The use of Micro-Computers (known today as PCs) in education was actively and popularly started in the 1980s as the PC hardware industry began to grow. Back then, personal computers were a far cry compared to what we have today, but, they did the job and they did it quite well. The Micro-Computer Revolution could be described as a lot of hardware companies with their own computer models and OS platforms vying for dominance in all aspects of the PC industry.

Brands like Apple, IBM, Commodore, Atari, TRS-80, and many more, proliferated their PC models resulting in the birth of the Micro-Computer Software Industry that had to port their products for the various OS and hardware that currently competed on the current-day market. The 1980s could be described as the glorious birth of the PC industry yet very much chaotic in its own way.

The Rise of Edutainment

Among the fast rising computer applications of the time was in education, also known as the K-12 market, and educational software was very much in demand. Everyone new that kids loved playing video games and it really didn’t take a Rocket Scientist to figure out that combining education/teaching/learning with gaming was a no-brainer that would pave the way for the effective and efficient use of the technology in the educational field.

To this, the push to implement and aid education through computers and gaming gave the initiative for software development companies to develop and publish specific computer games and entertainment titles aimed at education, and they were categorized at the time as “Edutainment” software and systems.

The Apple in The Classroom

For those who were around during those times when the Micro-Computer revolution was taking place, the intense rivalry between Apple and IBM was the major preoccupation of the day. IBM focused on both business, scientific, and educational applications with their line of Micro-Computers which would eventually become the basis for the standard PC today. However, when it came to the schools, the classroom, and primarily the K-12 crowd, the Apple 2 computer series (//,//+,//e, //c, and eventually the //gs) was unparalleled in its ease of use, accessibility, gaming capabilities (although the Commodore 64/128 were tough competitors), and the support and drive for computerized education pushed by Jobs, Woz, and Apple Computers. Computer gaming in education was then actively introduced.

Learning through play was the order of the day, as educators noticed that it encouraged young minds to learn (usually through Trial & Error), get immediate feedback, learn at both individual and group pacing, and the application of “Constructive Learning Theory”, were kids learned by doing than just reading and memorizing. The computer in the classroom was an interactive machine.

The Name of The Game

When it came to school based edutainment, the educational games were designed to tackle specific subjects and educational disciplines. To illustrate this with examples, here are a few 1980s Edutainment titles and the knowledge learning they focused on.

“Number Munchers” was a game that focused on numbers and logic. “Word Munchers” was dedicated to vocabulary and grammar. “The Oregon Trail” taught about history and decision making, as well as providing a simulated 1800s expansion trek in the historical Wild West America. When it came to Geography, “Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?” was unparalleled due to its super immersive and fun gameplay and awesome design features. This also catapulted the notorious “Queen of the cat burglars” to her classic game character status, popular till today. This are just a few examples of how gaming and education were mixed into a successful game genre and Edutainment industry blossoming from the 1980s.

The Push for Computer Literacy

The PC industry was new, and people (both kids and adults) needed to learn them, so a lot of computer learning tutorials came out in the day. Naturally, the K-12 market was actively involved with getting the kids to learn as much as they could about the newly wide-spreading technology, so they may efficiently and effectively use them.

Learning topics ranged from keyboard and user skills, basic programming skills (usually using BASIC, or LOGO language programming), data and file handling, and the computer itself (hardware). One of the most popular edutainment titles for the K-12 level that taught computer concepts and technology was “Rocky’s Boots” (depicted on the title image above). It was an innovative way to teach computer logic which involved technical hardware and “Boolean Math” knowledge, like digital logic functions, AND, OR, NOT, Inverters, and the overall Gate Circuit principles in a way a child could grasp and understand.

To date, Rocky’s Boots which came out in 1982 for the Apple// computers is considered a classic among classics of computer learning games of the Micro-Computer Era.

Computers in Home Learning

Micro-Computers at the time were usually marketed for home use (sans the IBM PC which was targeted for business applications). Home use usually and majorly meant games, although other important applications like personal finance, home management, and of course education, were primary reasons to purchase and have one.

Using the computer at home and learning independently through edutainment applications was also a major justification for parents to get a Micro-Computer for the family’s use. This enabled kids to learn at their own pace and time, even with minimal supervision, improve their independent problem-solving skills, and practice critical thinking and decision making on their own.

Of course, the Micro-Computer manufacturers were fully aware of this, and so tailored their ads and marketing strategies to convince and encourage parents to buy their machines.

The Pros and Cons of Edutainment

Using the 1980s PCs to learn had both their Pros and Cons. On the bright side, playing edutainment games encouraged exploration and experimentation through simulation, also, there was immediate feedback for the student’s performance. Likewise, having a computer at home supported individual learning and at one’s own pace as well as providing deep immersive engagement as well as high motivation.

The dark side was the limitation of the then very new Micro-PC technology of the time. Graphics, audio, memory, and processor limitations were among the many realities that plagued the day. Accessibility was also a problem as PCs back then were really expensive (sans the home-targeted Commodore 64 which would usually go on sale). Kids had to share 2 or more for one computer in the classrooms and what’s more, the teachers still had to learn and go through their own trainings as well.

The Legacy Left Behind

Despite all these, the 1980s was an extraordinary time to experience (take it from me, being young with my own Apple//+). It was the dawning of the digital age were educational games normalized computer use in education, introduced it to a generation of kids (Gen X today), and established the groundwork for both gaming and gamified learning in the present.

Looking back to the 1980s, and the rise of the Micro-Computer age, yours truly wouldn’t have missed it for the world!

Image Info
https://www.reddit.com/r/nostalgia/comments/uylbrl/what_a_computer_lab_looked_like_in_the_1980s_a/#lightbox
https://archive.org/details/A2Video_Rockys_Boots_1982