From: aglover@acorn.co.uk (Alan Glover)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: Acorn Press Release 5 of 8 (AECs)
Date: 27 Aug 92 10:30:06 GMT
Organization: Acorn Computers Ltd, Cambridge, England

Acorn Strengthens Links with IT Centres

Acorn Computers is launching an initiative aimed at
strengthening its working partnerships with Educational IT
Support Centres throughout the UK and thereby enhancing the
support available to schools in their use of Information
Technology. 

Acorn in Education Centres all around the country are
providing a collaborative network to offer the best level of
IT support to schools.  The Centres will act in close
collaboration with Acorn's network of Education dealers,
with Acorn, the Centres and Education dealers mutually
assisting one another. The role of the Centres is to provide
the educational aspects of IT support while dealers will
continue to offer sales, installation and technical support
to schools. 

As education and technology develop, Acorn will continue to
need to channel information to schools. Schools on the other
hand will continue to need support to help them to use their
computers to good educational ends. 

The Acorn in Education Centres, which now exist within many
of the best Educational IT Support Centres in the country,
will assure schools of a significant base level of support
while helping them to access the wide range of advanced
services offered independently by the Centres. 

Each Centre can be visited by teachers, where they will find
a representative sample of Acorn's computers - including
desktop machines, portables, network solutions, multimedia
equipment and peripherals.  A reference library of core
curriculum software will also be available so that teachers
will be able to inspect the various offerings and get advice
on how best to implement their use in the classroom
environment. The Centres will also offer access to local
educational training centres equipped with Acorn's range of
computers and help schools to fund appropriate curriculum
materials. 

As Acorn launches new equipment, demonstration systems will
be made available to the Acorn in Education Centres so that
teachers can always be apprised of the latest offerings
available with information as to how they are best used in
the classroom. 

Strong links are developing between these Centres and other
groups in the Acorn community such as software houses and
publishers.  Centres will also be able to register to carry
out Acorn training courses and will be able to join with
Acorn in mounting training conferences for teachers, and in
exhibiting their services to teachers at national events
such as the BETT and Education shows.  

Acorn's Managing Director Sam Wauchope said that the Acorn
in Education Centre initiative showed Acorn was fully
committed to serving the needs of Education in the UK.  "I
believe strongly that computer technology has an important
role in enabling teaching and learning" he said.

"However, we are aware that merely providing the computer
hardware is not sufficient.  It is for this reason that we
have defined, as part of our mission, that we will work in
partnership with others whose expertise is vital in creating
the complete environment for effective use of IT in schools.

"The AEC initiative is intended to strengthen and formalise
our links with Educational IT Support Centres and we intend
that the basis of the initiative will be a permanent part of
our business. "

ENDS


Issued by:
Brian Salter
Corporate Affairs Manager
Acorn Computers


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