What are the popular rationales for using computers in schools? Are there others that are being neglected? How do they stand up to criticism? Are they the same in both developing and industrial countries? Is there any evidence that priorities are changing? This paper addresses these questions and draws particularly on recent research. funded by the Harold Macmillan Trust, in developing countries of Africa. Asia and the Arabic-speaking world.

This paper outlines and discusses four rationales for using computers in schools: (1) the social rationale, which states that it is necessary for children to become aware and unafraid of computers in order to prepare for life and work in an industrial society; (2) the vocational rationale, which states that children should learn computer programming and become generally computer literate; (3) the pedagogic rationale, which states that computer assisted instruction offers advantages over other teaching methods in subjects such as physics and art (among many others); and (4) the catalytic rationale, which states that computers help children become less dependent on the teacher as expert and will enable change in education to occur. Three additional rationales are also noted and discussed: the information technology industry rationale, the cost-effectiveness rationale, and the special needs rationale. It is concluded that priorities for using computers in schools are changing rapidly and should be further examined.