An Action Research Project with SOLO Taxonomy
For a simple and robust way of classifying surface, deep and conceptual learning outcomes in the classroom, schools and teachers are increasingly turning to SOLO Taxonomy. This book shows how anyone can reap the benefits SOLO offers by integrating it into the classroom setting. It identifies a range of well-tested, practical strategies, along with online and other resources that will support its implementation. Strongly grounded in classroom experience, it also features a case study of how SOLO was integrated as a model of learning across one school. It also draws on students’ and teachers’ comments about their first-hand experiences of SOLO.
Ages: 5-18 years
About the Authors
Pam Hook
Pam Hook is an educational consultant who advises schools and institutions in New Zealand, Australia, Denmark, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan and the Pacific Islands on developing curricula and pedagogies for learning to learn based on SOLO Taxonomy. She is a popular keynote speaker at conferences. Pam is author of more than 25 books on SOLO Taxonomy, including titles translated into Danish, and has developed a series of SOLO web-based apps, Apple iPad apps and YouTube videos. She hosts collaborative online communities for SOLO practitioners on Twitter @arti_choke @globalsolo and Pinterest www.pinterest.nz/solotaxonomy.
Tabitha Leonard
Tabitha Leonard is an education consultant (Acquire-ED, www.acquire-ed.com), specialising in facilitating and coaching action research learning projects. Before that, she was the professional learning coordinator at St Kentigern College, Auckland, New Zealand for five years, where she worked with heads of department and many different teams to coordinate and lead the pedagogy of teaching and learning. Educational change initiatives she led focused on the implications of SOLO Taxonomy for learning pedagogies and on growing visible learning by using SOLO rubrics. She has also worked with educational leaders and classroom teachers to build their capacity as inquiring practitioners through quality action research projects. Other roles have involved facilitating for the University of Auckland’s Kohia Centre, with a focus on e-learning, and presenting at uLearn.
Simon Wall
Simon Wall is curriculum leader for geography at English Martyrs School, an inner city school in the East Midlands, United Kingdom. In 2013, the school’s geography department received the Geographical Association Quality Mark and Centre of Excellence. It has also hosted Geographical Association network meetings, which have been used to share outcomes and experiences of using SOLO Taxonomy from research conducted across curriculum areas. In addition, Simon is a school co-tutor for Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) geography students from the University of Leicester and is a member of the Secondary PGCE Partnership Management Committee at the university.
Derrick Venning
Derrick Venning lives in an ex-pat village in South Yorkshire, England where he finds constant motivation and inspiration for helping young people from disadvantaged backgrounds in building their futures. An experienced Head of Science, he specialises in turning around struggling departments. Derrick has also successfully led a range of whole-school initiatives, from those aimed at improving behaviour and outcomes of disadvantaged students to initiatives to prepare his school for the rigour of new government performance measures.
Rob Manger
Rob Manger has taught geography at a range of schools in the East Midlands, United Kingdom. In another role, as a school co-tutor for PGCE geography students from the University of Leicester, he uses SOLO Taxonomy to enhance their pedagogical development. Following on from his interest in developing ICT in the geography curriculum, Robert has recently been awarded a grant by Leicester City Council to develop and share resources using the Ordnance Survey Digimaps for Schools.