Assessing the Quality of Essays Using the SOLO Taxonomy: Effects of Field and Classroom-based Experiences by ‘A’ Level Geography Students

Abstract

This paper explores meaningful learning as influenced by constructivism. The study focused on assessing and comparing the quality of essays written by students who learnt a given topic in a classroom setting (control) to those who learnt the same topic in the field (experimental). The objective was to find out whether fieldwork carried out by ‘A’ level geography students enhanced deep level learning as opposed to surface level learning as reflected by the quality of essays. The essays were assessed using the Structure of Observed Learning Outcome (the SOLO Taxonomy). The results indicate that learning a given topic through fieldwork as opposed to the classroom enhances deep level learning as evidenced by the quality of essays written by the experimental group (showed an ability to focus on the underlying meaning of the learnt material) compared to those by the control group (concentrated more on learning facts that were often disjointed).

Keywords:

• meaningful learning
• deep level learning
• surface level learning
• SOLO taxonomy
• Assess and Fieldwork