Abstract

TALERO-GUTIERREZ, Claudia; ROMERO LOPEZ, Liliana; ORTIZ SALAS, Paola  and  VELEZ VAN MEERBEKE, Alberto. Impact on the quality of learning as a result of the use of computers in schools. Av. Psicol. Latinoam. [online]. 2009, vol.27, n.1, pp.111-124. ISSN 1794-4724.

The educational software and computer assisted learning has been used in schools to promote the interest of students in new ways of thinking and learning so it can be useful in the reading learning process. Experimental studies performed in preschool and school age population have shown a better yield and a positive effect in reading, mathematics and cognitive skills in children who use educative software for fifteen to twenty minutes a day periods. The goal of this study was to evaluate the progression in verbal, visual-motor integration and reading skills in children who were using educational software to compare them with a group in traditional pedagogic methodology. Results: All children were evaluated before using any kind of pedagogic approach. Initial evaluation revealed a lower-age score in all applied test. 11% of them were at high risk for learning disorders. There was a second evaluation that showed a significant positive change compared with the first one. Nevertheless, despite some items, there were no general differences comparing the groups according if they were using or not a computer. In conclusion, policies on using educational software and computers must be revaluated due to the fact that children in our public schools come from a deprived environment with a lack of opportunities to use technologies.

Keywords : learning; computer; reading; verbal skills; visual-motor integration skills.

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