KidSmart- GUIDE TO EARLY LEARNING AND TECHNOLOGY

Talking to children about what they are doing when they play with the computer helps parents keep track of what their kids are learning and thinking.

Marta: Do you ever wonder what your kids are getting out of these computer games whether they’re learning anything? What the box tells you they’re learning and what they’re actually doing may be totally different.

Carol: And you don’t know that unless you ask them what they’re doing. One time I thought a game was about answering math questions and trying to get the "right" answer. My son thought it was more fun to see how many "wrong" answer sounds he could make. He could not care less about the math problem. When I asked him if he really knew the math answers, he did. He was just having more fun the other way.

Rose: Yeah, and another way to check out what kids are learning is when they’re not even at the computer. Like my son likes to set the table. I can tell he knows his numbers because he counts out the number of forks and plates that he thinks we need, and then he sets everyone a place at the table.

Follow Up

• Ask children what they are playing when they’re at the computer — what you think they are doing and what they think they are doing may be different. Only by asking questions will you know if children are playing incorrectly on purpose — maybe it’s funnier to them that way — or if they simply don’t understand.

• Ask children to explain the directions of a game in their own words. This is a good way to know what they think is expected of them.

• Look for opportunities away from the computer to check on what children have learned. For example, if they’ve been playing with a game that uses a lot of shapes, ask them to name structures as you come upon them during a walk. They may be able to identify a door as a rectangle and a clock as a circle.

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Creative play allows children to determine the rules of their games, to invent their own action and to express their own feelings and insights. Computers can present children with good opportunities for creative play.

Carol: One of the main reasons we got a home computer was to get our daughter ready for school. We’d been hearing about a lot of different software programs — how she could learn letters and numbers with quizzes and activities. But then we discovered that it’s a great way for her to use her imagination.

Rose: Yeah, I thought the same thing. One of my son’s favorite things is making up a story with pictures. He also likes to make greeting cards when it’s somebody’s birthday. Computers are amazing that way. Even though my daughter can’t write yet, she can tell the story in her own voice. I think kids learn more making up their own stories than playing one of those quiz games.

Follow Up

• Experiment with games and computer activities that allow children to express themselves creatively, like drawing and storytelling software.

• Check to see if you can set software to "exploratory mode" rather than "game mode," allowing children to explore rather than have to learn the rules of the game.

• Suggest ways for children to make cards and pictures they can give to other people, like grandparents and friends who are having birthdays.

• Help children continue to create once the computer is turned off, either starting from something they began on the computer — an outline of a picture they’ve made and printed and that they may color with crayons or add to with glitter and pipe cleaners — or that has nothing to do with the computer. Constructing forts and other buildings with old blankets and chairs and making up imaginative "Once upon a time" tales are example of creative play.

Computer games that can be played at increasing levels of complexity can continue to challenge children as they develop. Children can set their own pace as they progress to new learning opportunities within the same familiar game. Carol: My daughter likes doing everything her older brother does. This was a problem when it came to the computer until we learned that some of the preschool games let you set levels. Now we use a higher level for him — one that has more complicated rule and a lower level for her so she doesn't get confused.

Marta: That's sort of like this program we have. My daughter breezed through the color activity…but at the same level, the one about shapes was too hard. So then I started her at a lower level and she can do it. I think she knew the shapes but didn’t know what they were called.

Rob: Yeah, that’s what’s nice about some software. You can set the level at the beginning and then it can get more and more challenging as you play. Sometimes, though, just because my son has played one level doesn’t mean that he wants to move on to the next one right away. He’d rather keep having fun on the level he’s mastered for awhile.

Follow Up

• Check to see if the software you have allows you to set the level of difficulty. Lower levels may avoid frustration for younger players, especially when they are first getting to know a game or piece of software.

• Look for opportunities to select skill levels in non-computer activities. For example, consider how to simplify rules in card and board games so younger children can participate without getting bogged down in intricate codes.

With help from adults, computers allow children to collaborate, to help one another, to teach one anaother, and to learn from one another.

Ruben: In our house, there are five of us and only one computer. Needless to say, we’re all working on how to share and stay patient. With the youngest, I’m not always able to sit with her at the computer and show her what to do. So I’ve been trying to get my older kids to know that helping their younger sister is something that they can do, too.

Rob: Oh, we’ve been working on that one… but the big sisters usually end up taking over rather than helping. They end up babying their brother and calling all the shots. We’ve started to talk about the difference between helping somebody do something and doing it for them.

Ruben: Yeah, we had a breakthrough on that front when I realized I needed to teach the older kids how to help. I gave them some specific suggestions, like "Let your sister control the mouse" and "Show her what to do by pointing at the screen." It’s working out pretty well, but sometimes she’d prefer that her mom or I would help her, and that’s okay.

