Taxonomy

SOLO

What is it? SOLO (Structure of Observed Learning Outcomes) is a model of learning that helps develop a common understanding & language of learning that helps teachers (and students) understand the learning process.

What is it?
In pairs arrange the five statements about assessment for learning in order of understanding use the SOLO levels sheet to help you.

You have 3 minutes

5 typical ways to answer a question

Unistructural I have one idea about this subject

Prestructural Im not sure about this subject

Multistuctrural I have several ideas about this subject

Extended abstract I can look at these ideas in a new and different way.

Relational I can link my ideas together to see the big picture

Making it visible

Making it visible

SOLO Taxonomy provides a simple and robust way of describing how learning outcomes grow in complexity from surface to deep understanding Biggs & Collis 1982

With SOLO we can

thoughtfully design learning intentions and learning experiences identify and use effective success criteria provide feedback and feed forward on learning outcomes reflect meaningfully on what to do next

Why? How should we show that progress has been made in a lesson (or 20 minutes of a lesson)? Numbers? Letters?

The language of learning

SOLO level Verbs

Unistructural

define, identify, name. draw, find, label, match, follow a simple procedure Multistuctural describe, list, outline, complete, continue, combine Relational sequence, classify, compare & contrast, explain (cause & effect), analyse, form an analogy, organise, distinguish, question, relate, apply Extended generalise, predict, evaluate, reflect, abstract hypothesise, theorise, create, prove, justify, argue, compose, prioritise, design, construct, perform

Isnt this a bit like Blooms Taxonomy?

SOLO is based upon a theory about teaching and learning rather than a theory about knowledge, (Hattie and Brown, 2004) Blooms is good for teachers: planning, questioning & checking learning But not great for students: Ive done applying sir, can I move on to analysis now? Progress is not implicit with Blooms

SOLO is better because:

Its a diagnostic tool provides useful feedback and makes next steps clear Its a useful assessment tool clear links with rubrics It can help plan objectives & success criteria which focus on progress It describes the learning outcome

Connecting your learning

Deep & surface learning Multi structural

Language of learning

Relational

Outcomes

Progress
Extended abstract

feedback

Understanding

assessment success criteria

Knowledge

Tips for getting started

Getting to extended abstract requires you to pose abstract questions: Does Shakespeare influence all modern writers? But, in order to answer these questions students need a big multistructural base of knowledge Students need to see that progress depends on finding the relationships between this knowledge

Thinking Squares
Does Shakespeare influence all modern writers?

How does Shakespeare compare to a modern playwright?

What did he do and why? Who is Shakespeare?

REVIEW
Design an activity which could introduce SOLO to your students How could you use SOLO? What do you know about SOLO?

Next steps
http://taitcoles.wordpress.com / http://lisajaneashes.edublogs.o rg/

http://learningspy.co.uk/
Special thanks to Tait Coles @Totallywired77 whose ideas have been used liberally in this presentation