This is one of the Daily Telegraph's educational publications and is a compilation of chapters by various authors under the editorship of Dr Bill Tagg. Dr Tagg is the Director of the Advisory Unit for Computer Based Education at Hatfield, and many of the contributors belong to the government backed Micro-Electronics Programme or are in University computer based learning departments.
The book is extremely easy reading - despite its highly academic authorship -(and can be read in its entirety or dipped into for specific chapters. The chapters cover a wide range of subjects, from the role of the computer in education, through points to consider before buying a computer, information handling programs, Logo and what to look for when buying software. There is one chapter devoted to the 75 programs the Advisory Unit believes to be the best available.
As I mentioned this is a very readable book but it does have its faults. Its title gives the impression that it will help parents to find software of use to them in the home, yet most of the chapters give more information about how the computer is being utilised as a very exciting tool in our schools. Further, most of the software described is for just those machines most extensively used in schools - the wide range of home computers available is virtually ignored. Overall, a book to be borrowed from the library before deciding whether or not to buy it.
25th June 1985
