Microelectronics Education Programme: Difference between revisions

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Revision as of 00:06, 16 April 2015

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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. Its aim was to explore how computers could be used in schools in the UK. This was a controversial time for Conservative school policies.[1]

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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==