Can't remember doing business before e-mail? No idea how you stayed in touch with friends in the old pre-instant messaging days? If computers, the Internet and technology have become an integral part of your life, imagine their impact on your children - and their ability to learn.
More than 90 percent of children in nursery school through 12th grade use computers and the Internet, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Research also shows that the majority of those kids are using computers to learn - not just to play games or communicate with friends. Education and child development experts agree that with parental guidance, computers can have significant educational benefits for children.
So how can you help your child take full advantage of your home computer's educational potential?
- Don't be afraid to start them young. Introducing your toddler to the computer won't necessarily make him or her an Internet addict later in life. Toddler-friendly keyboards and computer mice can help youngsters refine motor skills. And a wide variety of child-specific software can teach them about topics that range from basic geography and math, to how to get along well with others.
- Monitor, limit and apportion time spent on the computer, especially the Internet. Make sure kids know the ground rules of how much of their computer time may be spent on fun and how much should be learning related. Always monitor children's Internet activity to ensure they are accessing the benefits - and not the dangers - of the technology.
- Use computer lessons to help them learn about other methods of communication and learning. For example, if your child enjoys getting e-mail from grandparents, introduce him to the concept of writing and mailing a letter to a loved one. Massage the musical creativity of youngsters who like to listen to or download music from the Internet by giving them a program that helps them write, record and share their own musical compositions.
- Students who find a subject particularly challenging can get extra help from a variety of software and online programs. For many, the added reinforcement of seeing a lesson on the computer screen can help open the door to better comprehension of a difficult subject.
- Capitalize on the computer's visual, graphic and literary aspects to help improve fundamental educational skills like reading. Research by Dr. Akihiro Kawamura, one of Japan's leading brain enhancement researchers, indicates that a "whole brain" approach to learning, which allows the brain to absorb information quickly, is the key to learning to process information, including the written word, faster and more efficiently.
,br>Kawamura's research is the basis for eyeQ, an interactive software program that helps improve reading ability. Through 12 seven-minute sessions that emphasize exercising the eye muscles and improving the eye-brain connection, eyeQ helps readers develop conceptual skills. The program tracks users' progress and offers levels appropriate for children and teens. On average, eyeQ users improve their reading speed two to 10 times. Short sessions, bright graphics and text from popular literature make the program appealing to children.
To learn more about eyeQ, visit www.eyeQ.tv.
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