Introduces a symposium on British school reform under the 1988 Education Reform Act. In England and the United States, school reform is driven by "conservative restoration" forces that emerged in Western democracies about 15 years ago. English reforms embody a relentless program of government initiatives inspired by free-market doctrines…

Argues that technology now offers the opportunity for neutralizing the conflicting demands of child-centered, progressive, humanistic education with the back-to-basics demands voiced in recent years. Analyzes why education has had difficulty in responding to the potential of new technology. (JDH)