Mapping cognitive development in mathematical modelling: A SOLO Taxonomy analysis of peer collaboration

Abstract

This study contributes to the literature by examining mathematical modeling processes through the Structure of the Observed Learning Outcome (SOLO) Taxonomy, offering a holistic perspective that integrates both individual and group-level analyses. Designed as a qualitative case study, the research explores the problem-solving processes of four middle school students engaged in the “Bigfoot Problem.” Students’ individual and collective cognitive levels were evaluated based on the SOLO Taxonomy. The analysis showed that students initially displayed reasoning at the unistructural and multistructural levels, while relational and extended abstract forms of reasoning emerged in later episodes involving intra-group cognitive conflict, negotiation, and collaborative reasoning. A key contribution of the study is repositioning the SOLO Taxonomy beyond an individual assessment tool, framing it as a dynamic analytical framework for examining group interactions within mathematical modeling. The integration of mathematical modeling and the SOLO Taxonomy enables learning processes to become more traceable, measurable, and transformable.