Google Proof Questions
The internet has revolutionized information collection. The answer to virtually any question or problem is at our fingertips. Google has made this possible. 

While I am a great admirer of Google and an avid user of its products, in a way, Google has made my life as a teacher a LOT more difficult. Let me explain. In the "old days" (that would be pre-internet) when a teacher assigned a worksheet with a series of questions on it students had a few options to get the answers. 

1. Ask mom. 
2. If mom doesn't know, ask Dad. 
3. If Dad doesn't know look it up in the textbook. 
4. If the answer isn't in the textbook, give up.

Now I am a teacher. When I give worksheets with questions on them my students immediately type the entire question into the omniscient search box on Google and in an instant, they have their answer. They have expended absolutely zero energy or effort to find the answer and as a result will not remember the question or the answer. 

As a homeschooling family, you are able to provide more direct oversight of your students so this isn't as big of a problem. The real question, however, is "if a question can be easily answered by a 5 second Google search, should it be asked at all?" 

There's no absolute answer to this question; facts are important, but by themselves, the're just trivia. What you as a parent and teacher really want to instill in your children are critical thinking and problem solving skills. One way to do this is by asking "Google-proof questions." 

So, what is a "Google-proof question?" It is a question that can not be directly answered via Google (or any other search engine) because it requires, analysis, interpretation, and investigation. Writing such questions can be challenging. A helpful tool is Bloom's Taxonomy. 

Bloom's Taxonomy is a catalog of verbs that are frequently used in questions. They are arranged into six different levels of questioning ranging from knowledge (the simplest) to evaluation (the most complex). It is only the top two levels, synthesis and evaluation that can be considered Google-proof. The verbs associated with these two levels include "compose, create, construct, rate, evaluation, design, appraise, argue, and assemble." Here are some sample questions that would fall into the analysis and evaluation levels of Blooms: 

1. Compose an essay in the style of Ernest Hemingway. 
2. Construct a graph to display the cost-benefit data of three types of biofuels. 
3. Evaluate the factors that led to the fall of the Roman Empire. 

These questions can not be Googled; well, at least not completely! The web will be a very helpful resource in collecting information related to these questions, but search engines will not lead to precise answers. Students will need to evaluate, compare, and summarize the information which they gather. 

We are in an age of information. Storing facts in our brains has limited value (unless you plan on being on Jeopardy!). In the era of the iPhone, any fact, statistic, or desirable piece of information is only a few clicks away. The skill of the 21st century that will set people apart is what they can do with the information that is available to them. What new products, services, or procedures can be improved, created or derived from the information that we have? Knowing is not as important as using.

As a homeschool parent you want to provide your children the best possible education which will prepare them for their future careers. One way to help them is by asking Google-proof questions! 

Still not quite sure about the concept of "Google-proofing" and higher-order thinking skills? Here's a more concrete, practical article that I wrote on the subject.