Computers and Children

Recently, I've come upon two reports concerning children using computers. One report was on a local TV channel, which featured a childcare center receiving computers with the help of a state representative. The pitch was that the center needed computers that would allow children to go on line for learning.

I still have mixed feelings about children using computers on line outside the home since we still haven't mastered how to keep children safe on line. When I say safe on line, I mean from the standpoint of parents being more involved in the process beyond software and Web site blocks on computers. I keep thinking that parents need to instill in their children a stronger sense of boundaries, i.e., in speech (what type of speech is never OK for children), personal space (who to allow in personal space as well as being mindful of other people's personal space), age-appropriateness behavior (what behavior is OK for particular age level), and other boundaries. Kids Safe Programs at school may reach children on the intellectual level, but I think not on the personal or emotional level. The home setting is best to reach children about safety on the personal and emotional level. Well, what about children in homes without parental guidance? Perhaps that falls withing the category of child endangerment.

In the report concerning a childcare center having computers for children, I also had reservations about the extent of computer use fby pre-school children. I believe pre-schoolers should have minimal use of computers. My reasoning is that children at that age need to develop full-range motor skill with their hands and using computers doesn't provide that practice. Additionally, computer use currently--Nintendo Wii notwithstanding--often encourages a sedentary lifestyle. And I think researchers are linking some of childhood obesity to sedentary posture and computer use.

The other computer use report I saw was at the Christin Science Monitor on line wherein Tom Regan wrote an article titled How to Make Your Kid's Computer Time Educational and - Fun. The article references software and Web sites appropriate for children. That was fine. What I thought was interesting was that the writer, even within the article title, seems to suggest that fun should be secondary to education.

I totally disagree with fun taking a back seat to education. In fact, I think good education is inherently fun. I'm even banking future projects with children on that premise. Children are learning at exponential rates from games. As adults we're often Neanderthal in our thinking about children and learning these days. The result is that often children are bored in many school situations and are quiting school at earlier ages.

My recommendation is for schools to find people who make learning fun--credentials only indicate that educators have the knowledge and not whether the educator can impart the knowledge. Even though I'm a huge fan for using computers for learning, for now with, however, I recommend they be used sparingly in most cases.