What is the Information Superhighway?
What's At Stake?—Why Computers Matter to Your Child
What Does Using Computers Actually Do for Your Child?
When Is Your Child Ready?

What Is The Information Superhighway?

The part of the information superhighway* that is most often referred to in the popular media is the Internet. Though actually only a part of the larger National Information Infrastructure (NII), the term "Internet" is sometimes used interchangeably with the "superhighway." "Going online" refers to getting connected to the Internet or other commercial service, usually via a telephone line.
*Boldface terms are defined in the Glossary.

Internet

The Internet, sometimes called the Net, is a vast group of computer networks that spans the globe. It has many features but is generally a way to communicate, use information tools, and find boundless amounts of information from an unlimited number of sources.

The Internet makes possible a number of online functions such as e-mail, a way of sending messages electronically from one computer user to another, and Bulletin Board Systems (BBS), which are online locations that post information about particular topics or that connect people who share an interest.

There is unlimited information on the Internet, but it is like a big library without a card catalogue to help find what books you might be looking for. Search engines exist to help with this. With a search engine you can sort through vast amounts of online information to pinpoint the material you want. Search engines work by matching a key word you enter into the computer with the same word found in various information sites on the Internet.

World Wide Web

What has helped the Internet become more popular is the development of the World Wide Web. The World Wide Web (WWW or the Web) is a network of sites on the Internet which have words, sounds, and pictures. It is its visual quality that distinguishes the Web from the rest of the Internet. Here, commercial companies, nonprofit organizations, and individuals supply lots of information on just about any subject imaginable. In fact, many organizations and commercial outlets are creating "content" or information aimed directly at kids of all ages, and kids are spending a lot of time on the Web.

A necessary tool for exploring the Web is a browser, a program that lets you view what's on the Web while connecting with the search engines that help you find what you want to see. Popular examples of browsers are Netscape, Mosaic, and Microsoft's Internet Explorer. Examples of search engines include Yahoo, Lycos, Alta Vista, Infoseek, Webcrawler, Magellan, and Excite. Also, browsers make it very easy to move from site to site and back again on the Web, another feature that attracts many users, especially children.

Internet Notes

Since the Internet is a new medium for many people, here are two tips for wise traveling:

You Are Not Alone

Because you often sit alone at a computer, and many of your interactions take place anonymously, you might assume you are truly anonymous when online. Despite various e-mail or chat group claims to protect your anonymity, it is always possible for someone with the right tools to find out where your transmission is coming from and, hence, who you are.

Check the Source

Another important thing to keep in mind is the credibility of online information. It is easy to be dazzled by all of the sights and sounds of the online world. However, unlike books, magazines, and other information sources that are scrutinized by an editor, much of the information online is not. Individuals with Internet access can post almost anything they want. Don't take everything you see and hear for truth. Always consider the source, and exercise common sense and good judgment in evaluating the information you see.

In Other Words

The term "information superhighway" is also used to refer to:

1. The nationwide network of telephone wire, cable, as well as wireless and satellite connections over which information moves, also called the National Information Infrastructure (NII); and
2. More informally, the delivery of information like text, video, and audio over the NII network using computers, cable television, telephones, and other delivery systems.

What's At Stake?—Why Computers Matter to Your Child

The information age is arriving at lightning speed. Children and young people are among the most active citizens of the new era, and are often first in their family to use the new media. Some parents and other guardians of young people are enthusiastic about the new technologies; others desperately hope these changes will just go away.

However, there is little doubt that computers are here to stay and that they're changing the way young people learn, play, and get ready for their work life.

• Experts agree that more than half of new jobs require some form of technology literacy.¹

• In the early 1990s, workers with computer skills earned 10-15% more than workers without such skills.²

And children are increasingly using new technologies in their schools, libraries, homes, and communities.

• Estimates show that roughly four million children between the ages of two and 18 are now online, with the number expected to grow nearly four times by the year 2000.³

• For the 50 million children now in U.S. elementary and secondary schools, 9% of classrooms have Internet access and 50% of schools have some kind of access to the Internet.⁴

In addition, parents understand that computer skills are important. In fact, 89% of parents believe computer skills are important to educational success.⁵ But parents face uncharted territory, and the technologies are evolving so quickly it seems hard to get a handle on what this new territory really is. One parent commented:

"...it's like being illiterate in a world of readers. We don't know enough about what's out there to know what to be concerned about."

