These are the findings of recent research by Lucinda Kerawalla and Dr. Charles Crook, presented today at the International Conference on Communication, Problem Solving and Learning at Strathclyde University in Glasgow, Scotland.

Parents and children from 33 families were interviewed on several occasions and all home computer activities were directly logged by the computer itself. In addition, families were given six educational software titles to use as they wished; use of these was also logged over a period of 10 months.

The aim of the research was to understand why the educational motive gets neglected. The focus was on the differences and similarities between home and school as situations that promote learning.

Seventy-three per cent of the parents said they had their children's education in mind when buying a home computer -- very much as advertising promotes. Parents followed this up by buying mainly educational software. However, patterns of actual use did not reflect this, as the most common activity was playing games.

Results indicated a lack of social support and motivation at home for activities relating to school. Computing was rarely experienced by children and parents sitting down together. Also, computing activity rarely became part of family activities or discussion in the same way that it does in school.

The impression was that parents thought that children spend enough time in formal education at school and are reluctant to pressure them into using educational software at home.

The bottom line: Learning at home has to be linked to official homework or otherwise it has to be child-initiated and spontaneous.

28-Jun-2001