Control technology in the primary school

• Main Author: Newman, Barry Keith
• Published: University of Leicester 1992
• Subjects: 370; Education & training
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.295125

This study traces the origins of control technology in the primary school from the beginning of the 1980's and identifies the factors which led to the emergence of this new curriculum area. The various local and central government initiatives are reviewed in terms of their catalystic effect in stimulating the development of resources and growth of training to encourage primary schools to introduce control technology into their curriculum. A central part of the study investigates how one local authority, Northamptonshire, has responded to the development of this curriculum area in its primary schools. This investigation took the form of a questionnaire to all primary schools, as well as an additional questionnaire to teachers attending control courses, to assess the current county position and identify issues that emerged which might limit the growth of this curriculum area. As part of this investigation case studies were carried out in two Northamptonshire primary schools to identify possible difficulties in the transition from the use of constructional materials to the introduction of computer control. By reviewing the latest developments in primary control and using the evaluation of the Northamptonshire investigation the study attempts to relate all the activities essential to the development of control technology to the requirements laid down in the National Curriculum. This inevitably leads to the identification of many current issues which will affect the future development of this curriculum area. By 1990 control had become an accepted part of the primary classroom, with recognition as a requirement of the National Curriculum, but for the majority of schools it represents yet another challenge to be met during this decade.