Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 14, No. 50.
Centre for Computing in the Humanities, King's College London
<http://www.princeton.edu/~mccarty/humanist/>
<http://www.kcl.ac.uk/humanities/cch/humanist/>
Date: Fri, 02 Jun 2000 20:44:18 +0100
From: Bill Kretzschmar <billk@atlas.uga.edu>
Subject: EduPage on computer games
Willard,
I thought you might be interested in the following paragraph from the
American Edupage clipping service (produced by Educause, our educational
computing org). It points out a big problem with computers in re: kids,
something I have noticed with my own boys. They sometimes do have one or
two friends watching what somebody is doing with a computer game, but the
facilities for group activities on standard PC games are weak (at least in
practice).
COMPUTERS NOT MADE FOR KIDS
A Baltimore-based study has found that computers are not child-friendly. The
study, by Context-Based Research Group, points out that young children do
not have the typing skills to make using computers an enjoyable experience
and keyboards just for children are not yet mainstream products. The study
also says computers are asocial by design, and the only time family members
are likely to gather around a computer is when something is wrong with it.
Moreover, computers are unlike video games, which tend to offer more than
one control pad.
The lack of reliable information on the Internet also was cited as a barrier
to children, who do not always have the ability to discern what is and is
not true. Titled GenWired, the study is being expanded into a one-year
project that will include purchasing decisions, product
design, and the digital divide. (Baltimore Sun, 28 May 2000)
Bill
*****
Bill Kretzschmar Professor of English and Linguistics
Dept. of English Phone: 706-542-2246
University of Georgia Fax: 706-583-0027
Athens, GA 30602-6205 Atlas Web Site: us.english.uga.edu
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