Posted on 07/11/2010 8:33:14 AM PDT by reaganaut1
...
Economists are trying to measure a home computer’s educational impact on schoolchildren in low-income households. Taking widely varying routes, they are arriving at similar conclusions: little or no educational benefit is found. Worse, computers seem to have further separated children in low-income households, whose test scores often decline after the machine arrives, from their more privileged counterparts.
Ofer Malamud, an assistant professor of economics at the University of Chicago, is the co-author of a study that investigated educational outcomes after low-income families received vouchers to help them buy computers.
“We found a negative effect on academic achievement,” he said. “I was surprised, but as we presented our findings at various seminars, people in the audience said they weren’t surprised, given their own experiences with their school-age children.”
Professor Malamud and his collaborator, Cristian Pop-Eleches, an assistant professor of economics at Columbia University, did their field work in Romania in 2009, where the government invited low-income families to apply for vouchers worth 200 euros (then about $300) that could be used for buying a home computer.
The program provided a control group: the families who applied but did not receive a voucher. They showed the same desire to own a machine, and their income was often only slightly above the cut-off point for the government program.
In a draft of an article that the Quarterly Journal of Economics will publish early next year, the professors report finding “strong evidence that children in households who won a voucher received significantly lower school grades in math, English and Romanian.” The principal positive effect on the students was improved computer skills.
At that time, most Romanian households were not yet connected to the Internet. But few children whose families obtained computers said they used the machines for homework.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Under privileged kids could benefit from this if they were MOTIVATED to better themselves. Apparently they are NOT motivated to better themselves in positive ways. If all they want to do i play games etc., this will NOT better them.
When there are TWO parents, one of each sex in a household, the kids will fare better. Again, in economically deprived families, this is NOT present. So between not having an intact family and the kid NOT be motivated to better themselves, the Internet and laptops will NOT be a benefit to the kid. But the NYT times and other LEFTISTS always want to make it an ECONOMIC issue.
It's not about economic. It is also not the role of the GOVERNMENT to be supplying this to low income families. Encouraging an INTACT family, values EDUCATION and encourages kids to WORK FOR IT could have a different outcome.
“How disappointing to read in the Texas study that
“there was no evidence linking technology immersion with student self-directed learning or their general satisfaction with schoolwork.”
These kids are NOT motivated and don’t have PARENTS around to ENCOURAGE learning. It’s idiotic to think anything but this will be the outcome.
Not just access. But “high speed” access.
They will never make the connection because it blows apart their dogma that single-parent households are just as good as a married mom and dad.
My 16-year old daughter uses her laptop for fun, but she's also taken a few online HS classes and works part time as a photographer's assistant. She earns an hourly rate as well as $75 per proof album she puts together.
She EARNED her computer by working and saving for it. That's a whole lesson by itself, one liberals will NEVER understand.
Well, if the poor get computers maybe they’ll all play “Grand Theft Auto” and get better at car theft. Hey, at least they are improving in some area.
LOL
Parents actually parenting children (free to taxpayers) will always be the best way to improve all areas of children's lives, regardless of income level. There will never be a magic “program” to replace good parenting. Too bad those in the govt. don't see that.
She's going into 6th grade and right now completing Honors Pre Algebra - that is the equivalent of 7th grade Math. She will end the summer with Algebra 1 (8th grade math). Her NEW school will allow her to be in a proper math class when she is done.
Her allowance is based on grades and the usual chores. Some of that is saved and some she can spend with LIMITS. This is an intact family that values education. We don't own an X-box and video games are discouraged UNLESS they are educational - for example learning states, countries and capitals - stuff like that. Other than that, games are a waste of time.
Anyone can do this. It requires study and having your priorities right.
The computer is a tool. What you do with it is what makes the difference.
Use it for research, to read up on things that interest you, to learn various things, to watch youtube type classes, to run your business(es), even for trade or reasonable communication with family/friends - it will benefit you as a student.
Use it for video games and mindless chat, yeah, not so much.
Those computers be racist! They be hurtin only the boolack kee-uts, and not the whities!
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