CESI (Computer Education Society of Ireland) was founded in 1973 with the aim of promoting the use of computers and technology in education. In its early years, CESI focused on organizing events and activities to raise awareness about the potential of computer technology for teaching and learning.
In 1973, computers were still a relatively new technology and were not yet widely used in Irish schools. However, there were some pioneering efforts to introduce computers into the Irish education system around that time.
For example, in 1971, the National Institute for Higher Education (NIHE) in Dublin purchased a DEC PDP-8 minicomputer, which was one of the first affordable computers that could be used for educational purposes. This computer was used to teach computer programming to NIHE students and staff, and it also formed the basis for the first computer course in the country, which was offered in 1972.
In addition, a few private schools in Ireland, such as the Terenure College in Dublin, also experimented with computers in the early 1970s. Terenure College reportedly purchased an IBM 360 mainframe computer in 1971 and used it to teach computer programming and data processing to a small group of students.
Overall, while computers were not yet widely used in Irish schools in 1973, there were a few pioneering efforts to introduce this new technology into the country's education system. The Computer Education Society of Ireland (CESI), which was founded in 1973, played a key role in promoting the use of computers in education and advocating for the integration of computers into Irish schools.
CESI also played a key role in advocating for the introduction of computer education in Irish schools. In the 1970s and 1980s, CESI lobbied the government to make computer education a mandatory part of the school curriculum, and it provided support and training for teachers to help them incorporate computers into their teaching practices.