Technology and Child Development, Part II: Lessons from Empirical Research

This report examines primary empirical research from 1990 to the present that evaluates uses of emerging technologies for child development. This paper attempts to answer the questions: 1. What impact does technology used in educational settings have on child development? 2. Which uses of technology hold the greatest promise for improving child well-being outcomes? 3. What future research is needed to understand the impact of technology on children according to cognitive, social, emotional, and physical perspectives? The paper focuses in detail on 19 controlled, primary research studies on using computer or other advanced technologies in a variety of settings to improve positive developmental outcomes for children. The 19 reports summarized provide valuable insights about our current understandings of the effectiveness of computers in a variety of settings where child development is impacted. These studies constitute a representative sample of recent research on computer applications to child development, and they aid us in telling a story about what we learned from systematically studying a larger collection of research reports. Computers, wherever they are used, can serve two purposes: as delivery mechanisms, and as tools in and of themselves to promote child development. Computers and other technologies actively involve children in the learning activities to which they are exposed, and facilitate the mastery of simple and complex skills, knowledge, and aptitudes for children. Computers and other technologies greatly increase motivation to learn (and teach), and increase the benefits of collaborative work, play, and other learning opportunities. Computers also allow parents, teachers, care providers, and other adults to facilitate the learning and development of important aspects of child well-being.