What is it about computers that reduce our capacity to process information effectively? Noting that being computer literate is different from being information literate, most of us computer users are quite adept at manipulating this tool to our advantage. But does this skill help us to think and analyse better?

A Royal Economics Society study of 100,000 15-year-olds in 31 countries around the world recently concluded that avoiding computers in the classroom and at home improved the literacy and numeracy of the children studied. The authors, Thomas Fuchs and Ludger Woessmann of Munich University found that when social factors were taken into account, computer literacy should not be more valued than our ability to use a telephone or the internet.

 "Holding other family characteristics constant, students perform significantly worse if they have computers at home," the authors conclude. By contrast, children with access to 500 books in their homes performed better because children with computers neglect their homework more.

 

The quantitative conclusions mirror similar concerns raised elsewhere about technology in education, that children awash with "facts" don't know how to handle them effectively.

Is your child developing a "problem-solving deficit disorder", and losing the ability to analyze? To encourage creativity, some experts advise to turn off the computer and stimulate children's imagination.

What is the lesson for us parents? At the very least, we need to be proactive about the time our kids spend on computer activities, and make a concerted effort to implement a reading programme.

Editor: See also
Literacy and thinking in a digital age