In active use, children understand the relationship between real ideas and what is being represented on the screen. Constructing relationships between pictures and concrete objects helps children establish meaning. In order to promote effective computer learning, parents should monitor the quality of the software children use, the amount of time children work with it, and the way in which they use it. Technology can take different forms, as in calculators, telephones, and tape recorders. It provides different, useful things in a variety of ways.
Technology has rules that control how it works.
Computer programs require different ways of organizing thinking. Some will ask you to match and rhyme, others will give you the freedom to draw or paint whatever you wish. Some parents express concerns about the role of technology in children's lives, such as how it will affect children's attention to social relationships and other activities. Appropriate computer programs promote dialog between children, as well as group problem-solving. They also offer opportunities for shared experiences between parents and children.