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.

5 typical ways to answer a question

PrestructuralI’m not sure about this

subject

UnistructuralI have one idea

about this subject

MultistuctruralI have several

ideas about this subject

RelationalI can link my ideas together to see the

big picture…

Extended abstract

I can look at these ideas in a new and

different way.

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

Unistructural Multistructural Relational Extended abstract

SOLO TAXONOMY(after Biggs and Collis 1982)

Prestructural

Misses the point!

Who painted Guernic

a?

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?

With SOLO we can…

identify and use success criteria which enable students to make meaningful progress

To understand how power is presented in Macbeth

• I know several things about power in Macbeth• I can find connections between the things I know• I can suggest reasons why Shakespeare might have made these choices

With SOLO we can…

provide feedback and feed forward on learning outcomes which is simple to understand and straightforward to act on.

Feedback: “How have you demonstrated that your knowledge is multistructural?”

Feed forward: “What do you need to do to make it relational?”

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

Why?

How should we show that “progress” has been made in a lesson (or 20 minutes of a lesson)?

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 abstract

generalise, predict, evaluate, reflect, hypothesise, theorise, create, prove, justify, argue, compose, prioritise, design, construct, perform

Isn’t this a bit like Bloom’s Taxonomy?

SOLO is based upon a theory about teaching and learning rather than a theory about knowledge, (Hattie and Brown, 2004)

Bloom’s is ‘good’ for teachers: planning, questioning & checking learning

But not great for students:

I’ve done applying sir, can I move on to analysis now?

Progress is not implicit with Bloom’s

SOLO is better because:

It’s a diagnostic tool – provides useful feedback and makes next steps clear

It’s a useful assessment tool – clear links with rubrics

It can help plan objectives & success criteria which focus on progress

It describes the learning outcome

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

QUANTITAVE Pre - Structural

misses the point

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

Uni - Structural

identify, memorise, carry out a simple procedure

QUANTITAVE

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”

Multi - Structural

enumerate, classify, describe, list, combine, do algorithms

QUANTITAVE

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

QUALITATIVE Relational

compare/contrast, explain causes, analyse, relate, apply

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 Relational level at a higher level of abstraction

QUALITATIVE Extended Abstract

theorise, generalise, hypothesise, reflect, generate

Application

Curriculum design Designing effective learning outcomes

Formative Structuring questions to encourage deeper learning Differentiating learning tasks

Summative Assessing the level of understanding more

effectively Reflective Journals Dissertations Presentations

Whole School

For SOLO to work effectively it must be used whole school Students will develop a deep understanding of

SOLO when used in all subjects and will be able to transfer knowledge of SOLO to every lesson.

“If you want students to be clear about their learning you need the teacher to be clear first.” Tom Sherrington (@headguruteacher)

Useful Links

http://leadinglearner.me/2013/04/14/redesigning-classrooms-using-solo-to-increase-challenge/

http://www.learningspy.co.uk/solo-taxonomy/ http://

www.slideshare.net/LizSaddler/inset-may-2013-solo-sll

http://pamhook.com/solo-taxonomy/