Abstracts

Rationale: There is little research into how EEG is learned, or how an EEG curriculum might be designed to best support learning. Threshold concepts are defined as concepts that are necessary for progression to expertise in a particular field. They are often counter-intuitive or "troublesome," but when learned, they transform a learner's understanding of the field, and may show the inter-connectedness of different concepts. Several research studies in higher education have suggested that threshold concepts may be used as a framework for enhancing learning of difficult material. Methods: Between August 2015 and February 2016, semi-structured interviews were performed with 12 EEG experts from several academic centers in the US and Canada, all with extensive EEG teaching experience. Experts were given a brief introduction to the theoretical framework of threshold concepts, and then were asked about potential threshold concepts in EEG. They were asked how these concepts were taught and learned, whether there were barriers to acquiring these concepts, and how students might be better supported in learning them. Interview transcripts were coded and analyzed using a general thematic analysis approach, based on the core elements of threshold concepts theory. Results: Three main threshold concepts in EEG emerged from the expert interviews: Polarity, Pattern Interpretation and Clinical Significance. Polarity was identified as a core concept that the other two concepts build upon. The three concepts integrated multiple domains of knowledge and skill, including technology, physiology, phenomenology, clinical epilepsy and systems-based practice. Several themes emerged regarding challenges for learners, including the discursive nature of EEG interpretation and classification, variability in EEG interpretation among experts, and the difficulty in communicating the clinical significance of EEG findings to non-experts. Conclusions: We have used the threshold concepts framework to identify potential key elements of expertise in EEG interpretation. By connecting emerging themes with published literature on threshold concepts and EEG education, we explored how the three key threshold concepts integrated with each other and with related domains of knowledge and skill. We propose an over-arching "threshold conception" of EEG learning. We will discuss how this conception could be used as a framework for curriculum design in EEG education. Funding: None.