Meanwhile, computer-based education may have a negative impact on other aspects of childhood development. A huge body of research has confirmed the critical importance in early development of non-academic skills--social, emotional, and physical--through experience, experimentation and observation in the real world. In this light, opponents of computers in early childhood and primary education warn that the time children spend on computers takes away from the time they need to spend interacting with people and the physical world, interaction necessary for normal development.

     Supporting this viewpoint is scientific evidence that childhood is the critical time of life for developing knowledge of and appreciation for the natural world. It is largely through contact with nature, researchers also conclude, that a child's senses are trained, and that he/she learns the important skills of thoughtful reflection and careful observation. But far from bringing children and nature together, opponents say, computers in fact isolate children from the natural environment. Even computer programs designed to teach children about nature are, finally, ineffective because they replace real contact with nature with artificial, simulated experiences.

     Another criticism frequently leveled at computer-based education focuses on the poor quality of software designed for young students, which tends to rely on drills and practice that mainly promote rote learning. Using these programs, children have little opportunity to explore the concepts behind the facts they are meant to be learning or to engage in creativity, another essential ingredient in childhood development.

     As for the claim that classroom computers help young students learn important job-related skills, opponents maintain that with the speed at which technology is changing, the computer skills children learn today will be obsolete long before they are old enough to have jobs. Business leaders also point out that most work-related computer skills can be learned in a relatively short time just before students enter the job market. There is, therefore, no need for these skills to be acquired at an early age.

     Perhaps the greatest concern is with the physical risks that computers pose to young students. According to eye experts, the close-up reading children do on computers can lead to eye strain and worsen such problems as nearsightedness. Many studies have also shown that prolonged typing on a computer keyboard can cause repetitive stress injury, a serious nerve condition afflicting an increasing number of people. Furthermore, computer furniture designed for adults can create serious physical problems for children. To use computer tables, young students must often sit on chairs that are so high their feet cannot touch the floor, thus cutting off blood circulation in their legs. In addition, because computer monitors are typically at eye level for adults, children must strain their necks and lean forward to properly focus on the screen, causing additional physical strain.