Insights into teaching a complex skill: Threshold concepts and troublesome knowledge in electroencephalography (EEG)

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Medical Education

Background:

• Threshold concepts (TCs) are difficult but transformative ideas in a discipline.
• Electroencephalography (EEG) is recognized as a conceptually difficult area in neurology.
• Studying TCs in EEG can illuminate teaching and learning strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify threshold concepts and troublesome knowledge in Electroencephalography (EEG).
• To explore how these concepts are taught and learned by experts.
• To apply the threshold concepts framework to improve EEG education.

Main Methods:

• Conducted semi-structured interviews with 12 EEG experts in the US and Canada.
• Analyzed interview transcripts using thematic analysis based on the threshold concepts framework.
• Identified potential TCs and troublesome knowledge in EEG.

Main Results:

• Polarity emerged as the most significant threshold concept in EEG.
• Pattern interpretation and clinical significance were identified as troublesome areas, but not full TCs.
• Themes included the role of TCs and prior experience in developing expertise.

Conclusions:

• The threshold concepts framework can identify learning barriers in EEG.
• Findings suggest strategies to support EEG learners and refine teaching methods.
• This approach is applicable to other challenging medical education topics.