SOLO TAXONONY Click on these symbols to reveal an item of information. Overview Pre-Structural Use Uni-Structural Thinking Multi-Structural 3 Story Links Relational Extended Abstract Example Hoi An Click on these symbols to reveal an item of information. Click on the symbol again to hide the information. Prepared by Mike Whiteman: Waitomo ICT Cluster

SOLO stands for Structure of the Observed Learning Outcomes and was developed by John Biggs and Kevin Collis. In simple terms, the taxonomy presents a systematic way to describe how learner performance grows in complexity when mastering tasks (in an educational setting). It defines levels of increasing complexity in a learners understanding of an idea. Learners may not exhibit all stages. Biggs describes it as “a framework for understanding understanding.” It seeks to provide a way to identify connections that learners make, with each level adding more. MENU

Helping learners to look at their own work in relation to this taxonomy can help in two ways: * an assessment framework independent of ‘content knowledge’ * a model to help show how a piece of work can be improved MENU

If you are using rubrics and/or success criteria, then use of the SOLO Taxonomy may be more productive educationally, because thinking about the structure responses may provide better understanding of ideas than the listing of specific knowledge bytes. As such, it can help learners develop an understanding of thinking, rather than knowing of thinking. MENU

QUANTITAVE Pre - Structural the point hasn’t been understood the task has not been worked on in an appropriate way a too simple way of going about something has been used bits without any organisation or sense irrelevant information no meaningful response may appear to be learning, but just ‘chanting’ no understanding misses the point MENU

QUANTITAVE Uni - Structural one aspect of a task is picked up and used maybe a simple, obvious connection but no significance attached only focuses on one relevant aspect terms may be used but are not developed further in any way focuses on one issue in a complex case identify, memorise, carry out a simple procedure MENU

QUANTITAVE Multi - Structural several aspects of a tasked picked up and used, but not linked aspects of a task are treated independently and additively aspects like a disorganised list with no relationships recognised a number of statements that are not built on in any way if there are connections they are very simple the significance of statements as a whole is not grasped ‘knowledge telling,’ ‘cut and paste’ described by Biggs as “seeing the trees but not the wood” enumerate, classify, describe, list, combine, do algorithms MENU

QUALITATIVE Relational integration of ideas/aspects of the task into a coherent whole this is usually seen to be an adequate understanding of a topic significance of the parts in relation to the whole is recognised several parts are integrated into a coherent whole details link to conclusions meaning is understood able to apply a concept to a familiar situation compare/contrast, explain causes, analyse, relate, apply MENU

QUALITATIVE Extended Abstract connections are made not only within a topic, but beyond it there is transfer from the specific to the general generalisations are made beyond the information given new and broader issues are identified the ‘through the roof’ notion of the Three Story Intellect model the Relational level at a higher level of abstraction theorise, generalise, hypothesise, reflect, generate MENU

Surface - Deep Learning 3 Story Intellect SOLO Taxonomy Surface - Deep Learning INPUT Pre-Structural Uni-Structural Multi-Structural Relational Extended Abstract Surface Deep PROCESS OUTPUT MENU

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Hoi An is starting to look like it did years ago. Pre - Structural Trenches were made so that the power and phone lines would be under the streets in Hoi An. Just as the Cu Chi tunnels were a safe hiding place in the American war, these Hoi An tunnels make communication safer and help restore the natural beauty of the town. dunno digging a hole Uni - Structural making a trench lots of wires Hoi An is pretty Trenches were made so that the power and phone lines would be under the streets. Hoi An is starting to look like it did years ago. Multi - Structural Relational Extended Abstract MENU