‘Google-Proof’ Your Online Assessments

One of the most daunting tasks for any instructional designer is to create assessments that can’t be “Googled.”

When students are not sitting face-to-face in an online classroom, every assignment has to be designed knowing that Google is the first resource most learners will use.

While a teacher can administer a test or quiz in a traditional classroom and ensure that cell phones and iPads are put away and student eyes are on their own papers, the same cannot be said for online environments.

There is no silver-bullet protection against academic dishonesty in any environment, but there are some simple strategies your school district can implement through teachers to ensure better validity of the student assessment data.

 Keep assessments short and frequent. The higher the stakes on an assignment, the more likely you are to see cheating. Scaffolding larger assignments and breaking them up into phases can alleviate the stress of a project or a large writing assignment for students. It also makes it more difficult to use someone else’s work.

 Include reflections in even the most traditional assignments. This helps teachers make their courses “Google-proof” in a couple of ways. First, it helps the teacher to recognize a student’s writing. A teacher can more easily spot academic dishonesty later on. Additionally, when students are asked to consider their answers and reflect on them, it requires a deeper understanding of the material than what a student can gain from copying Google.

 Add opportunities for self-assessment. Have students think critically about their own understanding and reflect on it.

 Let them create and give them choices. It’s harder to copy or guess on an authentic assessment than is possible on a true/false quiz.

I have had our teachers take a test from a different content area to see how they could use Google in answering questions. This activity was eye-opening and productive for many of our staff. Simply having an awareness of the differences in assessment for face-to-face versus online students can help with future assessment design.

When all else fails, consider this: If you’re asking a question that can be Googled, are you asking the right question?