Good article. Computers for children is not just about giving a child a laptop. What are they learning? How can they be better? How can they contribute?
I left corporate eLearning management nearly six years ago to pursue a doctorate in educational technology and return to K12 teaching. I felt strongly that the coming wave of technology would mandate a change in teaching. First of all, I knew what would come to be expected in the future workplace because I was already there. Seven years with IBM and AT&T Network Services led me to believe that the constant multitasking associated with my job had changed my brain. I couldn’t prove an actual physical change at the time. At the very least, I know it changed the way I think and approach problem solving and work.
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On a very practical level, everyone should know the basics of how a computer works. At the very least, this helps you to better describe a problem when you are trying to get help for your computer from some more knowledgable, impatient techie. (I know, I used to be one.)
But that is just one advantage. When your child understands how the hardware works, he or she understands the limitation or problems with software and can fix problems. He or she is a better consumer when your family needs to upgrade parts or buy software. Understanding the hardware can even expand your child possibilities for interesting and lucrative summer jobs or businesses.
What They Need To Know. The basic parts of a computer (monitor, tower, keyboard, mouse, etc.), the basic systems of a computer (memory, processor, power, etc.), how the basic systems work together.
