This article follows the development of a top-notch online research skills unit.

Employers identify computer and problem-solving skills as two of five essential skills in the 21st century workplace, so it seems obvious that we should provide students with the opportunities to acquire these skills while they are in school.

My wife asked, “So what can parents do at home to help their children understand the Big6?” I said, “They can show their children how to use it for everything, even picking socks to wear.” So she said, “Prove it!”

I wanted to make the concept of information problem solving real to students so that they could see how the concepts taught in the Big6 apply not only to research but to everyday life problem solving. What better example than shopping for shoes?