In addition, not all parents can afford a computer in the home, and not all schools are yet integrating technology into learning—creating a gap between children who are prepared for information-era jobs and those who aren't.

How can a parent teach, when there's so much to learn? This new challenge may seem unlike any other you've faced before as a parent. But, in fact, many of the answers lie in common sense, some basic experience, regular vigilance, and sensible guidelines for children.

How Parents Can Help At School Make sure your child's school has the appropriate technology and uses it to enhance learning. At Home Make sure your child is involved in fun, useful, and safe activities online. In the Community Make sure that the education and technology needs of all children are being met. Contact your library, school board, city council, and your county, state, and federal elected officials.

What Does Using Computers Actually Do for Your Child?

What Computers and the Information Superhighway CAN Do

They can help children learn skills using information resources and technology such as problem-solving, fact-gathering, analysis, and writing on computers—skills that employers will seek from future workers (today's young people). They can also help young people learn computer programming and other marketable skills.

They can open up new worlds of rich learning experiences to children through schools, libraries, and home. For example, children can work on a school project with other children in countries thousands of miles away—or gather information from and try out their ideas with renowned scientists, authors, or business leaders. And "electronic pen pals"—either relatives or new online friends—from opposite ends of the planet can e-mail each other almost instantly.

They can increase access to children who have been shut out. Children in poor or rural school districts can use online services to visit museums, cities, and wildlife preserves they would not otherwise get to see. Children with disabilities can participate more fully in learning, in art programs, and in socializing.

What Computers and the Information Superhighway CAN'T Do

Computer and online time alone can't make your child an honor student. Children learn best when they receive individualized attention and encouragement from teachers and parents. Every kind of technology—from the blackboard to slide presentations to cable TV in the classroom to CD-ROMs—is simply a tool whose effectiveness depends on using it well.

Computers alone won't make your child a well-rounded, successful adult. Children still need the balance that comes from outdoor activities, friends and family, solid academic skills, and healthy relationships with strong adult role models.

What Computers and the Information Superhighway MIGHT Do

They can be a way for you to spend more time with your child on educational and recreational activities. Research shows that family involvement in a child's education is one of the most important ingredients for success. Spending time online with your child can be a way to connect with what he or she is learning in school and to stay involved. Computers can also help you expose your child to information and experiences that you value.

Online technologies can also be a way for you to stay in touch with your child's teachers, school schedules, and homework assignments. Increasingly, schools are offering parents access to important school information via e-mail and online school bulletin boards. This can be especially helpful for parents whose work schedules make it hard for them to meet with teachers or be at school during the school day.

So, Why Should You Care About Computers and the Information Superhighway?

When Is Your Child Ready?

Very little formal research has been done to understand how information technology affects children of different ages and when is the "right time" to start various activities. Also, children differ in their development and maturity—so parents should first consider their own child's emotional development and abilities. But common sense, combined with advice from child development experts, suggests some age-appropriate guidelines.⁶

Unlike some other areas of a child's growth, a parent should not treat computer use as a development milestone. There are no "shoulds" in this arena like "a child should walk by 15 months." The main thing to keep in mind is that the online world offers children a new set of experiences, another world to explore. It is also a new resource to help satisfy a child's seemingly endless curiosity and find answers to those amazing questions kids constantly come up with.

Many of the tips in this section apply to more than one age group. We have placed the tip in the age group where it is first applicable.

Girls: A League of Their Own

As they get older, girls use computers and online opportunities differently than boys. Many girls lose interest because, like with science and math, the computer world is more oriented to males. For example, video games and other software for home computer use are overwhelmingly developed for and marketed to boys. According to a variety of reports:⁸

• In elementary school, there is little difference between boys' and girls' computer use and ability.
• By the mid-teen years, when computer courses are typically elective, the gender gap grows and continues to widen through college and graduate school. Three times as many men as women now earn computer science degrees.
• Girls use home computers for school work more than boys, and use computer games far less.
• Women are only half as likely to be online as men and half as likely to use the World Wide Web.

With so many jobs and much of the culture tapping into computers and information technology, mothers and fathers should do as much as possible to encourage girls' interest and experience with computers. They should be aware that their girls will need these skills as much as boys, and should let schools and computer and content providers know they want material that appeals to girls as well as to boys.