Troublesome Concepts and Information Literacy: Investigating Threshold Concepts for IL Instruction

Authors

Amy R. Hofer, Linn-Benton Community CollegeFollow
Lori Townsend, University of New MexicoFollow
Korey Brunetti, California State UniversityFollow

Published In

portal: Libraries and the Academy

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

10-1-2012

Subjects

Information literacy

Abstract

Librarians regularly encounter students who struggle to understand and apply information literacy concepts. A qualitative survey administered to information literacy practitioners asked about troublesome content and analyzed results using the threshold concepts pedagogical framework first described by Jan Meyer and Ray Land. A threshold concept transforms the learner’s view of content and helps integrate previously learned material; threshold concepts are portals that, once traversed, bring insight into how to think and act like a practitioner within a discipline. This project uses the data collected to propose seven threshold concepts for information literacy.

Rights

Copyright © 2012 The Johns Hopkins University Press.

Description

This article first appeared in PORTAL: LIBRARIES AND THE ACADEMY, Vol 12, Issue 4, October, 2012, pages 387-405.

DOI

10.1353/pla.2012.0039

Persistent Identifier

http://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/8542

Citation Details

Hofer, A. R., Townsend, L., & Brunetti, K. (2012). Troublesome Concepts and Information Literacy: Investigating Threshold Concepts for IL Instruction. Portal: Libraries & The Academy, 12(4), 387-405.