During the summer of
2008, my
first CR4 blog entries examined how text messaging was beginning to surpass
e-mail as the premier communication technology among teens and young adults. In
the year that's passed, whether it was because I was paying closer attention or
because of technological proliferation, a dramatic increase in texting is
evident everywhere. For me, this is most disconcerting in two places: the
classroom and the car.
But there's an even more disturbing trend among almost all of
the teens I come into contact with. Confiscate their phones and prepare for their
wrath! But why do they become so angry about losing their phones for an hour?
Join me in this multi-part series that will investigate the culture, trends,
and obsession with teens and texting.
By The Numbers
Last spring, my building conducted a survey to gain a better
understanding of cell phone use and text messaging during the school day.
Students, being more aware than they were given credit for, saw right through
the "fact finding" purpose of the survey. Honesty would result in tougher
restrictions. My homeroom laughed while completing this exercise. Some students
even refused to answer any of the survey's questions. They knew what would
happen if they were honest, and said so off the record.
Teachers were also given a survey. Personally, I was shocked to learn that a whopping 20% of
my fellow educators opposed a cell phone ban at the school. This suggested that
students weren't the only ones with a digital addiction. Although some students
did characterize their classmates' obsession with texting as annoying and
distracting, recent polls by Fresno State University paint a broader picture in
more concrete and measurable terms.
According to Fresno
State University,
around 70 % of respondents admitted texting during class, while 89% said that
they used their cell phones for messaging on a regular basis. More disturbing
was the MySpace poll of high school students by Dr. Tamyra Pierce, a Fresno State
associate professor of mass communication and journalism.
 Dr. Pierce's study revealed that just fewer than 50% of
responding high schoolers text, and that 10% admitted to texting during exams. Furthermore, 64%
of those polled informally (just fewer than 2 out of 3) admit that texting
affects their attention span and distracts them from the material presented
during lectures. Although some students say that they use texting to stay awake
in boring classes (thus allowing them to hear at least some of the material),
others who don't text claim that the constant vibrating of phones and clicking
of buttons is distracting.
Dangers Behind the
Wheel
Beyond the classroom, the hazards of texting continue to be
mind-boggling. Recently, a girl fell down a open manhole while texting as she wasn't watching the road in front of her feet. And for the average driver, texting or messaging while driving increases
the likelihood of an accident by a staggering 2300%! Furthermore, the time
spent looking at the cell phone was often long enough to take a driver's eyes
off the road long enough to travel the length of a football field.
Since teens are the most inexperienced drivers behind the
wheel and the most likely to send text messages, organizations such as The
Virginia Tech Transportation Institute are calling for bans on any cell phone
use by newly licensed drivers. But would that be enough?
Related Readings
(please note that hyperlinks will not work until future blogs
are posted):
Part 1 – The
Texting Time Bomb: A Year Later (Part 1)
Part 2 – Hell
Hath No Fury Like A Cell Phone Confiscated (Texting Time Bomb: Part 2)
Part 3 – Why
Cell Phones Make Educators Grumpy (Texting Time Bomb: Part 3)
Part 4 – From
Where I Sit – This Teacher's Take (Texting Time Bomb: Part 4)
Resources:
http://wcbstv.com/local/texting.manhole.raw.2.1081403.html
http://cbs5.com/technology/texting.while.driving.2.1103836.html
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/kuehl-manslaughter-prosecutors-2364107-crosswalk-driving
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32208299
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