TRAINING ON HIGHER-ORDER THINKING SKILLS

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING PACKAGE (HOTS-

PLP) FOR ENGLISH, SCIENCE, AND MATH
TEACHERS

Date and Venue

 Session 2B
SOLO and HOTS in the Classroom:
Introduction to the SOLO Model

Name of Resource Person / Learning Facilitator

2
 Training on Higher-Order Thinking Skills Professional Learning Package
(HOTS-PLPs) for English, Science, & Math Teachers
PPST Strand 1.5. Strategies for developing critical and creative thinking, as well as other higher-order thinking skills

Session 4:
HOTS in Practice

Session 3:
Supporting HOTS in the Classroom Session 5:
through Learning Approaches Workplace Application Plan

Session 6:
Session 2: Facing the Forces
SOLO and HOTS in the Classroom

Session 1: Session 7:
HOTS-PLP Walk-through Professional Learning Community
in Schools

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Session 2B Objectives
At the end of the session, participants will be able to:

• discuss how Bloom’s Taxonomy helps

teachers as to instructional delivery and
learning assessment as well as its
concerns and limitations
• demonstrate understanding of the Basic
SOLO Model on how it can help a
teacher on developing the learners’
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Presentation Outline

Bloom’s Taxonomy

The SOLO Taxonomy

Solo Model in LOTS and HOTS

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Let’s discuss quickly Bloom’s Taxonomy
Bloom’s Taxonomy is named after the leader of a group of
academics in 1956. There are six categories to Bloom’s
Taxonomy: knowledge, comprehension, application (of the
knowledge acquired), synthesis, analysis and evaluation.

Benjamin David Krathwohl

Lorin Anderson
Bloom

🔥 Training on Higher-Order Thinking Skills PLP

Let’s discuss quickly Bloom’s Taxonomy

The Bloom taxonomy levels were later revised in 2001 as

remembering, understanding, applying, analyzing,
evaluating and creating.

🔥 Training on Higher-Order Thinking Skills PLP

Let’s discuss quickly Bloom’s Taxonomy

The lower-order thinking skills (LOTS) involve

memorization, while
higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) require
applying and working on that acquired knowledge.

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 Bloom’s Taxonomy (1956 and 2001)

🔥 Training on Higher-Order Thinking Skills PLP

 https://granite.pressbooks.pub/teachingdiverselearners/chapter/blooms-taxonomy-2/

🔥 Training on Higher-Order Thinking Skills PLP

Some issues with Bloom’s Taxonomy
1. The category of a particular question does not usually provide a link to the level
of understanding in a student’s response.

2. The suggested hierarchy, and choice of words for each level of Bloom’s
Taxonomy makes it difficult to have an exact meaning (or use the idea) with
young students.

3. There are difficulties with the complexity associated with putting the ideas of
Bloom into a normal classroom setting. Many words used are relevant to more
than one level (e.g., knowledge, understand).

The SOLO Taxonomy addresses these concerns!

🔥 Training on Higher-Order Thinking Skills PLP

The Structure of the Observed Learning Outcome
(SOLO) Taxonomy / Model is a system to classify
the QUALITY of a response
based on structural complexity.

SOLO was developed by John Biggs and Kevin Collis.

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 Basic SOLO Language
Some new SOLO words you need to become familiar with
Prestructural

Unistructural

Multistructural

Relational

Extended Abstract

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 https://educarepk.com/solo-taxonomy-versus-blooms-taxonomy.html

🔥 Training on Higher-Order Thinking Skills PLP

Description of Levels in original SOLO Taxonomy/Model
• Prestructural:
The learner does not focus on the relevant area / problem. There
is no consistency. Closure (giving an answer) is quick.

• Unistructural:
The learner focuses on the relevant area/problem but uses only
one piece of relevant data. Response may be inconsistent.

• Multistructural:
Two or more pieces of data are used without any relationships
perceived between them. No integration occurs. Some
inconsistency may be apparent.
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Description of Levels in original SOLO Taxonomy/Model
• Relational:
All data are now available, with each piece woven into an overall
system of relationships. The whole has become a coherent
linked structure. No inconsistency within the known system.

• Extended Abstract:
The response goes beyond what was expected at the relational
level. The degree of abstraction increases. Conclusions can be
held open or qualified to allow for logical alternatives.

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 Let’s practice: “Do you think it will rain soon?”
• Prestructural:
Yes, it always rains on Saturday.

• Unistructural:
I think it will rain because there are many clouds in the sky.

