Microelectronics Education Programme: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 10:24, 30 December 2006

Revision as of 20:02, 17 April 2007

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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.

The programme was administered by the Council for Educational Technology in [[London]], but the directorate operated, unusually, from a semi-detached house on the campusCoach Lane Campus of the then Newcastle Polytechnic (now [[Northumbria University]]).

The director of the programme was [[Richard Fothergill]], a man of vision and passion for the concept of bringing computers to schools. He was supported by a deputy director, a specialist in control technology and a cross curriculum specialist. All were teachers. The information collection and dissemination was carried out by an 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]].