Photo by Great Beyond

I make 3 out of 4 my children spend time every day playing computer games.

Online educational games!

My youngest is learning to read at Reading Eggs and my pre teens are extending their math knowledge at Conquer Maths.

What are the pros and cons of online educational programs?

As a mother of 4 and an educator, here is my take on the pros and cons of these programs.

The pros

1) Children love anything technology related and are less likely to complain about studying online.

2) The best online programs use “adaptive learning” technology, that is, the difficulty of the questions adjusts to your child’s ability. Try doing this with a workbook!

3) The best online programs correct students work instantaneously and provide feedback to parents.

The cons

1) Too much screen time is bad for kids. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends limiting a child’s use of TV, movies, video and computer games to no more than one or two hours a day.

2) Children can get addicted to the instant gratification and rewards that online programs provide.

3) Some online educational programs are more game-like and children can spend more time playing than learning.

How to choose an online program that works

Bearing the pros and cons in mind, here is my advice on how to choose and how to use, this modern learning tool:

1) Many online programs have a free trial period. Test drive your chosen program to see for yourself the features it offers and whether your child will actually like it.

2) Find out from the program provider, how much time your child will need to spend using the program each day/week, in order to make good progress.

3) Make full use of the parental feedback offered by the program. Is your child really making progress?

4) Give plenty of verbal praise and rewards for your child’s online and offline achievements.

What do you think of online educational programs? Does your child use any? Has their learning improved as a result?