CHILDREN who surf the internet for fun perform better in maths and reading tests, while those who use the web to complete homework do worse, according to the latest research from the Growing Up in Ireland study.
The findings confound the popular belief that spending time on the home computer has a negative effect on a child’s academic performance.
In fact most online activities appear to have a positive influence.
The study is based on 8,568 nine-year-olds living across Ireland and concludes that using a home computer is “positively and significantly associated with children’s reading and mathematics scores in standardised tests”.
Those who used the computer to carry out projects, surf for fun and send emails had better maths and reading scores.
Those nine-year-olds who used the internet unsupervised performed better in school, with a 10% increase in their maths scores.
Source: Internet (Eithne Shortall, The Times)
