§ Mr. John Mooreasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, 11W further to the answer concerning the current state of use of computerised teaching machines in the United Kingdom educational system, Official Report, 8th May 1978, what funds are involved in the Schools Council continuing project for the development of teaching materials for use in computer experiments; and in how many educational establishments these experiments are being pursued.
§ Miss Margaret JacksonThe Schools Council project "Computers in the Curriculum" received funds totalling £48,900 during the four academic years 1973–74 to 1976–77. Trials were conducted in about 130 educational establishments, and the project materials are now being prepared for publication. The project has now been granted a three-year extension from 1978–79 at a total cost of £67,200 for dissemination and the development of further materials.
§ Mr. John Mooreasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, further to the answer concerning the current state of use of computerised teaching machines in the United Kingdom educational system, Official Report, 8th May 1978, what are the total funds so far allocated to assist in disseminating information and materials developed during the programme; and how much additional allocation has in fact now been made.
§ Miss Margaret JacksonDissemination was an integral part of the national development programme in computer assisted learning and it is not possible to estimate what proportion of the programme's total expenditure was devoted to this during the five years of its operation from 1973 to 1978. The Council for Educational Technology has been notified that £10,000 of its grant for 1977–78 and £60,000 of its grant for 1978–79 are intended to cover the dissemination of information and materials developed during the programme, but it is for the Council to decide how to allocate its total grant between its various responsibilities.
§ Mr. John Mooreasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, further to the answer concerning the current state of use of computerised teaching machines in the United Kingdom educational system, Official Report, 8th May 1978, what are the numbers of computers in place in the United Kingdom as opposed 12W to the United States of America and Scandinavia to support the statement that the United Kingdom has established itself as one of the world's leaders in computer-assisted learning.
§ Miss Margaret JacksonI regret that this information is not available. But computer numbers do not determine a country's standing in this field. My right hon. Friend's statement had regard to the range and quality of the development work undertaken within the national development programme on computer assisted learning, to the programme's methods of evaluation, to the techniques used for analysis and assessing cost effectiveness, and, most important, to the high percentage of projects that have been successfully taken onto local budgets on a permanent basis.