Problem of the week/month - Basic to intermediate level

[erobz]

Anyone ever talk introducing about a problem of the week. Where a user actually gets several attempts at an answer. I'm talking about a legitimate quiz type setup, complete with multiple choice automated system...not hidden responses.

They did this at Brilliant and it was great engagement with the community. You take a shot at an answer, and if you get it right you have the option to post your own solution and more importantly see other's approach. They got rid of it there eventually to avoid some social media classification (I believe - they didn't have time to police the solutions because they were working on their coursework), but removing the community feature caused significant stir. There was a group generated to discuss where we could (internet forums) go to continue it, but I don't think it ever got settled officially (that I'm aware of).

It was good fun, and best of all it kept one engaged, and got people interested/motivated. During the slow season here it could be a good way to boost morale, generate interest (generate revenue)?

If it was done successfully PF could advertise it on the web. There had to be thousands of user submitted problems in their archive. There was clearly market for this just a short while ago.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

We have a quiz feature for Insights, but I haven't created one in awhile. If you can create the questions and answers, DM me and I'll post it with your credit.
https://www.physicsforums.com/insights/science-math-quizzes/

 

[erobz]

We have a quiz feature for Insights, but I haven't created one in awhile. If you can create the questions and answers, DM me and I'll post it with your credit.
https://www.physicsforums.com/insights/science-math-quizzes/

Creating complete/sound questions and coming up with alternative answers is challenging work that I haven't ever done professionally...I'd need some help. I'll get the ball rolling in the HH forums with a problem to ask for feedback.

 

[kuruman]

I would support an effort of this sort, however I think that too many cooks will spoil the broth unless they all agree to follow the same recipe. By this I mean that if different users are expected to help with the creation of problems there should be a clear understanding of

1. the level at which the solver is expected to be ( I suggest high-school)
2. the format(s) of the answer (ranking, multiple choice, multiple answer, algebraic expression, numerical, or combination thereof)

In addition, I think that contributors should submit a complete solution with a brief statement of the educational value of their contribution. For example, "This problem can be answered the long way (solution A) using the brute force method of solving a system of 4 equations and 4 unknowns or by exploiting the symmetry of the situation (solution B) to get the answer in two lines."

In other words, have problems that get one to think outside the proverbial box or present an extension of a standard problems that one might see in elementary physics textbooks. An example is shown in my modification of the problem that @erobz posted here.

 

[erobz]

I would support an effort of this sort, however I think that too many cooks will spoil the broth unless they all agree to follow the same recipe. By this I mean that if different users are expected to help with the creation of problems there should be a clear understanding of

1. the level at which the solver is expected to be ( I suggest high-school)
2. the format(s) of the answer (ranking, multiple choice, multiple answer, algebraic expression, numerical, or combination thereof)

In addition, I think that contributors should submit a complete solution with a brief statement of the educational value of their contribution. For example, "This problem can be answered the long way (solution A) using the brute force method of solving a system of 4 equations and 4 unknowns or by exploiting the symmetry of the situation (solution B) to get the answer in two lines."

In other words, have problems that get one to think outside the proverbial box or present an extension of a standard problems that one might see in elementary physics textbooks. An example is shown in my modification of the problem that @erobz posted here.

I agree, there should be someone to oversee. I was thinking that problems could be submitted for review until a sufficient pool is gathered, and then they can be organized and released in a trickle as submissions continue forward. I don't want to be too ambitious about it so organizers aren't over pressured to produce these problems and also allowing time for them to be checked for errors. I think there would need to be some supporting programming work, so its not free and easy.

In Brilliant they started ambitiously with a daily problem, it eventually overtook them...turns out it's hard to write a problem everyday that is complete and verified with diagrams even if you have a staff of academics. They were focusing on interactive media, but the meat of the interest in my opinion was just having a well written problem to solve steadily. They went to weekly; I think there were 3 problems basic, intermediate, advanced. Then they eventually just went to a single problem a week if I remember correctly, before shutting it down completely. They suppled a short lecture to introduce it, probably to ambitious. They also allowed those that answered the problem correctly to supply their own solutions, on such a large platform it became overwhelming because people started quibbling about solutions (as we do). Chains of replies. When they eventually scrapped it citing problems with "social media platforms" there were many disappointed customers.

I don't see why PF can't recapture a small bit of that pie...if they want.