Off-campus Eastern Washington University users: To download EWU Only theses, please use the following link to log into our proxy server with your EWU NetID and password.

Non-EWU users: Please talk to your local librarian about requesting this thesis through Interlibrary loan.

Date of Award

2013

Rights

Access perpetually restricted to EWU users with an active EWU NetID

Document Type

Thesis: EWU Only

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS) in Communication Studies

Department

Communication Studies

First Advisor

Gary Krug

Second Advisor

Helen Bergland

Third Advisor

Martin Meraz-Garcia

Abstract

"Today new technologies connect our world more than ever. As an embrace of cultural differences and an ongoing reevaluation of how we share our lives with one another, new communication is reinventing our society. Younger generations thrive in a vast digital landscape, older generations wade through conflicts of ritual belief, and we have all seen an overabundance of communicative systems to manage. In our society, cell phones are becoming the primary form of communication for young people. Building a dialogue surrounding new media systems will enhance our observation as the cell phone changes from a practical device to a ritual part of our lives. As children practice new forms of communication made available by cell phones, they are learning how simultaneously to develop and maintain interpersonal relationships face-to-face and online. New media devices are becoming more and more appealing to children. Educators and parents' understanding of their children's uses and comprehension of cell phones lags behind the children's practices. This study helps further the discussion about what we assume children think of, and what children actually say, about texting on cell phones as a method of communicating"--Document.

Comments

Typescript. Vita.

Download
Off-Campus Download

Share

COinS