
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, April 26, 1995                   TAG: 9504260114
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

WASTELAND II?

AT LEAST the kid is playing around on the computer and isn't glued to the boob tube. She has to be learning something, right?

What little Suzy or Sam might be learning, though, are some of the same limitations children pick up when spending too much of their play time watching TV: passivity, social isolation, lack of creativity. That is the unfortunate news from The Wall Street Journal, which talked to educational experts about just how useful educational software is.

A lot of it, it seems, is not all that educational. While some programs that rely on simple drills can help children who need remedial work, parents should be aware that many programs hold children's interest with game techniques that are both addictive and less than ideal as educational tools.

Many - though not all - rely on drilling and rote memorization, doing nothing to help children learn how to reason or communicate. There are plenty of snazzy graphics, but they are created by the computer, not the child.

They are great, however, for keeping the kids occupied while parents are busy with domestic chores. Just like TV. And just like TV, the time devoted to them should be limited, the educational experts say.

Limited, not eliminated. Even the least creative program will help a child learn computer skills, if nothing else, and that is important. Youngsters today need to become proficient on computers. So they can help out the grown-ups.

by CNB