Jacob Johnson
Dr. Tinberg
ENG 101-A07
11/29/10
“Texting Our Lives Away”
Fifteen minutes before class starts, and a dozen students sit in wake of the
oncoming academia. All are deeply engaged in conversation, yet no word is spoken.
Trapped in silence—eyes glazed-over—fingers pounding relentlessly—all, oblivious to
the people around them. These students are merely a fraction of greater phenomenon.
We see it. We recognize it. However, we rarely look at the consequences.
Texting has become one of the most popular forms of modern communication,
without doubt. Whether it be in the classroom, at restaurants or even on the road, this
phenomenon simply cannot be avoided. While it is easy to recognizing the role that
texting plays in our advancing world, the need to look more critically at this practice is
becoming very apparent. While the idea of texting may have been completely foreign a
few decades ago, it is now an undeniable growing aspect of our culture. As we take a
closer look at texting, we will see how simply it has become popular and how dire its
effects can be.
The first notable cause in the increase of texting would simply be in the available
of cell phones. While mobile devices are now common place, it is important to recognize
the fact that this is still fairly recent. Back in 2001, we saw reports of cell phone usage
accelerating as phones became more available and affordable(Sbranti). For text
messaging to truly take off, there needs to not only be a large audience of phone owners,
but also a sufficient period of time, over which users could become comfortable using a
phone for more than the traditional conversation. Naturally, as phone became more
popular and technology advanced, the accessibility of texting increase significantly. Once
the availability was in place, all that would be need would be a catalyst to make texting
go viral.
A second reason why texting has become so popular, is simply its convenience.
The fact is that teens—some of the most frequent texters—are now using texting to
replace phone conversations. (Bucciarelli) Texting allows for conversations to take place
in areas that would loud for phone conversations—on the flipside, it also allows for
conversations in intentionally quite place, such as classrooms. By making communication
so simple, it is easy to always spend a few more seconds to send yet another message.
Although texting is most popular among teens, adults are by no means immune to this
phenomenon. For many, texting has become to new way to send reminders or ask a quick
question. People love to talk. Any device which offers quick, easy communication is very
likely to catch on.
While texting has offered many advantages when it comes to staying it touch,
there certainly are draw backs which need to be mentioned. Perhaps the most notable
negative of effect of text messaging, is the distraction it creates while driving. It has been
reported that “Research has actually shown that texting while driving can make you 20
times more likely to get into a car accident.” (Industrial Engineer ) While it is perfectly
possible to simply abstain from texting while driving—as many do—a significant amount
of texters do not use such caution. Although certain measures have been taken to prevent
texting while driving—such as petitions and ever laws—there remain concerns about how
many of these dangerous drivers will remain on the road.
Although texting while driving posing is a very immediate consequence of
texting, are also some long term concerns. One major concern which has been raised, is
the toil that text messaging has been taking on students’ writing skills. (The Futurist)
Texting focuses on communication information as quickly as simply as possible, thus
abbreviations, informal acronyms and poor grammar become common. As it becomes
more and more a part of a students daily routine, many fear that texting will soon become
taxing on a student academic progress. There does not appear to be any answer to this
concern yet.
All being said, texting has been becoming a large part of our modern culture, and
may very well continue in this process. There certainly are many benefits and
conveniences to this trend, but we cannot ignore the effects of it. The short-term
consequences of texting while driving cannot be ignored. This issue certainly has been
addressed to an extent, but it is unlikely it will be resolved easily. Also, the long-term
consequences, although not immediately apparent, may have drastic effects for future
generations. It is not entirely clear how we should proceed in regards to this trend, but the
one thing which is clear, is that we must be aware of the effect it is, and may have.
Bibliography:
Bucciarelli, Suzzane. "Teens are the Textiest People." Geeks Planet 11 Nov 2010: n. pag. Web. 27 Nov 2010.
“Don't text, or drink, behind the wheel." Industrial Engineer 42.5 (2010): 14. Academic OneFile. Web. 27 Nov. 2010.
Sbranti, J.N. "HTML Full TextCompetition for Cell Phones Is Fierce, Options Endless, Expansion Nonstop ." Newspaper Source. 7 Jul. 2001, web. Nov. 2010
"Texting, microblogging, and overuse of online tools will have a negative effect on student writing and academic performance." The Futurist Nov.-Dec. 2010: S3. Expanded Academic ASAP. Web. 27 Nov. 2010.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Annotated Scholarly Articles (2nd draft)
Preston, Paul. "Persuasion: what to say, how to be." Journal of Healthcare Management
50.5 (2005): 294+. Academic OneFile. Web. 14 Nov. 2010.
In this article, the author proposes that persuasion is more than just a plea, but that it involves an understanding of various factors. Preston states that words carry implications which may not be immediately apparent. The article goes on to emphasize the point that
persuasion requires an understanding of the audience being addressed. Likewise, it is also
critical to understand how you—the communicator—appear to the recipient of your
message.
