What. The. Shaq-fu. This college art gen ed class I signed up for REQUIRES MySpace.

Dead of Knight

Dead of Knight

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The title of the course is "Contemporary Art and Music since 1945." How Myspace factors into this I don't know.

From what I can tell from the course website (which for some reason does not yet have the syllabus on it despite classes starting today), we have to make a MySpace page and post a lot of our graded assignments on it. What purpose this serves, I don't know. What I do know is that MySpace is a cesspool for viruses. My fiance's old computer got nuked because of a virus he believes he got on MySpace due to their horrible security (and yes he had antivirus, and used to work in IT). I don't want to visit that site for any reason. And apparently it's required for this class. I tried to change my schedule to get into a different art gen ed class but the school website is messed up and neither the course availability list nor the scheduling sites are working right now. I REALLY don't want to be in this class. I don't feel comfortable with it. Should I talk to the professor about this? It's an all-online class but that is really no excuse for it. Also, this is my final quarter at university, so I NEED to take an art gen ed class this quarter or else I can't graduate. fuck.
 
my soc. 101 teacher soph 2 years ago required facebook because they have groups that you can use for free and that way you don't have to pay the webct/blackboard fee

...if you're scared, then ask the prof to switch to a facebook group and set it to private for security reasons. Or, use firefox and install adblock plus and noscript and that way you'll be safe
 
I think I'll write an email to the prof and see what she says. If she gives no alternative then there's another class it looks like I can switch to, it just won't be online.

The thing is we have a WebCT-like application that is unique to our university that provides free groups. So I see no point in this. And Facebook is far more secure than MySpace.
 
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[quote name='evanft']Don't take bullshit classes.[/QUOTE]

I HAVE to take a bullshit "Visual and Performing Arts" class in order to graduate. I was recommended this one by several people so I chose this one. This really blows. Gonna shoot off an email now and hopefully there's a decent response. At least there appears to be multiple VPA gen ed classes with plenty of spaces left in them, so I can easily drop this class and enroll in those if absolutely necessary.
 
[quote name='Z_meista']wtf? is it too late to switch?[/QUOTE]

No. Of course the scheduling site is down for the night but first thing in the morning I'm adding a Russian film class that almost certainly doesn't use MySpace (plus I love film classes, I've taken one in high school and one in college). It's not online, but I'll live. I was worried at first because the course availability site was not working for a while, and often this late in the game, almost all classes are already full. Thankfully that is not the case for several VPA gen eds. I'm pretty sure regardless of the prof's response I'll probably just drop this class. She doesn't seem to give even half a shit about the class, as evidenced by references to "summer" and "January" in the course info. She couldn't even be arsed to properly edit the course info on the site. I don't need this shit.
 
The state of education in this country is terrible (re. pathetic). I would hate to have class force me to get onto myspace. That alone would be enough for me to drop it. Actually, I can't believe (understand why) a class would need myspace unless it were a class as an exploration in new media or something like that for journalism.
 
[quote name='Dead of Knight']I'm glad we see eye to eye, evanft.[/quote]

Even engineers have to take V&P credits, and I took a class that was basically coming in on Fridays to watch movies.
 
Signed up for the Russian film class. All is well. No response from the prof yet but I'm 99% sure I'm dropping it once I get a response.

I think the only reason MySpace was even allowed in this class was because it's a bullshit gen ed class that no one, not even the department, gives a shit about, so some crazy fucker who thought MySpace would be a good idea was able to slide it right in there with little opposition.
 
[quote name='Dead of Knight']Russian film class.[/QUOTE]
Andrei Tarkovsky class*
 
They probably know that half the students are on Myspace during lecture anyway, might as well make them learn something in the process.
 
[quote name='johnnypark']They probably know that half the students are on Myspace during lecture anyway, might as well make them learn something in the process.[/QUOTE]

It's an online class.
 
[quote name='JohnnyFoxDarko']I've been on My Space for 4~ years and never had a virus because of it.[/QUOTE]

Me neither. But if you look at the site it's obviously poorly coded (when I used it I'd constantly get errors just trying to search or update my page) and ripe for viruses. On another site I posted this story at people were suggesting my fiance was lying about it and really got it looking at porn but we're very open about stuff like that and I doubt he'd lie about it.
 
Your fiance is likely trying to prevent you from creating an online profile, so, in his mind, potential online suitors can't seduce you away from him.
 
[quote name='Brak']Your fiance is likely trying to prevent you from creating an online profile, so, in his mind, potential online suitors can't seduce you away from him.[/QUOTE]

I already have a profile from years ago but don't go on it anymore. I also have a facebook. So I doubt it.

[quote name='BigSpoonyBard']My theory: The prof was trying to stalk attractive students without drawing attention.[/QUOTE]
This actually makes a lot of sense.
 
[quote name='BigSpoonyBard']My theory: The prof was trying to stalk attractive students without drawing attention.[/QUOTE]
This is correct.

But look at it this way:

You'll get college credits by watching Solaris and Andrey Rublyov.
 
Got a reply from the prof. She types like, well, a MySpace user.

Regarding the Myspace Page, this myspace page you will create will only be accessible to participants in the Spring quarter of the Art and Music since 1945 course. If you do not give anyone outside the group the URL, they should not be able to access this space.

I understand your concerns reqarding viruses destroying your computer; your explanation has caused me greater concerns for my computer as well. There is no alternative assignment for the current tasks that you asked to perform on the myspace page. The Self Introduction assignment and ten Listening Assignments will be posted on this space of the course.

