Selecting Software for Young Children

For young children to use computers successfully, it is critical to select software that is developmentally appropriate, that is, consistent with how children develop and learn. Researchers agree that software for young children should:

• Encourage exploration, imagination, and problem solving
• Reflect and build on what children already know
• Involve many senses and include sound, music, and voice
• Be open-ended, with the child in control of the pace and the path

These characteristics fit the way that young children learn, and their need to interact with their environment.

Adult participation and guidance are important. Involve children in selecting software that matches their interests. Monitor the amount of time they spend at the computer, and talk with them about their activities. Try not to overwhelm young children with too many choices.

Software to Support Educational Goals

Plan software purchases with a purpose in mind. Remember that software should support the learning and curriculum; it does not provide the learning. Consider creativity and productivity software as well as reference materials. Word processing, drawing programs, and integrated software packages, which typically combine word processing, drawing, spreadsheet, and database, are examples of software that rely on the child to do the creating.

To use computers effectively, select software that supports your goals, supports your philosophy of teaching, enhances the curriculum, and helps children solve problems independently. Even young children can use children's drawing and writing programs or visual reference materials to be active and creative. Such programs are well-suited to educational use. Computer games and "edutainment" programs—software that claims to educate while entertaining—do not add to the educational experience of a child and are not necessary in this setting.

Software can influence behaviors such as cooperation and motivation, as well as how children interact with each other. Think about the experience you want children to have or the learning you want to build on, and select software carefully to encourage certain types of learning experiences.

When possible, it is best to preview software to see whether it is appropriate and supports instruction in your classroom. Good sources of suggestions for quality software, software that fits with the way children learn and grow, include other teachers and knowledgeable colleagues, conference sessions relating to using computers in the curriculum at your level, and organizations which evaluate software for appropriateness. Some of these organizations are listed below.

Open-ended and Programmed Learning Software

Open-ended software gives children the opportunity to explore and discover, make choices, and then find out the impact of their decisions. Children using this type of software showed gains in many important areas, including intelligence and nonverbal skills. They showed more wondering and hypothesizing, problem solving, collaboration, and motivation, and a more positive attitude toward learning.

Children using non-developmental (drill-and-practice) software showed a significant drop in creativity. Children using programmed learning software, which resembles electronic worksheets or flashcards, exhibited more competitive behavior, became more dependent on the teacher for help, and became bored with paper-and-pencil tasks. Such programs should be used for limited amounts of time, not as the major focus of computer use.

Software Evaluation and Review Resources

These organizations provide helpful criteria and/or reviews for evaluating and choosing software for children.

Children and Computers
This site offers information on developmentally appropriate software and Web sites for young children, including the Haugland Developmental Scale for evaluating software, the Haugland/Gerzog Developmental Scale for Web sites, and the Developmental Awards.
http://www.childrenandcomputers.com

ConnSENSE
ConnSENSE (Connecticut Special Education Network for Software Evaluation). The Assistive Technology Training Center
at the University of Connecticut reviews software, with a
focus on software appropriate for children with special needs.
http://www.connsensebulletin.com/software.html

Northwest Educational Technology Consortium
NETC provides information about software selection and links to online software review sites.
http://www.netc.org/software/index.html