of US culture before moving here, I project that many things were confusing. What one thing, once understood, opened the most doors of understanding for you?
Hi, Ms. O’Hara, and thank you for your comment. Well, I would use the word misconceptions or misunderstanding. In our education system, English is used. Our curriculum is in English as well, though it may be very low.
Therefore, the main thing was misconceptions about the Western World and its cultures. So, when you actually live and breathe the air within the western cultural settings for over 20 years, then you can have a little understanding of the contexts or background of things and then, that is what helps against the misconceptions and the bias. Thanks again for your comments.