Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
for employment in 'knowledge based' economies (Brown and Lauder 1997; Culp
et al. 2003; Pelgrum and Plomp 1991). The economic and vocational rationales can be
traced in government policy documents through both the Conservative and Labour
terms of office from 1981 to 2010. As Becta (2010a: 7) asserts, 'the rewards of ICT
appropriation are potentially considerable ... [and] will be particularly felt in the area
of “knowledge economy” skills'.
Political policy imperatives: economic and vocational rationales
From the beginning, in the 1980s, consecutive Conservative governments were
committed to developing technology in their recognition of its economic significance.
The Government fully recognises the importance of information technology
for the future industrial and commercial success of the United Kingdom and
the central role that the Government must play in promoting its develop-
ment and application.
(Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Hansard, 2 July 1981)
In addition, in 1981 Kenneth Baker, as the newly-appointed Conservative Min-
ister for Information Technology, added that he wanted to see 'that the kids of today
are trained with the skills [for] jobs . . . And that is the reason why we've pushed
ahead with computers in schools' (in Scaife and Wellington 1993: 15).
Most significant, however, has been the 'economic ambition' of government
ministers for what technology could achieve, which can be found in policy discourse.
In 1995 Michael Heseltine launched the Superhighways initiative stating it 'would
help with the vital task of keeping Britain competitive in the 21
st
century' (Somekh
2000: 20). In 1997, at the launch of the National Grid for Learning (NGfL), Blair
argued similarly: 'technology has revolutionalised the way we work and is now set to
transform education' (NGfL launch, March 1998).
It was the 1997 Labour government's embracing of a post-Fordist economic policy
that specified particular requirements for the education system, not least a strong policy
drive for generic technology skills (Brown and Lauder 1997; Younie 2002). Technology
is pivotal in the global reorganization of capitalism, which entails shifting to post-Ford-
ist production practices, with flexible specialization requiring multi-skilled workers.
Foregrounding technology as part of the solution to economic restructuring requires
school leavers to be technologically literate (Murray 2006; Piore 1986; Sabel 1982).
To build an economy that will continue our success in the global market
place, we will need an even better educated and more highly skilled work-
force. If we are to succeed it will require excellence in our education system
and continuous and rapid improvement in our skill levels.
(Estelle Morris, 2001 in Education and Skills: Delivering Results.)
Arguably, it is 'the diminished power of nation states to control economic com-
petition that has forced them to compete in the global knowledge wars' (Brown and
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