Position Paper

Mobile technologies have become a normal part of everyday life. More people now have cell phones than landline phones, within the United States. In fact, so many people have got rid of their landline services in favor of having only cell phones that a term has emerged to describe this action is called “cutting the cord.” The cell phone phenomenon is not limited to adults. In fact, it is not uncommon to see high school and middle school students with their own cell phones. When walking through a department store, or strolling down a crowded city street, or taking a ride on public transportation, it is completely common to hear others having cell phone conversations.  In a survey approximately 17 percent of students identified that they spent at least three hours per day on a mobile phone. The majority of student’s indicated that they sent and/or received 20 text messages per day. Only five percent of student’s sent or received over 60 texts per day. Of the students that sent and received text messages 29 percent used text short cuts when completing school work. Over 50 percent re-ported that having a mobile phone in the class-room or a ringing cell phone in class did not distract them from their studies. Over 73 percent of students made no excuse to leave the classroom to answer their phone, while 22 percent apologized for causing inconvenience in the classroom. One-third of students indicated they would make a call from their mobile phone during class. Only five to ten years ago it would have been considered taboo to take phone calls during a lunch or dinner with friends. Now, if a cell phone rings, it is fully expected that the call or text will be answered. That there is why mobile technology is changing our society and I believe it won’t be stopping anytime soon.

-Derek Schatz