Recently, there has been a growing conversation around the idea of liminality, that uncomfortable place between what we understand and what we are still learning and becoming. Students and educators spend a great deal of time dwelling in these “in-between” moments. If you were born in the 1960’s, 1970’s, or even the 1980’s, you grew up in a world that wasn’t connected by infinite invisible threads. Today, our students are navigating a world where artificial intelligence (AI) and other technological developments are reshaping how we communicate, learn, and access information. Educators are navigating that same space for themselves while simultaneously considering the question of what literacy looks like for these students who are living in a time of rapid transition.
In 2005, Meyer and Land introduced threshold concepts, which they define as transformative learning experiences that move us towards deeper understanding. They suggest that we, as learners, pass through this liminal space before we reach mastery. (Meyer & Land, 2005) This is the space where our education experiences and old understandings no longer quite fit, and our newer understanding is still not a part of who we are and what we understand.
“It wasn’t just a space of changed ideas, it was a space of changed being.”
Dr. Ray Land, Emeritus Professor of Higher Education at Durham University, UK (Center for Engaged Learning, 2019)
Students are learning at this intersection every single day. Literacy is no longer only about reading and writing text. It now includes parsing AI-generated content and tools, analyzing and interpreting data, and communicating effectively in a multimedia digital environment. As students are exploring these spaces, they are uncovering how to influence local communities, communicate their learning with others, and use inquiry, critical thinking, evaluation, and reflection to navigate their discoveries.
Traditionally, education focused on finding the correct or right answer. JASON Learning’s educational experiences often start with a question that doesn’t have an obvious solution. Students use critical thinking, problem-solving, and research skills to investigate questions such as:
- How can we improve soil health?
- How can cybersecurity professionals protect our data and digital systems?
- How can citizens create change?
These are liminal spaces. Students don’t begin with certainty. They begin with exploration, inquiry, posing questions, testing ideas, gathering data, and then refining their thinking through reflection. By intentionally engaging students in authentic questions where answers are not clear, we help them to develop the skills and confidence to navigate uncertainty. In many ways, the ability to learn, adapt, and navigate uncertainty is a hallmark of liminal literacy.
If you are interested in learning more, consider these videos from the Center for Engaged Learning: https://www.centerforengagedlearning.org/videos/category/tc/
References
Center for Engaged Learning. (2019, June 14). Threshold concepts and liminality [Video]. Center for Engaged Learning. https://www.centerforengagedlearning.org/aiovg_videos/threshold-concepts-and-liminality/
Meyer, J. H. F., & Land, R. (2005). Threshold concepts and troublesome knowledge (2): Epistemological considerations and a conceptual framework for teaching and learning. Higher Education, 49(3), 373–388. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-004-6779-5
Flanagan, M. (n.d.). Threshold concepts: Liminality. University College London. https://www.ee.ucl.ac.uk/mflanaga/popupLiminality.html
