About Us

We are a group of students at American University who are attempting to document how technology has come to influence our culture. Every day we use our cell phones, MP3 players, and computers without even realizing how they may be affecting us. We hope to encourage others to participate in the observation of technology in our everyday lives. This project was inspired by Caleb Crain's article in the New Yorker; Surveillance Society.

Tuesday, December 5, 2006

"Can I call you back? I'm in class."

Every professor has a different way of reaction to cell phones going off in class.

Today in my introductory psychology class, Psych as a Natural Science, a cell phone went off. The ringtone seemed to be a Christmas song. Because the girl was unable to turn her ringer off quickly enough, the professor walked over to her and asked for her phone. However, the person who had called hung up before she was able to answer it. Unable to figure out how to find the number of the person who called, she handed the phone back to the student. It began to ring again. The professor took it from the girl, answered it, and said: "Hello. How are you? Lorraine is busy. She is expanding her IQ right now. Bye!" and hung up.

However, not all professors stay so calm. Attached here is a video from YouTube that depicts one professor's reaction to a phone going off in class, and the student's reaction to it.

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