[school-discuss] Study: Internet use can lift poor kids

["Frederick Noronha (FN)" <fred@bytesforall.org>]

STUDY: INTERNET USE CAN LIFT POOR KIDS

A 16-month study by Michigan State University shows that low-income children
who spent more than 30 minutes a day on the Internet saw improvements in
their grade point average and their scores in standardized reading tests.
Researchers also found that the Internet did not detrimentally influence
kids' psychological well-being nor the amount of time they spent with
families and friends. These findings contradict a controversial 1998 study
by Carnegie Mellon University which concluded that spending lots of time on
the Internet led to increases in loneliness and a decline in overall
psychological well-being for children and others. The study, funded by the
National Science Foundation, provided computers, Internet access and
technical support to 90 low-income families in the Lansing, Michigan area.
Researchers tracked their Internet usage and conducted periodic surveys and
home visits. While kids apparently spent some time looking at p0rnography,
playing online games and downloading music, their biggest uses of the
Internet were for researching school projects or hobbies and interests.
According to Michigan State psychology professor Linda Jackson, the Internet
forces all early-readers to read more, regardless of how much money they
have.
SOURCE: The Arizona Republic; AUTHOR: Cox News Service
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0728netkids-ON.html
View the research study's homepage:
http://www.HomeNetToo.org