Hi All!
So, we all remember a while back I said that was a Bzz Agent and got to try out a bunch of nifty stuff.
No? Well, then click on the tag and/or category for Bzz Agent, go to the first entry and see what it’s all about. It’s super cool.
Really, all the cool kids are doing it. You want in? Of course you want in. Yes, you want in. Stop that! I hate when people argue with me. You really want in!! Just go to www.bzzagent.com and sign up. Super easy, super free and super cool.
Anyway, back to the topic at hand.
So, the new campaign is this online test site called
It’s a really neat site and campaign, and the first one I actually feel I can give real feedback on. The other two were good campaigns, but I was rather neutral on them. I’m really glad I got my computer replaced when I did. I might have missed this campaign otherwise.
So, Smarterer, aside from the name absolutely driving me nuts. Smarterer, really? GAH! It’s a pretty neat site. There are tests on several different online forums, games, movies, pop culture, school subjects, computer programs, network sites…The test possibilities are endless since this seems to be the Wikipedia of test sites. I can make up my own test on my favorite garden layouts and post it there. I can even add my own questions to existing tests as well.
It was fun to take the Bzz Agent test, I stopped at a few points (40 something) shy of Expert Level since I really didn’t have time to continue. (Being a full-time Office B*tch, mom, wife and roller derby player eat up A LOT of free time). So, I guess I’m a quasi expert. IDK.
I can see this being incredibly useful for when it’s time for the Fresh Meat to study up for Derby assessments, it’s be a great way for them to study before taking the actual test. In fact, I will be suggesting this to our Fresh Meat coaches for that very reason.
I like that the tests are always evolving. Your score will not stay the same, as more questions are added, your score will drop.
OK, so, for the bit’s I wasn’t so hot on.
The timer for answering questions seems to be a bit fast. It does change with the length of the question/answers, but, I read fairly fast and the timerreally doesn’t allow for you to thoroughly read the question and answers and make a well-informed decision. Several questions I missed because I didn’t have time to go back a re-read the answers. After my first read through I’d have precious little time to read the question again and make my selection. As a dyslexic, this would absolutely screw me if it counted for a class or grade.
The site itself doesn’t really offer much info at a glance. I get that most of these tests are just little things with no real weight to them (I mean, come on, test your knowledge of the TV show Friends?) or for the purpose of replacing flash cards (basic math, english) or to just test your knowledge of e widely used computer program or web browser (Power Point, Firefox). But say for this campaign here. It says to take the test and post your score. How? It didn’t say on the campaign info page so I assumed there would be a “Hey! Look at you go!! Wanna post this to Facebook? Twitter? Anywhere on the internet?” sort of link. (Yea, I’m aware that this really isn’t the point of the Smarterer site, but wouldn’t most people want to easily post something they are scored on. I mean, I get all sorts of things in my timelines that are scored which do not test any knowledge.) There may be one, but, I looked in all the places you would usually find something like that, and, nothing. So, everyone will just have to take my word for it, I guess.
There is some great info in the links at the bottom of the page. But in this day and age, if it’s not front and center in big letters, most people aren’t going to go looking for it.
Don’t take my short responses to what I liked and the lengthy responses to what I didn’t like as my testament to not liking Smarterer. I like Smarterer (except the name, the grammar/english nazi in me wants to correct the duplicate ‘er’, much like Bzz Agent, I have yet to type Bzz, it’s always Buzz and I have to go back and correct it), I like what it is trying to do. I just think there’s a little room for improvement. I will be recommending this to people looking for an online alternative to flash cards, it seem like it could ba an invaluable option. especially if there was an app for smartphones, that way if you create a test for a class, you can add or alter questions while in the classroom with minimal effort.
(Hey all! Sorry I’ve been MIA. Had major computer issues, as in Blue Screen of Death, issues. I had to get this Bzz Agent post out while it was all fresh in my mind. See y’all for my regularly scheduled snark, and some extra since I was computerless, in the next day or so. And, seriously? Look into this Bzz Agent stuff. It’s pretty sweet. It has to be if my first post on my brand spankin’ new computer is a Bzz Agent one!)
