Possibly a dumb question...Looking for thoughts on this however

[vonKrimm]

Yup, get over it.  Course requirements for "100" level classes taught by associate professors were a joke in my time too.  Adhere to the letter of the assignment & you will come-out    I really, really like Hornet's idea.

[moot]

Fake it.  The only criteria here is to show you understand the subject matter's working concepts.  You can do a better job with a faked/scripted exchange than with a random one.  Whether it's scripted doesn't matter.  Illustration of the principles does.
Making a big deal out of the teacher's skimping on true curiculum is moot.  Make something out of it, instead of nothing.

[vonKrimm]

Fake it.  The only criteria here is to show you understand the subject matter's working concepts.  You can do a better job with a faked/scripted exchange than with a random one.  Whether it's scripted doesn't matter.  Illustration of the principles does.
Making a big deal out of the teacher's skimping on true curiculum is moot.  Make something out of it, instead of nothing.

I am sure that "faking it" would be against whatever Honor Code the school has.

[phatzo]

go with hornets idea, I like it

[HB555]

Nope not related to security at all....

Quoted from opening line of assignment:
"It is not uncommon for us to hear about politicians "twittering".

Is that what they are calling it now? When I was younger, they called it screwing the people. 

Just funning with you there, but you also have to watch The Daily Show, which relates, as this is a left leaning show also.

I'd go with a good friend you can trust, do the twitter thing with him/her and make it racy, per hornets idea. I have a gut feeling this is what the prof is looking for anyway, as, like you said, this assignment really has nothing to do with learning computers and how they work both in theory and reality.
 
Wish they would get back to teaching youngsters how to read, write, and do math again, leave all this touchy feely stuff to others, and teach, not brainwash... <sigh>

[1pLUs44]

Just FYI...Myspace has privacy settings just like facebook, but I don't think anyone really uses myspace anymore

I don't think I can name someone with a facebook at my school that I know.

[Meatwad]

I dont even know what this twitter thing is, but to me it has nothing to do with an into to computers class. Id ask him what the purpose is and why he thinks its so important to do.


If you absolutely have to do it, make a 2nd account as an S&M mistress

[Swager]

Simple.  If you want to get credit for the course, do the assignment.  If doing that assignment bothers you in some way, drop the course.

Sounds pretty easy to me.

[moot]

I am sure that "faking it" would be against whatever Honor Code the school has.

Sounds like the point of the assignment is understanding and reproducing the concepts. A proper dupe would distill the noise out of a random twitter exchange, leaving the concepts clearer than from a random "real" exchange.  Did I say this already?  In fact.. The very best way to do it would be to articulate the ideal twitter syntax and then support that formulation with a couple of "real" twitter exchanges. 

Definitely something you can get done faster and over with than it takes to make this thread and then think over its replies.

[Enker]

Dupe it.

QFT, use something from the comments on this LINK and talk about how difficult it is to find people to talk to on the intertubes with an I.Q. of over 2.

[Hoarach]

QFT, use something from the comments on this LINK and talk about how difficult it is to find people to talk to on the intertubes with an I.Q. of over 2.

Lol I love it....

[Babalonian]

Sounds like a horrible class.  I remember taking a basic computer class when I was in school for my CADD degree.  I walked into it thinking I would learn nothing, but was pleasantly surprised to learn a bunch of little things that, while not critical, have been very useful for my everyday-computing since (like windows shortcut keys.  IE: holding down the windows key and "E" instantly opens up the explorer window). 

And while the internet and networking was covered as a means of computers communicating with other computers, we did not at any time touch base with socializing on the internet, or that our computers were to be used for socializing.  Our computers were seen as tools.  Tools for the office, tools for learning our degrees on, or tools we could customize (based on what we wanted to do with them) for use at home.  This is how you used the tool and kept it running in top shape.

I don't see how Twitter is going to help you use or maintain a computer everyday, at home or at the workplace.  Twitter is a tool for socializing.  I don't see how twitter is going to save your education/job/family-photos when the hard drive fails and you don't know how to quickly diagnose and fix the problem.  I'd write a letter to your dean about what is being taught and what you think should be taught (IE: useful things the students will want/have to use everyday on a computer at home or at work).  It's a fine line you'll have to walk to pull it off.  You don't want to come off as "you know better than the teacher", but you do want to make valid points.


IE: 

Quoted from opening line of assignment:
"It is not uncommon for us to hear about politicians "twittering". Are you wondering what a twitter is? Well visit the next website to read about WHAT it means to twitter and then take 5 minutes to watch the video clip from the "The Daily Show" to see a humorous view on just how it works. "
The actual assignment:
"The best way to understand how twitter works is to sign up for it yourself and give it a try. Even better, find a friend to "twitter" with and share your experience here on the discussion board. Send me a twitter when you do this at MomofBTS. If you would like to share your twitter name send an email to everyone."

It is very common to use the internet to post data and information for the masses to review and even contribute to.  But why are we (you students) only subjecting ourselves to one of the many tools at our disposal on the internet, and familiarizing ourselves with minuscule details and procedures only relative to that one tool in the entire enormous box?  If twitter were to disappear tomorrow, how would my fellow classmates and myself compete with the rest of the world?  I would like to suggest that we avoid such setbacks by learning and familiarizing ourselves (you students) with a broader and more applicable understanding of how the internet is used in many different ways to share and build information.  With that knowledge we can apply it successfully and fruitfully to many various aspects and tools at our disposal on the internet, despite whatever advances and changes that may happen tomorrow.

[moot]

http://www.ted.com/talks/seth_godin_on_the_tribes_we_lead.html