
As new information technology became more prevalent in more sectors
of society and industry during the 1970s and 1980s, people were confronted with
new skill requirements in their professional as well as their personal lives. The
concept of computer literacy as the basic skills and knowledge needed by everyone
to participate fully in society and the economy became increasingly relevant to
governments, educational policy makers and educators across Europe. However,
historical sources point to a plethora of different understandings and wordings
of computer education and computer literacy, as well as an abundance of different
pedagogical approaches to the introduction of computers into the classroom. Similarly,
existing literature highlights the involvement of various interest groups in
the introduction of computers in schools, including students, parents, teachers, educators
and policy makers, as well as manufacturers and vendors of computer
technology. Exploring the history of how computers have entered the classroom
in Europe through national and transnational case studies can shed light on the
different facets and dynamics of the introduction of computer technology in education
and, in particular, how different stakeholders and coalitions have negotiated
and shaped this process.