Required reading gold star designations?

[Prairiepiss]

This may be a stupid idea or not even possible. But I had the thought and will share it.

What if there was a designations for those that have read all of the required reading? Required reading would be decided upon by the HD Mods Mentors and Admins. Like I said I don't know if it can be done. But I know the board keeps track of what threads and posts we have read. I think it would be cool to have a list of the required reading threads on the user control panel with the ones I have read checked off. Tell you the truth I couldn't tell you if I have read all of them myself. I lost track a long time ago. So it would help nebees along with the reading that they should be doing. And it would help the HD team to point members in the right direction. Say I'm new and I post a question like "What is LM?" If I have a gold star saying I have read all materials. Then the reply mite be more to help me understand what I'm not getting. If I didn't have the gold star I could be pointed to the fact I haven't read the required materials.

And if someone would be offended by it. I really don't know why? We are all here to learn. If a new person to HD comes along that has been stillin for a long time. Should still read these things to not only maybe learn something they did not know. But also learn the thinking and vibe of HD before they just jump in with conflicting information.

Yes I go back through all the basic threads from time to time. When I get one of those aha moments I try to go back and reinforce it in my brain.

I think this would be a great tool for the HD community. If it is possible to put it in place?

[rad14701]

Nice idea but not a practical one and here's why... There is no way determine whether someone has actually read an entire forum topic or simply entered it... I think a better solution would be to have a list of questions which would require a member to go find the answers if they don't already know them... Kinda like a quiz... Oh, no... Sweaty palm time... But it would be hard to inform everyone how they would need to answer each question... Would the give an answer of their own, copy and paste the information complete with a link to its source, or some other method... See how tricky that would get...???

We've been relying on the good old honor system for all these years and it does work for members who really want to learn as much as possible as opposed to those who simply want answers handed to them... Researching and not finding the answers simply isn't a very good excuse in most cases because the rest of us can find the answers with very little effort... That just means that we are putting in more effort to show that the information is, indeed, locatable than the person asking the question... But, then again, some people are better searchers than others...

I don't think there is a perfect solution but I'm open to any and all ideas, as I'm sure many others here are...

[Prairiepiss]

I thought about that. Yes it could be circumvented by just opening that thread. And yes it would probably happen. I like the quiz idea. But to automate it. It would almost have to be multiple guess. If not someone would have to grade them. This would take up a lot of the HD teams time. We don't need to have a bigger burden on you guys. And like many quizs there would have to be more then one version. So if the first one was failed the second could be administered. And harder to cheat if you don't know which quiz you will get.

Maybe have a question or two in each required reading topic. Could have a link on the bottom of the page "Take quiz on this topic" type thing. If you get it right then you get a check mark for that one with a list on your user control panel. When you get them all done the get a gold star. Or whatever would be appropriate. But this way by doing it separate people could do it as they are researching the one topic. Less time and confusion that way?

Like I said it was a thought. But maybe these ideas can get the creative juices flowing. I think something like this would make us better as a group. I would just like to see something to help new members progress other then just being told to read and read some more. If they have something to point them along a good path it would make learning it so much better. I know it would have helped me out. And it still would if we had such a thing. Even like a suggested lesson plan. Start with this tread because it will help you understand the next one and so on and so forth.

Now I'm not implying in any way that this should be some kind of requirements before you can function as a member. I myself don't think new members should be subjected to a test before they can interact in the forums. This in my opinion will push more people away. And those people could have the next best thing to share.

I'm rambling now so I will shut up. : crazy:

[ipee7ABV]

if you build it i will read it. i think i have read most but that would be a good way to keep track.

[WV Shine]

I think its a good idea PP... Rad's right, it would be very easy to bypass by just opening the threads. However, I doubt people would actually skip through all of the info if they were forced to open the threads... If they're here, they're here to learn and/or share. My bet is most people have no idea how little they know about this hobby when they first join...

I don't think people should necessarily have to read everything in the "required reading" section as it now stands... but maybe a condensed version, with links to some other articles that provide more depth on each of the subjects.

It's been said many times that all the info is here on the forums and the parent site if you look... this is very true, and both are great resources. However the sheer amount of information and the presentation are more than a little daunting to the novice. If you don't know a parrot from a flute from a boka, its pretty damn hard to even tell what/where you're supposed to start reading

[Frosteecat]

I would like a way to track what I've read. I use the bookmark system to go back to something that I have not fullY digested or understood or just want as reference. If there was some way to have a folder system I could organize my bookmarks in, even better! And as I did not get many gold stars as a schoolchild, I am all for that as well!

[Husker]

I REALLY like this idea, and I vote for PP to grade all tests, and assign and maintain all ranking. </sarcasm>
























lol. pie in the sky idea. I know why you are thinking this way, and it is good thinking. But I just can not see this being something that we can really do in reality.

H.

[Prairiepiss]

I REALLY like this idea, and I vote for PP to grade all tests, and assign and maintain all ranking. </sarcasm>






lol. pie in the sky idea. I know why you are thinking this way, and it is good thinking. But I just can not see this being something that we can really do in reality.

H.

Ok! Do I get a big red marker and a big rubber stamp?

[Braz]

One on my college English Comp professors had a big RED rubber stamp that said simply, "BULLSHIT." And he used it a lot.

[Prairiepiss]

One on my college English Comp professors had a big RED rubber stamp that said simply, "BULLSHIT." And he used it a lot.

I have one somewhere.

[Washashore]

Lol-- I was a teaching assistant for a class in college. I marked a paper up so much that at the end I told him he owed me a new red pen. He later apologized and admitted that he wrote the semester-long report on his way into school that day