SOLO Taxonomy is a model used in education to help assess and guide students’ learning.

SOLO stands for “Structure of Observed Learning Outcomes,” and the model was developed by educational psychologist John Biggs and his colleague Kevin Collis in the 1980s.

The SOLO Taxonomy model describes five levels of understanding, each building on the previous one:

1) Prestructural

In the prestructural level, the student has no real understanding of the topic and may have misconceptions.


2) Unistructural

In the Uninstructural level, the student has some basic knowledge and can identify simple aspects of the topic.


3) Multistructural

Multistructural level, the student can identify and describe several aspects of the topic but has not yet integrated them into a cohesive understanding.


4) Relational

Relational Level, the student can see the connections between the different aspects of the topic and can explain them.


5) Extended Abstract

In the Extended Abstract Level, the student can apply their understanding of the topic to new and unfamiliar situations.


The SOLO Taxonomy model is useful for teachers to design lesson plans and assessments that target different levels of understanding, and to provide feedback to students about their progress.

It helps teachers to identify where students are in their learning journey and to provide appropriate support and feedback to move them to the next level of understanding.

Craig Miles (c) 2023

Published by Craig Miles

Craig Miles

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