John B. Biggs

John B. Biggs (John Burville Biggs), born in Hobart, Tasmania in 1934, is an Australian educational psychologist and novelist who developed the SOLO Taxonomy for assessing the quality of learning outcomes, and the model of constructive alignment for designing teaching and assessment (Biggs, 2007). After studying psychology at the University of Tasmania (BA, 1957), he moved to the UK for doctoral studies at the University of London (PhD, 1963). He has since held university faculty positions in Australia, Canada, UK, and Hong Kong. His final institutional affiliation is as Honorary Professor of Psychology at the University of Hong Kong. His most influential work is his concept of constructive alignment, which is an outcomes-based framework for university teaching as described in Teaching for Quality Learning at University now in its fourth edition with Catherine Tang as co-author." Changing Universities (2013) is an academic memoir covering nearly 60 years of involvement with universities in several countries, and in that time universities themselves have changed drastically.

Since retiring from academic life, Biggs has published short stories and four novels, The Girl in the Golden House (2003), Project Integrens (2006), Disguises (2007) and Tin Dragons (2008).Tasmania Over Five Generations (2011) is a social-political history of Tasmania as seen through the eyes of five generations of his own family.Towards Forgiveness: Sino-Tasmanian stories from two islands (2012) is a collection of short stories. His latest novel is From Ashes to Ashes (2013).

External links

• John B. Biggs Personal Website
• Constructive Alignment at the Higher Education Academy
• Teaching Teaching & Understanding Understanding (short-film about constructive alignment)

References

• Biggs, J. B. and Tang, C. (2007). Teaching for quality learning at university. Open University Press/Mc Graw-Hill Education.
• Biggs, J. B. (2003). The Girl in the Golden House. Pandanus Books.
• Biggs, J. B. (2006). Project Integrens. Sid Harta.
• Biggs, J. B. (2007). Disguises. Burville Books.
• Biggs, J.B. (2008). Tin Dragons. Maygog Publishing.
• Biggs, John (2011). Tasmania Over Five Generations: Return to Van Diemen's Land? Forty Degrees South
• Biggs, J.B. (2012. Towards Forgiveness: Sino-Tasmanian Stories from Two Islands Ginninderra Press
• Biggs, John. (2013) Changing Universities Strictly Literary
• Biggs, John. (2013) From Ashes to Ashes Interactive Publications