An elementary school student uses a computer in the school library
while another students looks on. The ease and facility with which
children use computers comes from the ability children have for
assimilating tools in their environment for their personal use.
(O’Brien Productions/Corbis)
a warning to this effect in their documentation. Fortu-
nately, very few children are susceptible to this condi-
tion. For those who are, however, this is potentially a
very serious situation.
There also has been some attention given to the
possible risk of exposure to electromagnetic radiation
from the computer’s monitor. Some people note that
such radiation exposure may be greatest at the back
and sides of the monitor, which may be important be-
cause computer labs in schools are often arranged in
such a way as to put a child’s head next to or directly
in front of another computer’s monitor. Once again
there is insufficient proof that this is a real threat. Ac-
cording to the Occupational Safety and Health Ad-
ministration, the risk of exposure to electromagnetic
radiation is very low when the user is positioned cor-
rectly in relationship to the monitor.
Some people caution that there may be a link be-
tween computer use and obesity in children. This
opinion is often based on studies that find links be-
tween television viewing, reduced activity, and child-
hood obesity. It is not clear, however, that sedentary
activities cause obesity. It may be that children who
are sedentary and therefore at a greater risk of obesity
may choose sedentary activities such as television
viewing and computer use over more physical activi-
ties.
Some studies show that there is a correlation be-
tween a child’s preference for violent video games
and measures of aggression. This is an area that will
receive more attention as realism and violence levels
in video games continue to increase.Possible Positive Effects of Computer Use
As with studies that reveal potential risks of using
computers, many studies that show potential benefits
from the use of computers are correlational and can-
not demonstrate cause and effect. Others are compli-
cated by having factors other than computer use as
potentially being partially responsible for the find-
ings.
There seems to be a correlation between the pres-
ence of a computer in a child’s home and achieve-
ment in school. This evidence is still not strong
enough to state categorically that having a computer
makes children smarter. Computer use by children
can result in gains on a number of developmental
stages. For instance appropriate computer use can be
related to improvements in nonverbal skills, long-
term memory, mathematical skills, language skills,
and problem-solving skills. It should be noted that
computer use alone does not ensure gains in any of
these areas.Developmentally Appropriate Uses of
Computers
Children under the age of three are, in most
cases, not developmentally ready to begin using com-
puters. While some software has been developed for
children at very early ages, it is believed by many that
the use of such software does not tap into the child’s
innate desire to experience things through kinesthet-
ic or whole-body exploration. While use of computers
by children at very early ages may not be harmful, the
benefits of such use seem to be small. There are those,
however, who believe that early computer use with a
parent or other adult can be a bonding experience.
At about three to five years of age children are de-
velopmentally ready to explore computers. At this
young age, it is best for children to be given the op-96 COMPUTERS