Children's Home Computer Use: An Opportunity for Parent/Teacher Collaboration

Abstract

Home computer use provides an excellent opportunity for teachers and parents to collaborate on children's learning. Children's home computer use is growing rapidly for several reasons. First, computers are becoming much more affordable. Second, many computer businesses are providing rental options, which provides families the opportunity to see how a computer would be utilized in their home and/or purchase a computer using monthly payments. Still other families are accessing computers at local libraries and community centers. In homes with computers, 70% of parents purchase software for their children (SPA, 1996). O'Neil (1995) concludes that "many students may have even greater access at home than they do at school... the home market for educational software is exploding (p. 9). This exploding home market means there is a wealth of software available for families to purchase. Yet, all these choices are overwhelming to some parents and leave others questioning how their software dollars can best be spent. Families also begin questioning how their children should be spending their computer time. Parents quickly discover children are intrinsically motivated to explore computers and make them work (Ginsa, Murphy, Thouvenelle, & Wright, 1994). With guidance from teachers, families can capitalize on children's high motivation, maximizing learning from computer interactions. As teachers communicate with families regarding children's home computer use, five areas emerge as particularly important: software selection, computer time, the Internet, family interaction, and supervision. Frequently asked questions, common concerns and suggestions for families and parents are reviewed for each of these areas. Thus, teachers are provided a sound framework for effectively collaborating with families on children's home computer use. SOFTWARE SELECTION