From Taxonomies to Rubrics: SOLO-based Formative Assessment to Improve Understanding of Population Dynamics

This study investigates the design and implementation of a SOLO-based (structure of observed learning outcomes) formative assessment rubric to enhance upper secondary students’ conceptual understanding of population dynamics in Geography. Employing a reflective qualitative design, data were collected through document analysis, students’ written work, classroom observations, and teacher reflections to examine how the rubric was adapted, operationalized, and interpreted in practice. The rubric was developed by translating the SOLO hierarchy into domain-specific criteria aligned with the intended learning outcomes, thereby ensuring coherence between instructional goals and assessment practices. The findings indicate a clear progression in students’ cognitive responses, evidenced by movement from multistructural recall to relational explanations and, in some instances, extended abstract reasoning. The rubric also promoted metacognitive engagement, enabling students to identify their current level of understanding and regulate their learning. For teachers, it functioned as a diagnostic tool for delivering process-oriented and criterion-referenced feedback. While the study’s scope was limited to a single class and the topic constrains wider generalizability, the results underscore the pedagogical potential of SOLO-based formative assessment to cultivate higher-order thinking and conceptual depth in Geography education. Further research involving broader samples and longitudinal designs is recommended to validate and extend these insights.