The use of computers in education worldwide : results from a comparative survey in 18 countries

In 1989, the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) Computers in Education study collected data on computer use in elementary, and lower- and upper-secondary education in 22 countries. Although all data sets from the participating countries had not been received at the time of writing, this paper provides some preliminary results from 19 educational systems in 18 countries. Countries participating in the study include Belgium (Flemish and French school systems), Canada (British Columbia), China, France, West Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Israel, Japan, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Switzerland, and the United States. The paper shows statistics related to: (1) the availability and the use of computer hardware, software, and peripherals; (2) the problems experienced in using computers in schools; and (3) the attitudes of administrators towards computers. The results show that drastic changes have taken place in the last few years in the number of schools equipped with computers, and the number of computers available in schools. It is noted that in most educational systems microcomputers are used by a limited number of teachers, and are used mainly for teaching students about computers. Major problems that appeared included a lack of teacher preparation time, the lack of sufficient computer software of high quality, and a lack of teacher education and training. It is suggested that the creation of short- and long-term implementation strategies could facilitate the integration of computers into existing subjects. (5 references) (DB