Linking Computer Use And Homework Success by Katie Brown (NAPSA)—If you’ve been studying ways to help yourchildren do better on their homework, some news may interest you. Teachers say that today’s children are spending more time on com- puters and getting better grades. Onereason for the trend may be that computers, educational soft- ware, and the Internet can make learning a more engaging and interactive experience—and for many children familiar with computers, that’s the key to making learning fun. If you want to help homework compute for your youngsters, try these tips: * Room To Learn—Be sure your PC room doubles as a suitable homework room. The area should be clean and well lit and offer limited distractions. Help your child organize his workspace around the PC andteach him how to store his files on your computer (that includes establishing personal and school files, saving them to disks, etc.). Smart Software—The best software resources are accurate, reliable and user friendly. For example, Microsoft’s Encarta Reference Library provides the most current information and contains an interactive encyclopedia, atlas and dictionary, comprehensive homework tools, multimedia content and The Key To Learning—Technology resources can help children do better in school. report templates. These features can help children prepare for tests, write papers or simply learn about interesting subjects. Remember, when your child is working on important projects, be sure to tell him to create a backup on a second disk or hard disk. Savingis key. Surf Together—Use the Internet with your child. Help him find sites that interest him or that are related to homework assignments and teach him to seek out related links. Keep in mind that Internet searches may not always be ideal for young students because they can yield massive amounts of unsorted information. For more information, visit www.microsoft.com/encarta. Ms. Brown is a lifestyle expert, TV personality and author.
