Threshold practices: becoming a student through academic literacies

Student transitions into the university are often conceived of via an apprentice-type model, or as entrance into a 'community of practice'. This paper disputes the applicability of these models to the indeterminate and opaque nature of student experiences of academic writing, and proposes...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Lesley Gourlay
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: UCL Press 2009-06-01
Series:London Review of Education
Online Access:https://www.scienceopen.com/document?vid=45cc8f5e-08d2-447c-aa65-5f2669991332
Description
Summary:Student transitions into the university are often conceived of via an apprentice-type model, or as entrance into a 'community of practice'. This paper disputes the applicability of these models to the indeterminate and opaque nature of student experiences of academic writing, and proposes that emotional destabilization and struggles around identity are a normal part of both transitions and writing. With reference to student text/visual journals and in-depth interviews, it argues for extending the notion of 'threshold concepts', proposing academic literacies as 'threshold practices' which can lead to a reinforced sense of identity as a student. It concludes with implications for practice.
ISSN:1474-8479