• Multistructural:
I think it will rain because there are clouds over there and they are
dark looking and the wind is coming from that direction and …

🔥 Training on Higher-Order Thinking Skills PLP

 Let’s practice: “Do you think it will rain soon?”
• Relational:
Yes, I think so. The clouds look very dark over there and the wind is
getting stronger and the air feels different. It rained yesterday and
the weather seems very similar now.

• Extended Abstract:
Yes, all the weather conditions seem to point to more rain. Dark
clouds and winds from the south-west. However, it is really the dry
season and it might not happen as these same conditions
happened last week and no rain occurred then.

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 Basic Response Structure (1982)
Cue Response
X
X irrelevant

X
relevant

R
Kinds of data used:
related & hypothetical
X = irrelevant or inappropriate
= related and given in display
= related and hypothetical, not given

🔥 Training on Higher-Order Thinking Skills PLP

 Basic Response Structure (1982)
Cue Response
X
X PRESTRUCTURAL
X

R
Kinds of data used:

X = irrelevant or inappropriate
= related and given in display
= related and hypothetical, not given

🔥 Training on Higher-Order Thinking Skills PLP

 Basic Response Structure (1982)
Cue Response
X
X UNISTRUCTURAL
X

R
Kinds of data used:

X = irrelevant or inappropriate
= related and given in display
= related and hypothetical, not given

🔥 Training on Higher-Order Thinking Skills PLP

 Basic Response Structure (1982)
Cue Response
X
X MULTISTRUCTURAL
X

R
Kinds of data used:

X = irrelevant or inappropriate
= related and given in display
= related and hypothetical, not given

🔥 Training on Higher-Order Thinking Skills PLP

 Basic Response Structure (1982)
Cue Response
X
X RELATIONAL
X

Kinds of data used:

X = irrelevant or inappropriate
= related and given in display
= related and hypothetical, not given

🔥 Training on Higher-Order Thinking Skills PLP

 Basic Response Structure (1982)
Cue Response
X
X EXTENDED
X ABSTRACT

R1

Kinds of data used: R2

X = irrelevant or inappropriate
= related and given in display
R3
= related and hypothetical, not given

🔥 Training on Higher-Order Thinking Skills PLP

 https://www.educorponline.com/blog/which-taxonomy-deep-learning-blooms-or-solo

🔥 Training on Higher-Order Thinking Skills PLP

The SOLO Model: LOTS and HOTS
Describes thinking processes on a scale of increasing
difficulty or complexity.
It helps you think (as a teacher) where to move your student
next based on their response.
It even helps you think about your own thinking.
How is SOLO relevant to you?
To your teaching? To working with others?

🔥 Training on Higher-Order Thinking Skills PLP

The SOLO Model: Why is it so useful?
SOLO offers a framework you can use to:

1. Describe a response to a learned activity or question, as well

as help a teacher decide where students should proceed with
their learning.
2. Offer practical support in writing questions that can
differentiate higher-order and lower-order ideas.
3. Understand or help develop teaching programs (learning
progressions) and lessons that mirror how the brain learns.

🔥 Training on Higher-Order Thinking Skills PLP

 Getting to use Basic SOLO in different ways
SOLO thinking is consistent with how the brain
learns. SOLO has a strong logic moving from one
level to the next. The brain cannot skip a level as
each higher one depends on the one before it.

SOLO offers clear learning pathways that help teachers focus on

content knowledge, among other things.

There are five levels in the basic SOLO model linked to how
information is structured in the brain.

🔥 Training on Higher-Order Thinking Skills PLP

 Getting to use Basic SOLO in driving.
When we start learning to drive, what are
some of the big ideas we need to worry
about? Stepping on the accelerator?
Changing gears? Using the rear-view mirror?
Describe what a person driving a vehicle look like at:
• unistructural level?
• multistructural level?
• relational level?
• extended abstract level?
🔥 Training on Higher-Order Thinking Skills PLP
UNISTRUCTURAL:
Focuses on one thing only such as the steering wheel or using the accelerator. Very
dangerous time for a learner and passenger!

MULTISTRUCTURAL:
Follows a set procedure. Stopping only involves the brake. Not changing gears or
taking one’s foot off the accelerator. This is why we need an extensive period of
practice

RELATIONAL:
Can see connections between different aspects of driving. Actions become more
routine.

EXTENDED ABSTRACT:
Goes beyond driving the car. The driver is competent with most aspects of driving as
well as more aware outside the car at pedestrians and the drivers of other cars.

