Biggs & Collis (1982)SOLO Taxonomy

Overview and ideas for useRobin TrangmarColeg Llandrillo

What is it?SOLO

Structure of the ObservedLearningOutcome

A means of classifying learning outcomes in terms of their complexity, enabling us to assess students’ work in terms of its quality not of how many bits of this and of that they got right

(Biggs, 2011)

Levels of understanding displayedas the student learns

Indicative Verbs Phase of learning

Extended AbstractStudent conceptualizes at a level extending beyond what has been dealt with in the actual teaching. Can generalize to a new area.

TheoriseGeneraliseHypothesiseReflect

Qualitative PhaseThe detail in the responses becomes integrated into a structural pattern.

RelationalIndicate orchestration between facts and theory, action and purpose.Understanding of several components which are integrated conceptually. Can apply the concept to familiar problems or work situations

Compare/contrastExplain causesAnalyseRelateApply

Multi-structuralIndicates understanding of boundaries but not of systems.Understanding of several components but the understanding of each is discreet. Disorganised collection of ideas or concepts around an issue. Has not been able to relate the items in the list.

EnumerateDescribeListCombineDo algorithms

Quantitative PhaseThe amount of detail in the student’s response increases.

Uni-structuralConcrete, minimalistic understanding of an area. Focuses on one conceptual issue in a complex case.

IdentifyDo simple procedure

Pre-structuralNo understanding demonstrated.

Misses the point

SOLO TAXONOMY(after Biggs and Collis 1982)

Unistructural Multistructural Relational Extended abstract

DefineIdentifyDo simple procedure

DefineDescribeListDo algorithmCombine

Compare/contrastExplain causesSequenceClassifyAnalysePart/wholeRelateAnalogyApplyFormulate questions

EvaluateTheoriseGeneralisePredictCreateImagineHypothesiseReflect

SOLO TAXONOMY(after Biggs and Collis 1982)

Prestructural

Unistructural Multistructural Relational Extended abstract

DefineIdentifyDo simple procedure

DefineDescribeListDo algorithmCombine

Compare/contrastExplain causesSequenceClassifyAnalysePart/wholeRelateAnalogyApplyFormulate questions

EvaluateTheoriseGeneralisePredictCreateImagineHypothesiseReflect

SOLO TAXONOMY(after Biggs and Collis 1982)

Prestructural

Surface Learning

Deep Learning

SOLO TAXONOMY(after Biggs and Collis 1982)

Prestructural

Misses the point!

Unistructural

SOLO TAXONOMY(after Biggs and Collis 1982)

Prestructural

Who painted Guernica?

Unistructural Multistructural

SOLO TAXONOMY(after Biggs and Collis 1982)

Prestructural

Outline at least two compositional principles that Picasso used inGuernica.

Unistructural Multistructural Relational

SOLO TAXONOMY(after Biggs and Collis 1982)

Prestructural

Relate the theme of Guernica to a current event.

Unistructural Multistructural Relational Extended abstract

SOLO TAXONOMY(after Biggs and Collis 1982)

Prestructural

What do you consider Picasso was saying via his painting ofGuernica?

Unistructural Multistructural Relational Extended abstract

SOLO TAXONOMY(after Biggs and Collis 1982)

Prestructural

Misses the point!

Who painted Guerni

ca?

Outline at least two compositional principles that Picasso used inGuernica.

Relate the theme of Guernica to a current event.

What do you consider Picasso was saying via his painting ofGuernica?

ApplicationCurriculum design

Designing effective learning outcomesFormative

Structuring questions to encourage deeper learning

Differentiating learning tasksSummative

Assessing the level of understanding more effectively Reflective Journals Dissertations Presentations

More informationTait Coles @Totallywired77

http://taitcoles.wordpress.com/

References• Biggs, J., (1999). Teaching for Quality

Learning at University. Buckingham: SRHE/Open University Press.

• Biggs, J., & Collis, K., (1982). Evaluating the Quality of Learning: the SOLO taxonomy New York: Academic Press.

• Biggs, J., (2011) Solo Taxonomy. Available at http://www.johnbiggs.com.au/solo_taxonomy.html downloaded 7 February 2012

ReferencesBiggs, J., (2011) Solo Taxonomy. Available at

http://www.johnbiggs.com.au/solo_taxonomy.html downloaded 7 February 2012

Hattie, J., & Brown, G., (2004, September). Cognitive processes in asTTle: The SOLO taxonomy. asTTle Technical Report 43, University of Auckland/Ministry of Education.Available at http://www.tki.org.nz/r/asttle/pdf/technical-reports/techreport43.pdf

AcknowledgementsGraphics (Slide 4-11) developed from a

PowerPoint set originally by the Ministry of Education, New Zealand http://keycompetencies.tki.org.nz/content/download/675/4839/file/SOLO%20explained%20ppt.ppt