Educational technology can change the way children think, what they learn, and how they interact with peers and adults, or technology can teach the "same old stuff in the same old way." This paper examines computer use with young children and how computers can be used more effectively. The essay describes changes in the past decade in computer…

Reviews the research concerning young children's use of computers in terms of their social/emotional development (peer interaction and cooperation, peer teaching and helping, social and cognitive interaction, and attitudes), language skills (language development, prereading reading, and writing skills), and mathematical and problem-solving skills.…

Responds to a recent critical report on computers in childhood. Highlights include computers, children, and research; social and emotional development; types of software; motivation; social and cognitive interactions; cognitive development; creativity; language and literacy; writing and word processing; mathematics and reasoning; and science and…