§ 27. Mr. J. E. B. Hillasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what research he is initiating into the educational value of computing and the use of computers in schools.
§ Mr. Edward ShortI have myself initiated no research, but material for study will be provided by the projects referred to in the reply by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State to the Question on 6th March by the hon. Member for Mid-Bedfordshire (Mr. Hastings)—[Vol. 779, c. 654–5]. The Schools Council is in touch with a wide range of developments and will be considering possible further action in this field.
§ Mr. HillCan the right hon. Gentleman say when the results of this inquiry are likely to be available so that decisions may be made about the desirability of including more of these activities in syllabuses?
§ Mr. ShortA great deal of this work is being done, not only by the Schools Council and the National Computing Centre but also by my Department, which is running short courses. This has a great bearing on the matter. But I will keep in mind the hon. Gentleman's point about the need for the results of the Schools Council's research programme to be widely known without delay.