critical thinking

Analysing a health issue

6 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 and integration, […]

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Interpreting a historical event

6 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

3 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

11 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

9 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?

8 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. Ive 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

6 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

8 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 help summarise […]

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Interpretation and SOLO Taxonomy

7 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 SOLO […]

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SOLO Mapping the Science Capabilities

7 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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