critical thinking

Analysing a health issue

June 28, 2021

Using SOLO Maps to analyse and address a health issue – diabetes in the Pacific. Analysing a health issue – describing symptoms, who is affected, and then explaining its determinants (causes) and implications (effects) on well-being is a significant undertaking. Note: Possible determinants of health include socioeconomic status, education level, geography, cultural identity, social inclusion […]

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Interpreting a historical event

June 26, 2021

It is hard to understand what is going on in the world when everyone is shouting and no one seems to care about the conch shell. There is increasing cognitive load involved when we help students think like a historian. If we accept that determining the significance of a historical account is nuanced work, then […]

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Tobias and those Danish verbs

March 6, 2018

One of the best things about revisiting a place is the opportunity for extended conversation to deepen friendships. Life as a #SOLOTaxonomy jongleur never lacks excitement but its itinerant nature precludes many opportunities for the deeply textured conversations that happen when you sit down with people at the end of each day. Returning to Denmark […]

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Time to Tag a Teacher

November 18, 2017

Do you know any creative and critical thinkers at your school? Essential Resources are running a “Tag a teacher” competition on their Facebook page. Surprise a colleague with some great professional reading for the summer break.

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Book Review: Using SOLO Taxonomy to Think Like a Scientist

September 19, 2017

The New Zealand Science Teacher has just published a fabulous review of Using SOLO Taxonomy to Think Like a Scientist: How to develop curious minds with the science capabilities. The modern learning environment is rich with information and opportunities for our students, but it is also a bewildering place of misinformation and pseudo-science. The greatest […]

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The importance of WHY?

August 15, 2017

Embed from Getty Images Thinking about discourse analysis and the importance of “WHY” The secondary literacy community has been talking about “why” and where it might fit with SOLO Taxonomy. I’ve tried to play but it seems that my attempts to join in disappear in moderation and my passwords never let me pass. Is easier […]

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Making explanation visible with SOLO Taxonomy

June 25, 2017

I have recently enjoyed thinking with Derek Neve (Waimate High School) about the challenges in making “explanation” visible to senior secondary students (NCEA Levels 1 to 3). When visiting Waimate High School this term Derek challenged me to develop a visual SOLO map and rubric to support a deeper factorial and sequential explanation process than […]

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5 Strategies for Deep Learning

August 21, 2016

Using SOLO Taxonomy as a model for surface and deep learning learning is a sandbox pedagogy. Embed from Getty Images Using SOLO helps create learning environments that are option rich – collaborative, adaptable and much like a sandbox – always open to the introduction of new possibilities and opportunities for deep learning. The following slides […]

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Interpretation and SOLO Taxonomy

July 14, 2016

Embed from Getty Images A question from Tobias in Denmark. How do you teach more complex matters, like “interpretation”? (The rubric for “interpretation” is, in some parts of the teachers’ community here in Gladsaxe, the “Holy Grail”) – Tobias – Educational Consultant Denmark An answer. Interpretation is “making meaning” I teach it by referring to […]

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SOLO Mapping the Science Capabilities

July 6, 2016

The New Zealand Curriculum Essence statement for science has a brusque confidence and certainty about it. The words know “how”, they know “when” and they know “why”. You can almost feel the words crossing arms with each other, locking hands in front and preparing to move across the river in a series of deliberate steps […]

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