Follow Up

• Encourage older siblings and friends to help younger computer users.

• Explain how helping younger children do something is not the same as doing it for them.

• Offer suggestions, such as "Point to the screen to show what you are talking about," "Let your little brother move the mouse," and "Ask your younger sister what she’d like to learn how to do," in order to teach older children how to assist others.

• Look for non-computer activities that give older children opportunities to assist younger siblings, like learning how to set the table — first you have to count how many people will be eating, then you have to put out the same number of plates, forks, and other items — or doing other household chores.

Computers allow children to make autonomous decisions and to express their growing sense of identity through their choices and preferences.

Rose: I’ve noticed that my twins are into playing games that let them make a lot of choices. Often the decisions that they make are very simple like which character they are going to be which colors they want to paint with, or even which game they are going to play next. Even with these easy decisions, they like the feeling that they’re in control.

Rob: Yeah, but some activities aren’t about choice at all but about pushing what’s right and wrong and forcing kids into doing something one way. Last week, my son was playing a game about animal habitats. Instead of putting the lion in the jungle, he wanted the lion to live on a farm. Sometimes, the fun is do something that you know isn’t right. My son cracked up when he saw the lion standing near a goose and some sheep.

Ruben: We have a similar game. What I try to do is follow whatever decision my daughter makes and ask her questions about it. With something like the lion, I’d ask, "Where would a lion sleep on a farm? That way, we get to talk about her choice and it’s up to her whether she wants to stick with it or change it.

Follow Up

• Create opportunities for young children to make decisions — even simple ones like choosing a character, finding a background for a picture, or selecting a game.

• Ask children follow-up questions about the choices they have made — sometimes you’ll be surprised to find out why they have a preference for one thing over another.

• Look for opportunities away from the computer that allow children to make decisions. For example, letting them pick which of three shirts they will wear to the park or what stuffed animal they will sleep with during nap time helps children develop a sense of independence.

Computer programs give children an opportunity to learn deeply by patiently playing the same game over and over, with undiminished enthusiasm, until the children are ready to move on to a more complex level.

Rose: I read the other day about why kids do the same thing over and over again. They could be working out something that is emotional… or maybe they don’t know that there is another way to play, or they are trying to master a new skill. The article said that repetition can be worthwhile because that's how a child absorbs something.

Marta: I’ve heard something similar, but the tricky part is knowing how much I should let my son repeat something. When it comes to his favorite activity on the computer, he'd play it nonstop if I let him. I worry that this is a waste of time. Maybe I should help him move on to something else other than making the same picture over and over.

Rose: That's why I think it’s helpful to pay attention to how much fun the kids are having when they're doing something. If I see that they are really enjoying themselves then I let them continue — even though listening to the same song in a game can make me crazy. But when it starts to feel that their playing is becoming mechanical — that they're doing something just because they've done it before then I try to suggest another game.

Follow Up

• Don’t worry if a child takes pleasure from doing a computer activity repeatedly — this is one way to build mastery.

• If a child seems to be bored while doing the same computer activity over and over again, try suggesting something new, like a different game or level. Sometimes children do not know there are other activities that they can play until you tell them

.• Look for non-computer activities that allow children to feel like they’ve mastered something, like feeding a pet or watering plants.

Ruben: One of the challenges I’ve faced is knowing when to help my daughter with a problem. If I immediately jump in and show her how to do something she doesn’t learn how to do it on her own. On the other hand, if I sit back and let her get too frustrated, she gives up. I’ve found that it’s important to let her mess around for awhile.

Marta: Yeah, messing around is good… but sometimes it can get too messy, or even dangerous. One time, my son changed his mind about wanting to print a picture he’d made. His solution was to pull the printer plug out of the socket. This made the printing stop… but, as you can imagine, it scared me to have him near the socket. Afterward we talked about why unplugging is off-limits and thought up things he could do instead.

Rob: What I’ve discovered is that I don’t need to teach all of the time. When we get a new game, we sit together at the computer and I let my son move the mouse. I show him what all the buttons are and I let him click around. You’d be amazed at how well kids can understand. Instead of correcting him, I ask questions like, "what are you trying to do?" He really can figure it out on his own after awhile. I used to think my job was to teach him, but now I think it’s to help him learn on his own.

Follow Up

• Let children explore on their own, trying to solve problems without your help.

• When trying something new, ask children questions like "What are you trying to do?" and "What do you think will happen next?" to encourage them to think about the next steps.

• Look for non-computer activities that allow children to hone their problem-solving skills. For example, play guessing games like "I Spy" and "Twenty Questions" in the car or the bus, gives you a chance to help children think about what they’ve already asked and eliminate guesses.