🔥 Training on Higher-Order Thinking Skills PLP

 Getting to use Basic SOLO in cooking.
The person is preparing a meal and has a
recipe available. Describe what you might
typically see for the following SOLO levels:

• unistructural level?
• multistructural level?
• relational level?
• extended abstract level?

🔥 Training on Higher-Order Thinking Skills PLP

UNISTRUCTURAL:
Have trouble reading a recipe. Keep looking at individual aspects and know some
individual ingredients but not many.

MULTISTRUCTURAL:
Can follow straightforward recipes and can make a good meal IF they follow the
recipe.

RELATIONAL:
Often does not need a recipe. Has done so much cooking, have recipes in their
head, and can improvise.

EXTENDED ABSTRACT:
The cook would be a Chef (a professional cook) and come up with new ideas
about cooking.

🔥 Training on Higher-Order Thinking Skills PLP

Getting to use Basic SOLO in classroom management.
We are interested in the teachers’ class
management.

Let us think about a teacher we are watching in

a class.

What might be happening at different SOLO levels – from pre-structural

to extended abstract?

What would you say if you were a mentor for teachers if they were at
different SOLO levels?

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Getting to use Basic SOLO in classroom management.

PRESTRUCTURAL:
Students ignore the teacher. The teacher cannot control the class
and pleads for quiet. Does not know what to do.

UNISTRUCTURAL:
The student focuses on one student or
one incident and cannot deal with other
issues. Poor behavior continues.

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Getting to use Basic SOLO in classroom management.

MULTISTRUCTURAL:
Teacher is aware of a number of issues and tries to deal with
them one at a time. Is usually not very successful. Spot-fire
problems – puts one out and another starts up.
RELATIONAL:
A teacher notices a number of issues and links them together
to help address the problems. The focus of solution is on the
teaching decisions taken. Approach usually successful.

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Getting to use Basic SOLO in classroom management.

EXTENDED ABSTRACT:
Teacher draws on other experiences such as knowledge of
students, organizes lessons to minimize the chance of
problems arising, using different techniques that are special
with a class.

🔥 Training on Higher-Order Thinking Skills PLP

 SOLO Lower- and Higher-Order
Thinking and Responses
Different thinking/responses can be classified as either lower- and
higher-order:

Lower-order Questions/Responses are

at the unistructural and multistructural levels because information can
be ‘taught’ in the traditional sense.

Higher-order Questions/Responses are

at the relational level and extended abstract, ‘teaching’ in a traditional
sense is problematic. Students need to be placed in situations to
develop their own connections – their own way.
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 Surface and Deep
Approaches to Learning

🔥 Training on Higher-Order Thinking Skills PLP

 Surface and Deep Learning
Learning SOLO Levels Characteristics
Surface Unistructural One idea
Multistructural A number of independent ideas

Deep Relational Ideas linked together and

related

Extended Abstract Extends ideas, and applies and

transfers ideas to new
situations

🔥 Training on Higher-Order Thinking Skills PLP

🔥 Training on Higher-Order Thinking Skills PLP
🔥 Training on Higher-Order Thinking Skills PLP
 Thank you.

neap.pddu@deped.gov.ph

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 Training on Higher-Order Thinking Skills - Professional Learning Package

Program Management Team Session Guide Writers and Presentation Deck Editors

Field Personnel
Research Center for Teacher Quality (RCTQ) 1. Alson Rae Luna 13. Mae Laarni M. Saporna
2. Angelica B. Buaron 14. Marie Vic C. Velasco
National Educators Academy of the Philippines (NEAP) 3. Angelo D. Uy 15. Maripaz T. Mendoza
Professional Development Division 4. Analou O. Hermocilla 16. Mark Anthony A. Durana
Quality Assurance Division 5. Arnel Jr. M. Camba 17. Melvin Willy II B. Roque
6. Eldefonso Jr. B. Natividad 18. Milaner R. Oyo-a
7. Elsie Jane M. Mantilla 19. Rejulios M. Villenes
NEAP in the Regions 8. Fluellen L. Cos 20. Renante Juanillo
9. Hera Paz B. Yamson 21. Renato N. Pacpakin
10. Jelly L. Sore 22. Rosalyn C. Gadiano
11. Jojiemar M. Obligar 23. Sally A. Palomo
12. Josephine P. Balasan 24. Wilma S. Carrera

NEAP Central Office

1. Abdul Haiy A. Sali

2. Dir. Leah B. Apao
3. Guillermo Nikus A. Telan
4. Jerson R. Capuyan
5. Richie Carla A. Vesagas

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