Exhibition: OU Research at 50

CALRG and Micros in Schools

Another significant research group throughout the OU’s history has been CALRG (an acronym which now stands for Computers And Learning Research Group), which formed in 1978 from cross-faculty researchers who had an interest in exploring developing technologies for teaching purposes – and they are still a leading research group today.

The late 1970s and early 1980s were a pivotal period for the development of computer technology, and among much diverse research strands one of the notable projects with which CALRG were involved at this time was the Micros in Schools Project.

Micros in Schools had the aim of using the recent development of smaller microcomputers to give teachers the ability and confidence to use this technology to support and develop their teaching. To this end, the project team produced a short series of self-study packs aimed at teachers (given the OU course codes P541 – P544).

Two of these packs – P543 (Learning about microelectronics) and P544 (Inside microcomputers) – actually made use of a specially-designed microcomputer known affectionately as DESMOND. DESMOND (described by the Director of the Micros in Schools project Professor Tim O’Shea as a “terrible but memorable” acronym!) stood for Digital Electronics System Made Of Nifty Devices.

In the video clip on this page, you can see DESMOND being used by a teacher in a classroom environment to give his students their first experience of programming, and to begin to increase their confidence in using computers.

In the image below the clip, you can see a collection of the study materials issued as part of P541 and held by the University Archive, including a promotional Micros in Schools tank top!