I am wondering; if you live in and around the Columbus campus, would it be possible for you to use one of the computers at one of the labs/libraries to complete these tasks.

Like you, I woud not want you to drop this course. Yes it is interesting.

I hope my responses adequately answered your queries and that my suggestion is helpful.

Looking forward to working with you over the next eleven weeks.

Have a productive and successful quarter.
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Probably gonna drop it as soon as I get back from the Russian film class tonight. She apparently doesn't even know how MySpace works.
 
Only access Myspace from a university computer. Let them get the viruses.

Edit: looks like a (sadly) typical clueless prof. Yeah, drop the class.
 
[quote name='Dead of Knight']I HAVE to take a bullshit "Visual and Performing Arts" class in order to graduate. I was recommended this one by several people so I chose this one. This really blows. Gonna shoot off an email now and hopefully there's a decent response. At least there appears to be multiple VPA gen ed classes with plenty of spaces left in them, so I can easily drop this class and enroll in those if absolutely necessary.[/quote]

I did music appreciation. You know you could also look into what your college allows you to CLEP. I'm sure there's something that would count as a fine arts credit. I mean, get your money back for your class and just spend $60 on a study book and test fee instead.
 
Went to the Russian film class today. The prof is a young guy, pretty chill, and there's only 2 tests and 2 exams, plus several extra credit opportunities. Looks like I made the right move.
 
Email from the bullshit dance class I signed up for that starts tomorrow:
Subject: Welcome to Socail Dance I
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I'll probably drop that too. It's an elective that I was planning on taking just for fun, but there are quizzes and actual tests of your performance. As a graduating senior I am way too lazy for that shit. I took a dance class my sophomore year and all we did was, well, DANCE for fuck's sake.
 
Smart idea dropping the class. At my college we had Blackboard, which is where professors dumped all the stuff you need to bring to class. It had grades and message board functions. What it didn't have were preteens, pedophiles, and ads.
 
[quote name='DQT']Smart idea dropping the class. At my college we had Blackboard, which is where professors dumped all the stuff you need to bring to class. It had grades and message board functions. What it didn't have were preteens, pedophiles, and ads.[/QUOTE]
We have a similar site as well, called Carmen. I think it's exclusive to OSU. So I have no fucking clue why MySpace would be necessary.


[quote name='Anexanhume']I know high school students who have better English than that professor. Is that typical at your school?[/QUOTE]
Not at all. It's like this quarter my instructors have the serious dumb. I've had a couple other professors with poor grammar but they were foreigners. These people aren't.
 
[quote name='willardhaven']You were able to switch classes this late in the semester? Do you have trimesters or something else?[/QUOTE]

Trimesters, today was my first day of classes.
 
You are just failing to appreciate the critical role of malware distribution in post-modern artistic paradigms. You Philistine.

Be sure to catch the silent production of 'Ivan the Terrible' made during WWII. I saw it at the Hollywod Bowl with the orchestra doing a live soundtrack. It's completely insane, as if they needed to make Stalin's regime look like a major improvement. Which they did.
 
[quote name='epobirs']You are just failing to appreciate the critical role of malware distribution in post-modern artistic paradigms. You Philistine.[/quote]

:lol:

Be sure to catch the silent production of 'Ivan the Terrible' made during WWII. I saw it at the Hollywod Bowl with the orchestra doing a live soundtrack. It's completely insane, as if they needed to make Stalin's regime look like a major improvement. Which they did.
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:drool:

DoK, if you have WebCT/BB and your prof isn't using it, it's totally a stalker thing.
 
My worst general education (or D.E.C.) was Latin American popular culture. The primary reason it sucked was because it was twice a week for 3 hours a day.
 
I'm not a fan of the random electives that they make you take. I'm glad they want me to learn a more wide variety of things, but classes such as Music Appreciation will be of no use when i'm a physical therapist.
 
[quote name='Cracka']I'm not a fan of the random electives that they make you take. I'm glad they want me to learn a more wide variety of things, but classes such as Music Appreciation will be of no use when i'm a physical therapist.[/quote]

Music appreciation is hilarious because even infants can enjoy music... Teaching people to listen without playing is not only unnecessary, it's ineffective. It's like teaching an auto mechanics class where you read car schematics and then look at cars driving on the road in order to see how they work.
 
Approximately HALF of my college classes are gen eds, not related at all to my major. Another quarter are business classes, which are sort of related to my major. It's a major reason why I'm sick of college; 90% of the shit I learn (being generous) has nothing to do with my future career. Thank god I'm graduating in June.
 
[quote name='willardhaven']My worst general education (or D.E.C.) was Latin American popular culture. The primary reason it sucked was because it was twice a week for 3 hours a day.[/QUOTE]

the worst GE class i took was the sociology of food. it was actually pretty interesting but it was a summer class taught by a grad student. she just wasnt that good.

a lot of my other GE, while unrelated to my major, was really fun. like indroduction to beer and brewing, astronomy, and medieval literature.
 
We used to use WebCT, we now use Desire 2 Learn (D2L). Some of my teachers don't even use it. Of course for things like math it isn't really necessary anyway. Sometimes though it's just because they don't know how to use it and don't want to learn.
 
It's easy to study and learn things you're interested in. It's challenging and frustrating to learn things that you aren't interested in. By forcing you to take gen ed classes that don't appeal to you, college is in fact preparing you for the challenging and frustrating real world.

EDIT - But that Myspace shit is beyond wack. I would've dropped it too.
 
Then why does my school have posters up advising people to "take classes that are right for you?" You know people will assume that means classes you're interested in.
 
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