A General Look at SOLO TAXONOMY. Overview aimed for Year 7 and 8 can be used at Year 9. Structure of the Observed Learning Outcome Pages are animated so required to download to see the animation.

2. Level: Prestructual
NO IDEA
Level: Unistructual
ONE IDEA
Level: Multistructual
SEVERAL IDEAS
Level: Relational
‘THE BIG PICTURE’
Level: Abstract
EXTENDED (NEW) IDEAS
- S.O.L.O. Taxonomy -

3. - acronym –
“A word formed from the first letters
of other words.”
- The Science of Classification –
from the Greek: ‘taxis’ = “arrangement” &
‘nomos’ = “law; order; manage”
Outcomes
Learning
Structure of the
Observed
“SOLO Taxonomy provides a simple and robust way
of describing how learning outcomes grow
in complexity from SURFACE to DEEP understanding.”
Biggs & Collis 1982
A classification of
settlements according
to their size.

4. - A Model of Learning -
No idea
(prestructual level)
One idea
(unistructural l level)
Several ideas
(multistructual level)
(getting to the) BIG PICTURE
(Relational level)
Extended (new) ideas
([Extended] Abstract level)
Deep Knowledge
(Understanding: Big Picture)
Surface Knowledge
(Understanding: one & several ideas)
Conceptual Knowledge
(Understanding: extended (new) ideas)
Sorts out
‘a Learning Outcome’
into one of three (3) levels of
KNOWLEDGE:
Your UNDERSTANDING
of ‘a Learning Outcome’
may be pinpointed at any of five (5)
levels of complexity:

6. No idea
A painting?
Boxes on Road?Riverbed?Artwork?Window?Spotted neck?Giraffe?A giraffe passing by a window!
A curtain design for a child’s room?

8. No idea

10. No idea

11. Class Teaching: Using SOLO Taxonomy to Develop Student Thinking & Learning
SOLO Taxonomy: Essential Resources
SOLO Taxonomy: Pam Hook: Hooked