For their final project, second semester Northern Virginia Community College Composition students (ENG 112) work in groups to create presentations that introduce, analyze, and draw a conclusion about a significant American cultural artifact, (a trend, a celebrity, or anything that significantly impacts American culture). Students work together to build a persuasive argument using a combination of text, multimedia, and visual design. Students develop a claim about the negative or positive impact of the artifact on the demographic of American culture it affects. Alternatively, students may discuss what the artifact says about our culture. These students are asked to explore a cultural artifact and determine its significance and/or role in our society. Students are encouraged to present their findings using any media they wish to implement.

1. Skydiving Dragons
- Monica Noncheva
- Alex Wheeler
- Patrick Martin
SMARTPHONE’S
EFFECT ON CULTURE

2. SMARTPHONE’S
EFFECT ON CULTURE

3. INTRODUCTION: THE CLAIM
 The modern and all-encompassing artifact, known as a
smartphone, plays a powerful role in our culture, through
digital interaction, accessibility, and global connectivity.
 Who uses it?
 Children – Adults
 Plumbers – World Leaders
 The entire globe as we know it…
 How does it work?
 It is a mini computer that works through satellites and
telephone towers, as well as local Wi-Fi connections.
 This artifact is used to, connect with the internet, friends,
family, email, home computers, or calling for pizza. The
interactions are endless.

4. SMARTPHONE’S
EFFECT ON CULTURE

5. HISTORY: STEPPING-PHONES
 1909, Nikola Telsa claims “…people would
have… wireless messaging systems relying on
handheld portable devices.”
 1984 Copenhagen, Denmark talks of adding
a mobile messaging service to GSM(Global
System for Mobile Communications)
 1985 Movement toward the SMS(Short
Message Service) system we are familiar with
today.
 1991 First GSM call made by former Finnish
Prime Minster Harri Holkeri
 1992 First SMS message sent by “Neil
Papworth… 22 year old British engineer…”

6. SMARTPHONE’S
EFFECT ON CULTURE

7. CALLING & TEXTING: *BZZZ*
 Social Relationships
 Near and Abroad
 Substitution of…
 Home Phones
 Email
 The Dreaded Wires
 New Laws/Rules
 Driving
 Turning ‘off’ in Class

8. SMARTPHONE’S
EFFECT ON CULTURE

9. PICTURES & MEDIA: #SELFIE
Photo Credit: Bill Welch

10. SMARTPHONE’S
EFFECT ON CULTURE

11. INTERNET & INFORMATION: “HAIL GOOGLE!”
New form of deliberation, makes way
for instant gratification…
 “Ask Google”
 “Check Wikipedia”
 “Yahoo Answers”

12. SMARTPHONE’S
EFFECT ON CULTURE

13. SOCIAL NEXTWORKING: *UPDATING STATUS*
Facebook
Twitter
Reddit
Pinterest
Dating Websites

14. PERSONAL TAKE ON RESEARCH

15. PERSONAL INFO
 Monica
 Junior
 Degree of Information Technology
 Alex
 Sophomore
 Degree of Computer Science
 Patrick
 Senior
 Degree of Political Science

16. WORK CITED
 Arthur, Charles. “Smartphones Will Replace the Personal
Computer.” Smartphones. Ed.Roman Espejo. Detroit:
GreenHaven Press, 2013. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. From
“How the Smartphone is Killing the PC.” Guardian 5 June
2011. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web 26 Apr. 2015
 Cano, Esteban Vázquez. "Mobile learning with Twitter to
improve linguistic competence at secondary schools." New
Educational Review 29.3 (2012): 134-147.
 Coustan, Dave, Jonathan Strickland and John Perritano.
“How Smartphones Work” 09 April 2001.
HowStuffWorks.com.
<http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/smartphone.htm> 26
April 2015.
 "Don't Play Victim to Your Smartphone." CNN. Ed. Brian
Chen. Cable News Network, 18 Aug. 2011. Web. 26 April
2015.
 Magunje, Caroline, and Cheryl Brown. "From Cellphone To
Computer: University Students'Use Of Technology In First Year."
Proceedings Of The International Conference On E-Learning
(2013): 496-501. Education Research Complete. Web. 26 Apr.
2015.
 “Smartphone.” Encyclopaedia Britannica. Encyclopaedia
Britannica Online Academic Edition. Encyclopaedia Britannica
Inc., 2015. Web 26 Apr. 2015.
<http://academic.eb.com/Ebchecked/topic/1498102/smartph
one>.
 Smith Gerry. “The Disadvantaged and Minorities Use
Smartphones for Internet Access.” Smartphones. Ed. Roman
Espejo. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2013. Opposing Viewpoints.
Rpt. From “Smartphones Bring Hope, Frustration as Substitute for
Computers.” Huffington Post. 2012. Opposing Viewpoints in
Context. Web. 23 Apr. 2015
 “Texting at 20 (Special Report).” World News Digest. Infobase
Learning, Dec. 2012. Web 26 Apr. 2015.
http://wnd.infobaselearning.com/ezproxy.vccs.edu:2048/recor
durl.aspx?wid=98275&nid=484673&umbtype=0

17. QUESTIONS?