Microelectronics Education Programme: Difference between revisions

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Revision as of 15:02, 9 November 2014

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==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>http://www.edtechhistory.org.uk/history/the_1980s/MEP.html</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, a man of vision and passion for the concept of bringing computers to schools. By April 1981 he had set up a small team of seven people, operating from offices at Cheviot House in Newcastle Polytechnic.<ref>Fothergill, R. (1982) 'The MicroelectronincsMicroelectronics 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 Milner, 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 on a handheld wordprocessor, a [[Microwriter]], designed by [[Cy Endfield]].

==Strategy==

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Originally conceived as a programme to develop secondary education, it was soon perceived that many primary schools were ready to adopt new methodologies. A National Primary Project was established, which developed a substantial amount of high class resources that were the basis for significant curriculum development.

==Closure==

Whilst the programme was running it attracted world attention and was highly commended.

The Programme's closure was announced in June 1985 and a successor organisation the [[Microelectronics Education Support Unit]]was announced <ref>Fothergill (1988) Implications of New Technology for the School Curriculum (London, Kogan Page) page 28</ref> and was formally evaluated by Her Majesty's Inspectorate in 1986 <ref>HMI (1986), The Work of the Microelectronics Education Programme, London: DES reported in Studies in Design Education, Craft and Technology Volume 19 Number 3 Summer 1987</ref>. Whilst the programme was running it attracted world attention and was highly commended.

==References==