The intended audience of this article would be managers in the healthcare field. Several
references are incorporated into the article, reasonably demonstrating its credibility. The
author himself is a professor of management, making him well qualified to write on this
subject. The article focus on how to improve communication and presents several
practical points to aid in this process. Preston recognizes the importance of
communication to managers, and presents am instructive article on this topic. As a whole, the is very constructive without seeming at all critical.
50.5 (2005): 294+. Academic OneFile. Web. 14 Nov. 2010.
In this article, the author proposes that persuasion is more than just a plea, but that it involves an understanding of various factors. Preston states that words carry implications which may not be immediately apparent. The article goes on to emphasize the point that
persuasion requires an understanding of the audience being addressed. Likewise, it is also
critical to understand how you—the communicator—appear to the recipient of your
message.
The intended audience of this article would be managers in the healthcare field. Several
references are incorporated into the article, reasonably demonstrating its credibility. The
author himself is a professor of management, making him well qualified to write on this
subject. The article focus on how to improve communication and presents several
practical points to aid in this process. Preston recognizes the importance of
communication to managers, and presents am instructive article on this topic. As a whole, the is very constructive without seeming at all critical.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Jacob Johnson
Dr. Tinberg
ENG 101
11/15/10
Annotated Scholarly Article
Preston, Paul. "Persuasion: what to say, how to be." Journal of Healthcare Management
50.5 (2005): 294+. Academic OneFile. Web. 14 Nov. 2010.
The author proposes that persuasion is more than just a plea, but that it involves
an understanding of various factors. Preston states that words carry implications which
may not be immediately apparent. The article goes on to emphasize the point that
persuasion requires an understanding of the audience being addressed. Likewise, it is also
critical to understand how you—the communicator—appear to the recipient of your
message.
The intended audience of this article is managers in the healthcare field. Several
references are incorporated into the article, reasonably demonstrating its credibility. The
author himself is a professor of management, making him well qualified to write on this
subject. The article focus on how to improve communication and presents several
practical points to aid in this process. Preston recognizes the importance of
communication to managers, and presents a constructive article on this topic.
Dr. Tinberg
ENG 101
11/15/10
Annotated Scholarly Article
Preston, Paul. "Persuasion: what to say, how to be." Journal of Healthcare Management
50.5 (2005): 294+. Academic OneFile. Web. 14 Nov. 2010.
The author proposes that persuasion is more than just a plea, but that it involves
an understanding of various factors. Preston states that words carry implications which
may not be immediately apparent. The article goes on to emphasize the point that
persuasion requires an understanding of the audience being addressed. Likewise, it is also
critical to understand how you—the communicator—appear to the recipient of your
message.
The intended audience of this article is managers in the healthcare field. Several
references are incorporated into the article, reasonably demonstrating its credibility. The
author himself is a professor of management, making him well qualified to write on this
subject. The article focus on how to improve communication and presents several
practical points to aid in this process. Preston recognizes the importance of
communication to managers, and presents a constructive article on this topic.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Proposal Writing (2nd Draft)
College is more than just an experience of education. It is a time of growing—a
time of building relationships—a time, of becoming part of something bigger. While
community colleges contribute greatly to the local community, they often come up short
when it comes to building a strong college community, compared to most four year
schools. While BCC certainly has done well so far with this issue, it is certainly far from
solved. While this might seem like a minor social issue, the concern is not nearly that
simple. USA TODAY reports: “Studies show that the more engaged students are in such
activities and relationships, the more likely they are to learn.” (Marklein) With concern for both community and education, this situation deserves further exploration.
The nature of this problem is not simple and is caused by numerous factors. While
there are many aspects to this predicament, there are two primary facets which should be
noted. The first cause of this problem is the issue of commuting. To be clear, in
general, commuting is a great opportunity to keep prices down while at college. While all
students must commute at BCC, this does cause a hindrance when it comes to engaging
students. If students must drive to and from their classes, their time spent on campus will
be minimum. Unfortunately, this problem challenges most community colleges. Studies
have shown that “75% of full-time students and 87% of part-time students report that they
spent zero hours in a typical seven-day week participating in college-sponsored
extracurricular activities.” (Community College Survey) If engagement is difficult for anyone, it is certainly difficult for college students who commute.
A second reason why BCC students may not be well engaged is that they aren’t
full time students. The Community College Survey of Student Engagement stated that
“The phenomenon of part-timeness stands as one of the greatest challenges community
colleges face in creating strong connections with students. Close to two-thirds of
community college students attend college part-time”(Community College Survey). When students only take a couple classes, they are often less invested in their college life. Often, this is accentuated by the convenience of online classes for part-time students. The nature of community college makes it quite accessible to people who are too busy to take more than a couple courses at a time. The consequence of this, is that a significant amount of students either aren’t able or interested in giving more of their time.
