And the Department of Education's Web site should facilitate the sharing of teacher-recommended approaches for using computers. Use at Home Seventy percent of American homes with children ages 2 to 17 have computers, and most of them are wired to the Internet. Like films, radio and television before it, computer technology brings with it great promise for social and educational benefits, but it also raises great concerns about its effect on children, especially those children who appear to spend an inordinate amount of time using the technology. According to the journal, the amount of time children spend on line may come at the expense of other healthy activities, such as outdoor play and social interaction. The analyses in this issue of the Future of Children make it painfully clear that very little is known about the effects of home computer use on children's physical, cognitive and social development.
Limited research exists on the physical and emotional effects of computers on children.
And there is also limited research on the positive potential of computers and any links to better academic performance. And children also need to learn when it is time to log off because some other activity or approach would be better. The Future of Children is published twice a year by The David and Lucile Packard Foundation. The primary purpose of the journal is to disseminate timely information on major issues related to children's well-being, with special emphasis on providing objective analysis and evaluation, translating existing knowledge into effective programs and policies, and promoting constructive change. The Foundation makes grants at the national and international level, and also has a special focus on the Northern California counties of San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, and Monterey.