Pre-school age children training with the help of computer-aided technologies.

Using computer during classes is more the means rather than the goal. Unlike other activities, computer games facilitate the following:

1. Development of a “symbolic thinking” function of mind;
2. Influence on child’s cognitive development (provided different forms of
information presentation are combined, namely: audio & visual);
3. Actuation of self-control ability;
4. Being active and independent master of the game;
5. Keep with correspondnig level and speed of training specific for each child;
6. Carry out one and same task repeatedly until child fully copes with it;
7. Meet several corrective or developmental challenges at a time (eg. development
of attention, memory, thinking, aiming).
8. Development of cognitive motivation to study.

Computer games are to meet the following requirements:

• To be adequate for child’s age and knowledge.
• To meet specific corrective or developmental challenges.
• To have catchy design and content.
• To be in line with ethical and moral standards w.r.t. game content, heroes, their relations.
• To include different levels of complexity.
• Long-run tasks be interchanged with short-run ones.

Recommendations:

1. Monitor has to meet the requirements of International Safety Standards.
LCD display be provided for children.
2. Furniture be suitable of child’s height and age.
3. PC be positioned in adequately aerated room with a regularly wet cleaning.
4. The room be provided with balanced illumination, so that there are no glares on a display.
5. 10-15 minutes is the limit of single computer session for a 6 year old child.
6. Finger exercises may be done at the beginning of a session and eye gymnastics – at the end.
7. There can be done shoulder, hands and fingers muscle tension releaving exercises.

Conclusion:

Multimedia technologies are to be combined with traditional games and training, not replacing the
former with the latter, but expanding them, enriching teaching process with new resources.