SOLO Taxonomy: A Mental Model For Learning to Learn

SOLO Taxonomy: A mental model for learning to learn.

Pam Hook pam.hook@gmail.com www.pamhook.com

Dweck (2007) The Perils and Promise of Praise

Seek tasks prove intelligence. Avoid tasks that might not work. Reject opportunities to learn if they might make mistakes. Afraid of effort – makes them feel “dumb” if they have to try hard. Lie and cheat.

Take on challenges and stick to them.

Three Levels of Understanding conceptual

understanding

deep

ideas – relate - extend

• Surface understanding

relating ideas • Deep understanding

• Conceptual understanding

extending ideas

many ideas

The most powerful model for understanding these three levels and integrating them into learning intentions and success criteria is the SOLO (structure of observed learning outcome) model developed by Biggs and Collis (1982). Hattie 2012 p54

SOLO Taxonomy - Biggs and Collis 1982 The Structure of Observed Learning Outcomes Biggs, J.B., and Collis, K.F. (1982) Evaluating the Quality of Learning-the SOLO Taxonomy (1st ed) New York: Academic Press.

Prestructural Unistructural

Multistructural

Relational

Extended Abstract

SOLO Taxonomy Hand Signs

Hook and Mills 2011 p 12

Teacher: “Great news guys – so we have read the poem through for the first time – where would you say we are now with our learning or understanding of the poem? Give me a sign to say where you are.” Students: [sign unistructural] Teacher: “Why do you think you have a unistructural understanding of the structure of the poem?” Student: “I have one idea about the structure.” Teacher: “And what is that?” Student: “It has nine syllables … nine syllables in a row.” Classroom conversation – Westland High School Student and Teacher © HookED Pam Hook, 2012. All rights reserved.

I use SOLO Taxonomy in all my subjects. It helps me plan out what I am writing and what I am doing and how I am going to work things out, because I can say if I want to get this far I have to chuck in some relational aspects of it …… And once you’ve written your essay or paragraph you can reflect back on it or, theorise about what you have done, evaluate how you have done your work and kind of reapply it, try a bit harder, change it to show extended abstract thinking. Two secondary students. Lincoln High School.

Teacher: “You said a minute ago that you were multistructural with your understanding of the poem …. Why do you think your understanding is multistructural?” Student: “Because I know more than …about three … more than three metaphors used in the poem.”

Teacher: “What do you need to do move your understanding to relational?” Student: “Relate all the ideas together … all the metaphors together. That’s my sticking point.” Classroom conversation – Westland High School Student and Teacher © HookED Pam Hook, 2012. All rights reserved.

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking at a variety of texts including poems and short stories and are explaining significant connections across texts using supporting evidence. I think my responses are relational in writing and reading responses because I can identify connections between texts and link them together based on their themes. I am now going to extend my learning and apply that in my responses so that they are solo extended abstract responses, to do this I need to think about how the themes impact or relate to the real world. Secondary student. Westland High School

Achieving Learning Goals

Functioning Knowledge

Declarative Knowledge

SOLO Functioning Knowledge Rubric

Prestructural

Unistructural

Multistructural

Relational

Extended abstract

Learning Intention [verb] [content] [context]

[Needs help]

[if directed]

[aware but no reasons – makes mistakes]

[purposeful – strategic – knows why and when – can identify mistakes]

[new ways -seeks feedback to improve – acts as role model – teaches others]

Effective strategies

SOLO Declarative Knowledge Rubric Learning Intention [verb] [content] [context]

Prestructural

Unistructural

Multistructural

Relational

Extended abstract

[Needs help]

[one relevant idea]

[several relevant ideas]

[several relevant connected ideas]

[several relevant connected ideas looked at in a new way]

Effective strategies

SOLO Taxonomy Biggs and Collis 1982

Define Identify Do simple procedure

Biggs, J.B., and Collis, K.F. (1982) Evaluating the Quality of Learning-the SOLO Taxonomy (1st ed) New York: Academic Press.

Define Describe List Do algorithm Combine

Formulate questions Compare/contrast Explain causes Sequence Classify Analyse -part/whole Relate Analogy Apply

Evaluate Theorise Generalise Predict Create Imagine Hypothesise Reflect

DESCRIBE

SUCCESS CRITERIA

EFFECTIVE STRATEGY HOT SOLO Describe Map

Pam Hook pam.hook@gmail.com www.pamhook.com

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