The Rise and Fall of Swedish Educational Technology 1960–1980

Abstract

In Sweden educational technology (EdTech) prospered during the 1960s and 1970s inspired by US experiences from primarily programmed instruction. The Departments of Education at the universities started different activities of research and other bodies developed EdTech products for commercial use. In some business firms in‐service training of staff was organised and managed according to the rational ideas that were the basis of EdTech. Public education from elementary to university level was also influenced by EdTech and in the National Board of Education particularly the section responsible for developing teaching–learning aids ran its work guided by EdTech principles in a broad sense of rational and systematic planning. In the 1970s the peak of EdTech withered, to almost disappear towards 1980. This article describes the development in Sweden with the aim of understanding both the rise and fall of EdTech. The rise is understood in relation to the modernisation of Swedish society with reforms of education and trust of science and technology. The fall is understood in terms of the change of values and conception of democracy taking place around 1970 (1968).