Why I changed my mind about the SOLO taxonomy. I’ve been meaning to write this for quite a while. Increasingly, I’ve become rather embarrassed about my erstwhile advocacy for Biggs & Collis’s generic taxonomy, the Structure of Observed Learning Outcomes. I used to have a separate page of SOLO resources on my blog which I have now removed, but even so my SOLO posts still get a surprising number of hits, and this presentation has been downloaded over 50,000 times. If you’ve got 8 minutes of your life you want to waste, there’s also this video of me explaining SOLO at a teachmeet in 2012: I was really really really excited!
And I really was. The vocabulary of SOLO was a revelation. It opened up exciting possibilities about how I might design lessons to encourage pupils to respond in new and surprising ways. Of the many benefits of using SOLO, the two I was most excited about were these: But as time went by, I started noticing problems. Consider this question: What makes you clever? Is it being able to generate revolutionary new thinking? Solo Taxonomy. Consistently Good to Outstanding | Leading Learner. SOLO_Taxonomy_and_Inquiry_Learning_1. SOLO_Taxonomy,_Learning_Intentions_and_HOT_Maps.pdf. HOT SOLO Presentations. From HookED Wiki Using SOLO Taxonomy in teaching and learning. Click on an image to download a presentation. SOLO Taxonomy. SOLO Taxonomy (structure of observed learning outcomes) provides a simple, reliable and robust model for three levels of understanding – surface deep and conceptual (Biggs and Collis 1982).
At the prestructural level of understanding, the task is inappropriately attacked, and the student has missed the point or needs help to start. The next two levels, unistructural and multistructural are associated with bringing in information (surface understanding). At the unistructural level, one aspect of the task is picked up, and student understanding is disconnected and limited. The jump to the multistructural level is quantitative. At the multistuctural level, several aspects of the task are known but their relationships to each other and the whole are missed. The progression to relational and extended abstract outcomes is qualitative. HookED uses a unique classroom based approach to SOLO Taxonomy. ” …very interesting and a new direction for SOLO as far as I know. What am I learning? 1. HookED Handouts. Hook_Feedupbackforward_Lats2012. Going SOLO: An introduction to the taxonomy everyone’s talking about. This article originally appeared in Innovate My School's September 2012 digital magazine.
The Structure of Observed Learning Outcome (SOLO) taxonomy aims to show pupils how to develop sophisticated responses to questions by getting them to examine their thought-process as their understanding of a topic improves. I began using SOLO in 2011, and it is now integral to my teaching. SOLO defines five stages of understanding for any topic: prestructural, unistructural, multistructural, relational and extended abstract. The first three involve gathering relevant information. The other two are about using that information: linking facts and findings, questioning existing ideas about the topic, and forming new theories.
All well and good. SOLO LEVEL: PRESTRUCTURAL (the pupil has missed the point) PUPIL RESPONSE:I think Johnny Depp is a Shakespeare character because we watched a film featuring both of them. TO MOVE ON:The pupil must begin to gather basic information on the topic. Implementing SOLO. The power of solo taxonomy! | Mcintosh8's Blog. It has been a couple of months now since I started using Solo taxonomy with my students at Rossett School. I wanted to really try to embed & gauge it’s impact first before I reflected upon it here in my blog. Firstly I must thank Tait Coles @totallywired77 & Darren Mead @Dkmead who I follow on twitter for introducing me to Solo. For those new to the “Power of Solo” it stands for: Structure of Observed Learning Outcomes. A brief summary of Solo can be found through this link below: The different levels of Solo can be seen in the picture below: I started using Solo firstly to try and show my A level PE students how to think more deeply when answering synoptic 10 & 20 mark exam questions.
During my recent visit to Australia to present to 3 schools in teaching & learning I took my Solo experiences & shared them with staff there. Powerful stuff!! Like this: Like Loading...