Toddlers and Young Adolscents Learning to Use Computers
Cameroon, while it is a very small country, has joined the ranks of those who believe in educating their young people in the use of computers. A recent 2 day seminar which hosted school officials from 10 of Cameroon’s provinces resulted in a decision to add communication and information technology programs to the syllabus of all of Cameroon’s nursery and primary schools.
The main reason for the drive behind this initiative is the realization that today’s children may not be sufficiently equipped to keep up with the changing computer-related technologies that they will need to be familiar with as adults. Teachers will now begin introducing to preschoolers the basic parts of a computer and by the time the child leaves primary school, he/she will be expected to have working knowledge of all of the components of a computer along with the software needed to use it effectively. Computers use a specific method of information filtration and it is hoped that children will develop that same method in their educational journey.
A lack of computers is the biggest obstacle facing the educators in the Cameroon schools. There are not nearly enough computers to facilitate effective daily learning, let alone implement a computer training program for all of the children. For this reason, until new computers can be purchased, it has been agreed on that the younger children will learn about computers through pictures and sketches, while the older children will have access to whatever computers are available. Each teacher will, however, be required to complete a computer technology training program.
Video games have been studied extensively in Scotland and the results of these studies are surprising. It has been proven that children who play video games regularly tend to perform better in school, particularly in math, than those who were restricted from video game usage.
Learning and Teaching Scotland was the group responsible for conducting this study. They involved children from 32 different schools and required them to consistently spend a certain period of time each day playing a Nintendo DS. This was not a virgin study. There was a previous one done in Dundee and the objective for this one was to see if the results from this group showed any significant changes or improvements.
Two different groups were formed at each school. One groups was not allowed any video game playing during the study. The other group was required to play a Nintendo DS for a certain period of time each day. Tests were given at the beginning and end of the study to test the progress of each student. After the final test it was discovered that the students who did not participate in video game play did improve their scores, though not nearly as much as the children who played the video games. Also, it was noted that the students who played the video games were able to finish their tests in a much faster time than those who did not, indicating that computer training in the form of videos games may have some educational value.
Computer training is now mainstream in schools and children are learning to use a personal computer at an early age. This knowledge will help them to lead productive lives as adults in a world that will be run mainly by computer generated products and services. We might even have a computer genius amongst our children.
About the Author:
John Mahoney is an expert on reviewing GPS fleet management equipments and technology. Follow these links to find best gadgets and information on: computer training and computer training Dublin