Talk-Polywell.org

I have been thinking about creating a website that allows users to create quizzes about a particular topic, with the intention of learning as I go. Are there any sites that function as described below? If not, would it make sense to create one? I have thought about giving the site the following rules:

-anyone can create the next level in a particular subject (by creating a new quiz)
-people get to the next level by passing the quiz by 75%
- the quiz is valid if the average score (running average) for all users in between (65-75%) (i.e. 70 +/- 5%)
-quizzes are multiple-choice (or until some sort of higher intelligence may be developed)
-quizzes may be on any subject
-creators of quizzes may give keywords to help people study for the quizzes so they can pass them
-the site will have keywords to suggest quizzes that the users can take
-people may create a quiz on the same subject, and on the same level
-a quiz taken in one subject on a particular level, is equivalent to taking another quiz in the same subject on the same level
-there will be a forum where users in a particular subject on a particular level may discuss things, and even tell each other about potential outside projects
-users in a particular subject and on a particular level have the option of engaging in discussion users in the same subject on lower levels, but they are not obliged to
-users in a particular subject and on a particular level are strongly discouraged from revealing what questions were on the quizzes they have passed to get to their level (after all, this would destroy the credibility of the abuser as well as other users at the same level)

Brent wrote:I have been thinking about creating a website that allows users to create quizzes about a particular topic, with the intention of learning as I go. Are there any sites that function as described below? If not, would it make sense to create one? I have thought about giving the site the following rules:

-anyone can create the next level in a particular subject (by creating a new quiz)
-people get to the next level by passing the quiz by 75%
- the quiz is valid if the average score (running average) for all users in between (65-75%) (i.e. 70 +/- 5%)
-quizzes are multiple-choice (or until some sort of higher intelligence may be developed)
-quizzes may be on any subject
-creators of quizzes may give keywords to help people study for the quizzes so they can pass them
-the site will have keywords to suggest quizzes that the users can take
-people may create a quiz on the same subject, and on the same level
-a quiz taken in one subject on a particular level, is equivalent to taking another quiz in the same subject on the same level
-there will be a forum where users in a particular subject on a particular level may discuss things, and even tell each other about potential outside projects
-users in a particular subject and on a particular level have the option of engaging in discussion users in the same subject on lower levels, but they are not obliged to
-users in a particular subject and on a particular level are strongly discouraged from revealing what questions were on the quizzes they have passed to get to their level (after all, this would destroy the credibility of the abuser as well as other users at the same level)

Cool idea, but I bet the devil is in the details. I would definitely use such a site, at least to the extent that I can visualize it working.


David

David-

It would be difficult website to make. It would be kind of like a social networking site, but more complicated because there would be a hierarchical. People may have their own profiles, but they may be akin to those found in a video game (ones that illustrate their accomplishments).

It seems that it would be good for people that are just starting to explore an area, but also people who are fairly knowledgeable who want to test their knowledge. There could be cases where a teenager manages to learn so much about a subject (i.e. proceeds to a higher level) that he trumps college professors. Of course, any test is imperfect, and cannot capture all knowledge. However, a large series of tests may say something.

I have found that such a site may be useful for Polywell development. It seems that it would be good if there were a pathway to create Polywell soldiers (if that is the appropriate term). The fault with forums that I see is that some of the topics are so advanced that it is troublesome to determine where to begin. Now I was able to assemble a series of books and websites, and sort of a pathway based on forum and Amazon commentary, but it took many months. If there was some sort of clear-cut community driven pathway, it could be nice. However, there would be always a risk of generating homogeneity, and hence some stagnation in idea generation. Would the “good” ideas just be at higher levels? I am not sure.