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Computers & childrens' education
There are many good reasons for integrating computers into your child's education. The first reason is pretty straightforward, computer literacy. No matter what your children will do in life, including going to school, they will be using a computer to write, enter data, collect information or process transactions. The development of a natural facility to use a mouse and keyboard, to locate and store files, and to get a document printed will be essential job skills for our kids. Almost all educational programs will help out with some aspect of computer skills.
A second benefit of educational software is that it can be paced to the child's ability to learn. As a program becomes familiar, it can often be played at a more challenging level. Spelling programs have harder words, math programs have bigger numbers and problem solving problems have more difficult clues. Computers are non-judgmental so there is no risk in making a mistake.
Third, computers provide instant and consistent feedback. This is how flash cards work. If you come up with a wrong answer you find out about it right away. Your brain corrects its mistake at the time it made it rather than later. Unlike flash cards, educational software can provide this feedback in a much richer, more complex, environment.
Fourth, computer software can adapt to a child's strengths and weaknesses. Many programs will monitor responses and adapt program flow as appropriate. There is, of course a debate on what is appropriate. Some developers like to build programs that build on strengths to encourage users to keep on going. Others believe that one should identify errors and continually review until the problems go away. The personality of your child will determine which approach is best.
Fifth, each child has a learning style as demonstrated by Howard Gardner's work at Harvard. Gardner identified seven styles: linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal and intrapersonal. Most styles will co-exist in every child but some can be predominant and others quite weak. Try as they might, it is unlikely that teachers in a classroom setting will be able to adjust a lesson to suit the student. Software can be more accommodating. Some kids can learn a language by first learning rules of grammar, others have to hear it spoken before they will pick up anything. Multi-media language packages can do both.
Sixth, a computer can provide vast resources at a very low price. Decades ago, if you wanted to help out with your child's education, you might have bought an encyclopedia. Now, most multi-media computers come with a CD-ROM encyclopedia thrown in for free. Entire libraries of classics can be bought for as little as $20. At no time in history has so much information been made available to so many at so small a cost.
Finally, educational software can be fun. Few children will sit down to read a geography book much less an almanac. However, they will sit down with their friends for a game of Carmen Sandiego.
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