Abstract

CASTRO, Claudia Rabello de; MOURA, Maria Lucia Seidl de  and  RIBEIRO, Armando. Computer workshop with street children: report of an experience. Psicol. Reflex. Crit. [online]. 1999, vol.12, n.1, pp. 241-258. ISSN 0102-7972.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0102-79721999000100016.

Research findings show that street children have difficulties and are not successful in school, although, at the same time, they value it. This generates feelings of being incapable of learning. Computers can be considered as mental instruments, having a status of a valued consumer good, associated to technological development and intellectual sophistication. For those reasons, they can be used to introduce formal learning again in a way not associated to previous failures. Ten adolescents assisted by a non-governmental organization, participated in a workshop with this aim. It was proposed to them to learn how to use a computer to write and publish their own stories. The objectives were to facilitate socio-cognitive changes and to improve their relationship with formal learning. This workshop seemed to have been successful in some aspects and it is described in this paper. Experiences such as this one can be amplified and used to facilitate reintegration of street children in formal learning environments.

Keywords : Learning; street children; computers.