While this obstacles are not easily conquered, BCC has taken great steps engage
students, despite the odds. I would suggest, however, a proposition which may make the
school more effective in its efforts. The previously mentioned USA Today report went on to say that the use of social media—such as Facebook—can help community college students become more engaged(Marklein). While social media have been used by some degree by BCC, I believe that these assets can be used even more so to increase engagement. Firstly, BCC has over a dozen clubs, yet only a few are online. Getting all clubs online—even if it is simply by creating a Facebook group—would be a simple, yet effective step forward. While it may be difficult to engage students on-campus, there is still the option to engage them online. Once all clubs are on the web, their events, meetings and general information can be both provided and advertised. Not only will this allow students to become more engaged online, but online engagement always has the potential to result in on-campus interaction. While in-person relations are valuable, there is strong reason to believe that virtual engagement can strength the community.
The cost of such a project would be quite minimal. Financially, there would be
nothing to pay to put more information online, especially if it were done via a social
medium. When it comes to update and overseeing this process, it would make most sense
to have a member of the club help out voluntarily. This would cost some time, however,
it would be unlikely to amount to anything significant. Thus the expense of change
would be virtually non-existent while the benefits, as we have seen, could certainly be
worth while.
With all this being said, I believe the facts are clear. Keeping students engaged is
an important responsibility which is more challenging than normal for community
colleges. While there is no magical solution to this issue, the internet and social media
can act as powerful assets. With the cost being so minimal, I strongly encourage you to
not only consider this option, but to take the steps needed to build up our community. If
we can’t engage students on campus, then why should we hesitate to engage them online?
Bibliography:
Community College Survey of Student Engagement. "Making Connections: Dimensions of Student Engagement", 2009
Marklein, Mary Beth. "Social networks could help community college students" USA TODAY 16 November 2009
time of building relationships—a time, of becoming part of something bigger. While
community colleges contribute greatly to the local community, they often come up short
when it comes to building a strong college community, compared to most four year
schools. While BCC certainly has done well so far with this issue, it is certainly far from
solved. While this might seem like a minor social issue, the concern is not nearly that
simple. USA TODAY reports: “Studies show that the more engaged students are in such
activities and relationships, the more likely they are to learn.” (Marklein) With concern for both community and education, this situation deserves further exploration.
The nature of this problem is not simple and is caused by numerous factors. While
there are many aspects to this predicament, there are two primary facets which should be
noted. The first cause of this problem is the issue of commuting. To be clear, in
general, commuting is a great opportunity to keep prices down while at college. While all
students must commute at BCC, this does cause a hindrance when it comes to engaging
students. If students must drive to and from their classes, their time spent on campus will
be minimum. Unfortunately, this problem challenges most community colleges. Studies
have shown that “75% of full-time students and 87% of part-time students report that they
spent zero hours in a typical seven-day week participating in college-sponsored
extracurricular activities.” (Community College Survey) If engagement is difficult for anyone, it is certainly difficult for college students who commute.
A second reason why BCC students may not be well engaged is that they aren’t
full time students. The Community College Survey of Student Engagement stated that
“The phenomenon of part-timeness stands as one of the greatest challenges community
colleges face in creating strong connections with students. Close to two-thirds of
community college students attend college part-time”(Community College Survey). When students only take a couple classes, they are often less invested in their college life. Often, this is accentuated by the convenience of online classes for part-time students. The nature of community college makes it quite accessible to people who are too busy to take more than a couple courses at a time. The consequence of this, is that a significant amount of students either aren’t able or interested in giving more of their time.
While this obstacles are not easily conquered, BCC has taken great steps engage
students, despite the odds. I would suggest, however, a proposition which may make the
school more effective in its efforts. The previously mentioned USA Today report went on to say that the use of social media—such as Facebook—can help community college students become more engaged(Marklein). While social media have been used by some degree by BCC, I believe that these assets can be used even more so to increase engagement. Firstly, BCC has over a dozen clubs, yet only a few are online. Getting all clubs online—even if it is simply by creating a Facebook group—would be a simple, yet effective step forward. While it may be difficult to engage students on-campus, there is still the option to engage them online. Once all clubs are on the web, their events, meetings and general information can be both provided and advertised. Not only will this allow students to become more engaged online, but online engagement always has the potential to result in on-campus interaction. While in-person relations are valuable, there is strong reason to believe that virtual engagement can strength the community.
The cost of such a project would be quite minimal. Financially, there would be
nothing to pay to put more information online, especially if it were done via a social
medium. When it comes to update and overseeing this process, it would make most sense
to have a member of the club help out voluntarily. This would cost some time, however,
it would be unlikely to amount to anything significant. Thus the expense of change
would be virtually non-existent while the benefits, as we have seen, could certainly be
worth while.
With all this being said, I believe the facts are clear. Keeping students engaged is
an important responsibility which is more challenging than normal for community
colleges. While there is no magical solution to this issue, the internet and social media
can act as powerful assets. With the cost being so minimal, I strongly encourage you to
not only consider this option, but to take the steps needed to build up our community. If
we can’t engage students on campus, then why should we hesitate to engage them online?
Bibliography:
Community College Survey of Student Engagement. "Making Connections: Dimensions of Student Engagement", 2009
Marklein, Mary Beth. "Social networks could help community college students" USA TODAY 16 November 2009
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