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{{More citations needed|date=April 2015}}
The [[United Kingdom|UK]] government's '''Microelectronics Education Programme''' ran from 1980 to 1986. It was conceived and planned by a [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]] government and set up under a [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] government during [[Margaret Thatcher|Mrs Thatcher]]'s era.
The programme was administered by the [[Council for Educational Technology]] in [[London]], but the directorate operated, unusually, from a semi-detached house on the Coach Lane Campus of the then Newcastle Polytechnic (now [[Northumbria University]]).
==Origins==
The Microelectronics Education Programme was developed by the Department for Education and Science when the Prime Minister at the time, Jim Callaghan asked each government department to draw up an action plan to meet the challenge of new technologies.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.edtechhistory.org.uk/history/the_1980s/MEP.html | archive-url=https://archive.today/20141107124904/http://www.edtechhistory.org.uk/history/the_1980s/MEP.html | url-status=usurped | archive-date=November 7, 2014 | title=Educational Technology v1 Feb 2014 }}</ref> Whilst the prior programme, the [[National Development Programme in Computer Aided Learning]], covered schools, colleges, universities and training establishments, MEP was specifically aimed at secondary schools in England, Northern Ireland and Wales (a primary school programme was added in 1982). Following a change of government in 1979, Keith Joseph as Education Secretary finally approved the proposal in 1980 and in March a four-year programme for schools, costing £9 million. was announced by the Under Secretary of State at the Department of Education and Science, Mr Neil MacFarlane.<ref>Fothergill (1988) Implications of New Technology for the School Curriculum (London, Kogan Page) page 28</ref>
==Central team==
The director of the programme was Richard Fothergill. By April 1981 he had set up a small team of people, operating from offices at Cheviot House in Newcastle Polytechnic.<ref>Fothergill, R. (1982) 'The Microelectronics Education Programme' in (eds.) J. Megarry, D.R.F. Walker and S Nisbet, World Year Book of Education:Computers and Education, Kogan Page reprinted 2006</ref> John Anderson was appointed Deputy, and the rest of the central team consisted of Bob Coates, Helen Hindess, Mike Bostock and Lynn Craig later supported by Mike Page for Press and Media, Bill Broderick for International, and Alan Greenwell and Ralph Tabberer for Curriculum Development. The information collection and dissemination was carried out by the information officer who used an early form of [[Teletext]] (called [[Prestel]]) and email (called [[Telecom Gold]]) to disseminate news of materials and training opportunities. Each member of staff created correspondence (see Old Computers link below) on a handheld
==Strategy==
Richard Fothergill published MEP's strategy in April 1981, having been appointed in the previous November. It had a number of innovative ideas in it, including a wide definition of its work covering computer aided learning, computer studies, microelectronics and information handling and a strong emphasis on regional collaboration.
<ref>Fothergill R., 1981, Microelectronics Education Programme: The Strategy, Department of Education and Science, London</ref> The aim of the programme was to help schools to prepare children for life in a society in which devices and systems based on microelectronics are commonplace and pervasive.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.edtechhistory.org.uk/history/the_1980s/MEP_strategy.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923233814/http://www.edtechhistory.org.uk/history/the_1980s/MEP_strategy.html | url-status=usurped | archive-date=September 23, 2015 | title=Educational Technology v1 Feb 2014 }}</ref>
==Curriculum materials==
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*[http://education.guardian.co.uk/obituary/story/0,12212,1351297,00.html Guardian obituary of Richard Fothergill]
*[http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?st=1&c=558 Description of Microwriter]
*{{Cite web | url=http://old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=558 | title=Microwriter | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190306044436/http://old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=558 | archive-date=2019-03-06}}
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6217447.stm BBC Micro and Professor Hopper]
*
*{{Cite web | url=http://www.naec.org.uk/organisations/the-microelectronics-education-programme/the-microelectronics-education-programme-strategy | title=The Microelectronics Education Programme Strategy | website=www.naec.org.uk }}
[[Category:Computer science education in the United Kingdom]]
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