Structure of observed learning outcome

The structure of observed learning outcomes (SOLO) taxonomy is a model that describes levels of increasing complexity in student's understanding of subjects.^[1] It was proposed by John B. Biggs and K. Collis^[2] and has since gained popularity.

The model

The model consists of five levels of understanding ^[3][4]

• Pre-structural – The task is not attacked appropriately; the student hasn’t really understood the point and uses too simple a way of going about it.
• Uni-structural – The student's response only focuses on one relevant aspect.
• Multi-structural – The student's response focuses on several relevant aspects but they are treated independently and additively. Assessment of this level is primarily quantitative.
• Relational – The different aspects have become integrated into a coherent whole. This level is what is normally meant by an adequate understanding of some topic.
• Extended abstract – The previous integrated whole may be conceptualised at a higher level of abstraction and generalised to a new topic or area.

See also

• John B. Biggs
• Bloom's Taxonomy
• Educational psychology
• Educational technology
• Teaching Teaching & Understanding Understanding (short-film about Constructive Alignment and The SOLO Taxonomy)

References

1. ATHERTON, J. S. (2005) Learning and Teaching: SOLO taxonomy. [On-line] UK: Available: Accessed: 7 June 2007
2. Biggs, J. B. and Collis, K. (1982) Evaluating the Quality of Learning: the SOLO taxonomy. New York, Academic Press
3. TEDI. Biggs’ structure of the observed learning outcome (SOLO) taxonomy.
4. Biggs, J. B. (1999). Teaching for quality learning at university. Open University Press

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