What Role Do Mobile Phones Play in Society? Discuss the Influence of Technology on Everyday Life: Relationships, Social Movements and Education.
The amount of use of mobile phones in modern society has grown to an enormous scale. They have been accepted into everyday life and have become a way of life, not only for instant communication but now days, mobiles are integrated into everyday life with email, photography, playing music and also a form of security for people. Mobile phones have changed global cultures, especially for the younger demographic as contact with friends is instant and easily accessible. This essay aims to explore the extreme acceptance and impact that mobile phones have to gain a better understanding of the effects on the world today whether positive or negative.
It is now a norm to see mobile phones in educational and learning environments such as the school ground. Once an isolated learning environment, now a constant connection to outside distractions and interruptions. A survey of 1,000 young people aged 11–15 years found that 90% had their own mobile phone (Kendall 2001). Of those young people owning a phone; the majority (73 percent) had their mobile phones on during the class and a further 13 percent said that they had received a call or message since the class had begun. This shows the change from a student who should be focusing and learning, that is now distracted and socializing. We must ask ourselves, what quality of education are the youth getting? Along with education, work and leisure time have been radically impacted by the introduction of mobile phones. Usually these two lifestyles, work and private family life, were distinctly separated although the mobile phone has changed these limitations making it extremely permeable. The usage of mobile phones may be altering, in a profound way, the structure of leisure time. It has changed the idea of ‘killing’ time when you would read a newspaper, book or magazine. Now, killing time can be more productive by communicating with someone, planning things or even checking emails (Fortunati, 2002). Also, work life can now be taken
It is now a norm to see mobile phones in educational and learning environments such as the school ground. Once an isolated learning environment, now a constant connection to outside distractions and interruptions. A survey of 1,000 young people aged 11–15 years found that 90% had their own mobile phone (Kendall 2001). Of those young people owning a phone; the majority (73 percent) had their mobile phones on during the class and a further 13 percent said that they had received a call or message since the class had begun. This shows the change from a student who should be focusing and learning, that is now distracted and socializing. We must ask ourselves, what quality of education are the youth getting? Along with education, work and leisure time have been radically impacted by the introduction of mobile phones. Usually these two lifestyles, work and private family life, were distinctly separated although the mobile phone has changed these limitations making it extremely permeable. The usage of mobile phones may be altering, in a profound way, the structure of leisure time. It has changed the idea of ‘killing’ time when you would read a newspaper, book or magazine. Now, killing time can be more productive by communicating with someone, planning things or even checking emails (Fortunati, 2002). Also, work life can now be taken
References: Beaton, J., Wajcman, J. (2004) The Impact of Mobile Telephones in Australia. Social Science Research Opportunities, viewed March 26 2009, Daily Telegraph, Sydney. (2004). It 's the biggest little thing - Mobile phone impact to be revealed. viewed March, 19, 2009 from http://ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=anh&AN=200409231024941719&site=ehost-live&scope=site Fortunati L. (2002), ‘Italy: stereotypes, true and false’, In: J. E. Katz and M.A. Aakhus (Eds.), Perpetual contact, New York: Cambridge University Press. Kendall, P. (2001) A mobile generation: huge majority have their own phone, survey reveals. Daily Mail 29 June 7. Love, S (2005) The Mobile Connection: The Cell Phone 's Impact on Society. International Journal of Technology and Human Interaction ,1.4, p101.