NaughtyBots Part 2: Twittertards, TwitterBotsandNaughts, and Analog Man
This is the second part in a four part NaughtyBots series about the #commoncore Project: How Social Media is Changing the Politics of Education.
Twittertards
The #commoncore Project is about the use of Twitter in the ongoing debate about the Common Core. The project focus was on Twitter, tweeters, and tweets. There are people who don’t use Twitter who are very involved. I am one of those. While I am not exactly an Analog Man or a technotard, I am what I consider a Twittertard. Like many other advocates, by choice, I do not use Twitter.
Even though I am a Twittertard, I have some idea how Twitter works and understand its importance and that of other social media in getting the message out. I have heard comments from others that the people who did this project don’t have a clue about how Twitter works. I wouldn’t go so far as to say that myself, but have no problem saying others have said it.Here is one example of how Twitter has been used in the Common Core debate. This use falls outside that examined by the project undertakers. In September 2014, Jenni White, a 
mom and president of Restore Oklahoma Public Education, heard Fordham Institute’s Michael Petrilli make a comment she didn’t agree with. She used Twitter to challenge him to a debate. He accepted the challenge and a live debate was held. Michael appeared to have done his homework in preparation, but in my eyes, Jenni was the clear victor, stealing the show with grace and style. There was a human element behind the challenging tweet that led to a great in-person respectful debate about the Common Core. Is that same human element involved in the Twitter debate or is it just a robotic element?
mom and president of Restore Oklahoma Public Education, heard Fordham Institute’s Michael Petrilli make a comment she didn’t agree with. She used Twitter to challenge him to a debate. He accepted the challenge and a live debate was held. Michael appeared to have done his homework in preparation, but in my eyes, Jenni was the clear victor, stealing the show with grace and style. There was a human element behind the challenging tweet that led to a great in-person respectful debate about the Common Core. Is that same human element involved in the Twitter debate or is it just a robotic element?TwitterBotsandNaughts
Is PJNET misportrayed in the project report? Is PJNET a bot or naught? Is it a robo-tweeter? Oh, robo-tweeter doesn’t seem to be defined. Mark Prasek heads up PJNET and on page 32 of the NaughtyBots Part 2: Twittertards, TwitterBotsandNaughts, and Analog Man | Truth in American Education: