Computer
Corner Computer Corner attempts to refurbish old computers and donate them to Highland Park children who do not have access to this technology. Despite its dark reputation as a haven for porn-peddling pedophiles, the Internet may actually be good for kids -- very good, in fact, claim researchers with a National Science Foundation-sponsored project at Michigan State University (MSU). Not only does Internet use have no negative effect on users' social involvement or psychological well being, it increases children's grade-point averages and standardized test scores, says MSU psychology professor Linda Jackson, the principal investigator on a recently completed three-year study aptly called HomeNetToo. "We found no evidence that using the Internet at home reduces social contacts or undermines communication with family or friends," said Jackson. "Adult participants who used the Internet more were no more likely to communicate less with family and friends, participate in social groups, become depressed or to experience hassles or stress due to time conflicts than those who used it less or not at all." Surprisingly, however, children -- not adults -- may experience the biggest net gains from Internet interactions, Jackson explained. "HomeNetToo children who spent more time online using the Web performed better in school after one year than those who spent less time online," Jackson told NewsFactor. "It appears that the text-based nature of most Web pages is causing children to read more, resulting in improvements in grade-point averages and performance on standardized tests of reading achievement."
All in the Presentation Interface design may also affect learning. The researchers examined how the design of Web pages makes it easier or more difficult to understand and remember content. Their study focused on health information -- in particular on content about high-blood pressure, a serious problem in one study cohort -- the African American community. Working with MSU's Media Interface and Networking Design (MIND) laboratory, the research team created interfaces adapted to users' preferred mode of information processing and used experiments to examine whether learning information about high blood pressure was easier with user-adapted interfaces or standard "magazine-style" Web page interfaces. "Culturally adapted interfaces resulted in more favorable attitudes than the typical magazine-style interface," said Frank Biocca, Ameritech professor of telecommunication at MSU. "Learning was enhanced when interface adaptation matched the users' cognitive style." Narrowing the Digital Divide To better show the effects of Internet use, Jackson and her research team crossed the digital divide to study experimental subjects who rarely used Web or computer technology -- 90 low-income families. The sample consisted of about 120 parents and 140 children, mostly African Americans. The average age of participant parents was 38 and the average age of the child participants was 13. Nearly half the families reported household incomes of less than US$15,000 a year. After recruiting an additional 160 African American adults at churches and community centers in Detroit, Jackson's team provided computers, Internet service, informal instruction and in-home technical support for 16 months, leaving behind a positive side-effect -- 420 new residents on the "have" side of the divide. | Home | |
