Facts About College Students' Cell Phone Use
College students make an average of 11 calls a day from their cell phones, according to a Virginia Tech survey. Cell phone use can be both beneficial and harmful to the education and safety of college students.
Effects
According to a University of Michigan study, cell phones are a serious source of distraction in college classes and a potential source of cheating.
Significance
A study from Staffordshire University in England found that 36 percent of college students can't get by without their cell phones and that they view them as a necessity, like a car.
Risks
College students are more apt to take risks with their safety when using a cell phone, according to a study appearing in the "International Journal of Urban and Regional Research." Cell phones can create a false sense of security, leading college students, especially women, to walk with them in dark, dangerous places where they normally would not.
Benefits
College students can use cell phones to download, access and read course materials, according to a University of North Florida study. Today's cell phones have the computing power of a mid-1990s personal computer.
Potential
Some colleges, like Danville Area Community College in Danville, Illinois, have implemented emergency text-messaging systems to alert students to on-campus emergencies, as well as class cancellations due to weather.
Tags: cell phones, Cell Phone, College students, college students, Students Cell
