Computers and Technology in the Academic Learning of Young ...

In today's world, computers h?v? become a familiar fixture ?n the daily lives ?f children ?nd adolescents, offering a wide range ?f learning ?nd entertainment tools.

While surveys hav? ?ndic?t?d th?t boys ar? heavier users of computer games and visit websites more ?ften than girls, no gender differences have emerged f?r chatting, us?ng e-mail, ?r do?ng schoolwork ?n the computer. Additionally, b?th teenage boys ?nd girls h?v? expressed equal confidence ?n th?ir computer skills.

On average, parents estimate th?t the?r school-age children and adolescents u?? th? computer approximately 1.5 hours ?er day. Computers, electronic games ?nd toys, ?nd technology ?n general largely influence and affect the lives of children. Technology h?? thu? proven to be largely capable of enriching th? lives ?f children, ?s?ec??ll? in the areas of academic and social learning and development.

Computers for instance, ?an hav? rich cognitive and social benefits. Children a? young as 3 years ?f age l?k? computer activities and ?r? capable ?f typing ?n simple commands ?n ? standard keyboard. Additionally, in today's classrooms, small groups often gather around th? machine, and children more ?ften collaborate while working with the computer inst??d of us?ng traditional paper ?nd pencil methods.

As ?o?n ?s children start t? bec?me literate (being ?ble to read and write), they ?an make u?? ?f the computer for word processing. This lets them write without struggling w?th handwriting, and th?y ?an revise text meanings and style, and check their spelling. As a result, children tend t? worry l?s? ?b?ut making mistakes, ?nd the?r written products end up longer ?nd of higher quality.

Specially designed computer languages introduce children to programming skills. With th? support of adults, children's efforts w?th computer programming c?n lead to improved concept formation, problem solving ?nd creativity. Furthermore, as children mu?t detect errors ?n their programs t? make th?m work, programming w?ll assist th?m in reflecting ?n th??r though processes. This will inevitably lead to gains ?n meta-cognitive knowledge ?nd self-regulation. Also, wh?l? programming, children ?r? parti?ularly likely t? collaborate, persist ?n th? face ?f challenge, and demonstrate positive attitudes t?w?rd learning. This i? consistent with Vygotsky's theory ?n showing that social interaction supporting children's mastery of challenging computer tasks ?? capable ?f fostering a wide range ?f higher cognitive processes.

Children and adolescents spend mu?h time using home computers purely for entertainment purposes. Many computer games emphasize speed and action ?n ?ometim?? violent plots wh?re children advance by shooting at ?nd evading enemies. Children additionally play m?r? complex exploratory and adventure games w?th themes ?f conquest and aggression and sports games. These include football ?nd soccer. Children likewise enjoy simulation games, f?r ?xampl? creating and caring for virtual pets (which require attention t? "stay alive"), entering virtual realities (such as an ecosystem wh?re th? player mutates plants ?nd animals ?nto n?w species), and role-playing characters.

Speed-and-action computer games cultivate attentional and spatial skills in b?th boys ?nd girls. However, wh?le offering opportunities for learning, extensive playing ?f simulation games might risk blurring the distinction between virtual ?nd real life.

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