The Learning Machine

As teachers have pointed out: 'They gave us the machines before anyone knew what to do with them.' Tim O'Shea questions the motives for putting micros into schools and suggests what is needed for the computer to live up to its educational promise.

Why it is so difficult for parents and teachers to find educational software that does something useful, or at the very least does what it's supposed to do?

Girls are often excluded from computers at home and in school. They're even told that they shouldn't be interested in technology! Celia Hoyles , Professor of Mathematics, Institute of Education (London University), explores the myths and prejudices about computing and girls.

'If we don't prepare pupils for a technological future we're sunk!' Is the technical and vocational teaching now appearing in our schools the best preparation for the changing world of work?

The worst thing since sliced bread!' With a variety of professional programmers, Tim O'Shea presents the case against BASIC, and looks at recent developments in programming languages. education.

Tim O'Shea looks at some possible futures for computers in education with Professor Aaron Sloman and Dr Benedict du Boulay Alison Kidd and Alex d'Agapeyeff.