Biggs & Collis (1982)
SOLO Taxonomy
Overview and ideas for use
Robin Trangmar
Coleg Llandrillo
What is it?
 SOLO
 Structure of the
 Observed
 Learning
 Outcome
 A means of classifying learning outcomes in terms of
their complexity, enabling us to assess students’ work
 in terms of its quality
 not of how many bits of this and of that they got right
(Biggs, 2011)
SOLO TAXONOMY
(after Biggs and Collis 1982)
Levels of understanding displayed
as the student learns
Indicative Verbs
Phase of learning
Extended Abstract
Student conceptualizes at a level extending beyond what
has been dealt with in the actual teaching. Can generalize
to a new area.
Theorise
Generalise
Hypothesise
Reflect
Qualitative Phase
The detail in the responses
becomes integrated into a
structural pattern.
Relational
Indicate orchestration between facts and theory, action
and purpose.
Understanding of several components which are
integrated conceptually. Can apply the concept to
familiar problems or work situations
Compare/contrast
Explain causes
Analyse
Relate
Apply
Multi-structural
Indicates understanding of boundaries but not of
systems.
Understanding of several components but the
understanding of each is discreet. Disorganised
collection of ideas or concepts around an issue. Has not
been able to relate the items in the list.
Enumerate
Describe
List
Combine
Do algorithms
Uni-structural
Concrete, minimalistic understanding of an area.
Focuses on one conceptual issue in a complex case.
Identify
Do simple procedure
Pre-structural
No understanding demonstrated.
Misses the point
Quantitative Phase
The amount of detail in
the student’s response
increases.
SOLO TAXONOMY
(after Biggs and Collis 1982)
Define
Identify
Do simple
procedure
Prestructural Unistructural
Define
Describe
List
Do algorithm
Combine
Multistructural
Compare/contrast
Explain causes
Sequence
Classify
Analyse
Part/whole
Relate
Analogy
Apply
Formulate questions
Relational
Evaluate
Theorise
Generalise
Predict
Create
Imagine
Hypothesise
Reflect
Extended abstract
SOLO TAXONOMY
(after Biggs and Collis 1982)
Define
Identify
Do simple
procedure
Define
Describe
List
Do algorithm
Combine
Compare/contrast
Explain causes
Sequence
Classify
Analyse
Part/whole
Relate
Analogy
Apply
Formulate questions
Surface
Learning
Prestructural Unistructural
Evaluate
Theorise
Generalise
Predict
Create
Imagine
Hypothesise
Reflect
Deep Learning
Multistructural
Relational
Extended abstract
SOLO TAXONOMY
(after Biggs and Collis 1982)
Misses the point!
Prestructural
SOLO TAXONOMY
(after Biggs and Collis 1982)
Who painted
Guernica?
Prestructural Unistructural
SOLO TAXONOMY
(after Biggs and Collis 1982)
Outline at least
two
compositional
principles that
Picasso used in
Guernica.
Prestructural Unistructural
Multistructural
SOLO TAXONOMY
(after Biggs and Collis 1982)
Relate the theme
of Guernica to a
current event.
Prestructural Unistructural
Multistructural
Relational
SOLO TAXONOMY
(after Biggs and Collis 1982)
What do you
consider Picasso
was saying via his
painting of
Guernica?
Prestructural Unistructural
Multistructural
Relational
Extended abstract
SOLO TAXONOMY
(after Biggs and Collis 1982)
Misses the
point!
Who
painted
Guernica
?
Prestructural Unistructural
Outline at least
two
compositional
principles that
Picasso used in
Guernica.
Relate the
theme of
Guernica to a
current
event.
Multistructural
Relational
What do you
consider Picasso
was saying via
his painting of
Guernica?
Extended abstract
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
More information
 Tait Coles @Totallywired77
 http://taitcoles.wordpress.com/
References
• Biggs, J., (1999). Teaching for Quality Learning at
University. Buckingham: SRHE/Open University
Press.
• Biggs, J., & Collis, K., (1982). Evaluating the Quality
of Learning: the SOLO taxonomy New York:
Academic Press.
• Biggs, J., (2011) Solo Taxonomy. Available at
http://www.johnbiggs.com.au/solo_taxonomy.html
downloaded 7 February 2012
References
 Biggs, J., (2011) Solo Taxonomy. Available at
http://www.johnbiggs.com.au/solo_taxonomy.html
downloaded 7 February 2012
 Hattie, J., & Brown, G., (2004, September). Cognitive
processes in asTTle: The SOLO taxonomy. asTTle
Technical Report 43, University of
Auckland/Ministry of Education.
Available at
http://www.tki.org.nz/r/asttle/pdf/technicalreports/techreport43.pdf
Acknowledgements
 Graphics (Slide 4-11) developed from a PowerPoint
set originally by the Ministry of Education, New
Zealand
http://keycompetencies.tki.org.nz/content/downloa
d/675/4839/file/SOLO%20explained%20ppt.ppt