This paper summarizes, for a number of different countries, recent trends in teacher training in the educational use of computers and the various ways in which computers are used in schools. Computers are used in the following ways : (1) in teaching computer literacy, (2) as instructional tools, (3) as tools for self-expression, i. e., for word processing, drawing, composing, experimentation, and information retrieval, (4) as tools for school administration and management, i. e., schedulling, sociometry, preparing test items, etc., and (5) for educational research. Adequate teacher training is essential if these various methods for using computers in education are to become really meaningful, and today teacher training in educational computing is being established or has already been put into practice in a number of different countries. The various articles included in this issue, which describe those most recent trends found today in such countries as the United States of America, Canada, several European nations and in the Oceanic countries, point to a number of common features : 1. Teacher training in educational computing is being conducted at the national, or at least at the state or provincial level, in many of these countries. 2. Trends show that content is turning away from instruction in programming languages or the development of CAI courseware and is beginning to become more involved with the uses of word processors, databases, spreadsheets and graphics in the curriculum. 3. In-service teacher training in many countries is based on a "cascade" system wherein those first trained are required to train others. 4. Teachers undergoing in-service training receive support from a variety of sources, to include the granting of university credits, financial and working-hour study periods. 5. Governmental influence over in-service teacher training at the local school level is not truely sufficient.

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The history of the introduction and utilization of computers in education in the United Kindom might be said to be both old and new. A great many of the ideas regarding computers and education which are presently in vogue originated there. In his article, the author discusses current trends and the future prospects for computer education at both the elementary and secondary level, as well as in in-service training related to the information technologies, particularly as related to curriculum development.

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In Italy, the National Plan for the Introduction of Informatics in Upper Secondary Schools began in 1985. The first step was for central training institutions to conduct 4-week programs for in-service teacher training on informatics. At the local level, trained teachers instruct other teachers at core schools for a period of 1 or 2 years. During this time, they received as much as a one-third increase in salary and are provided substitute teachers for their own classes. The first generation of trained teachers consisted of 180 high school mathematics and physics teachers, the second generation was increased to 210 teachers. Also, during the first year, 2,400 regular teachers received instruction at one of 48 core schools while, during the second year, another 4,800 teachers at 68 core schools received instruction from those from the first year. At present, these second generation teachers are engaged in instructing another 6,800 ordinary teachers in informatics.

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Keeping in mind the need to improve secondary education in order to be able to meet the needs of the coming advances in society and of citizens in the future, computer education and in-service training are considered to critical issues of national importance in the Netherlands today. A survey completed by the Ministry of Education in 1985 revealed that 2,000 lower secondary schools and over 90% of all lower secondary vocational schools had at least one microcomputer. However it also showed that in terms of hardware transfer-ability was a major problem. In the same survey, 65% of the schools said that they were offering instruction in informatics as an independent subject while 30% said that they were using computers as tools for teaching/learning of other subject matter. As of February 1988, 6,000 teachers had received training in computer education. This represents approximately 15% of the total number of teachers in the Netherlands. In addition to outlining current trends in computer education in the Netherlands, the author also discusses the implications of the development of an informatics curriculum within the Japanese educational system.

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Education in Belgium is relatively centralized, meaning that educational policies are determined by either the Ministry of Education for the Dutch-speaking or the Ministry of Education for the French-speaking. With this situation in mind, the authors review current trends in instruction related to the information technologies in primary and secondary education, as well as in in-service teacher training, with specific stress upon the curriculum and related issues.

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This paper outlines in-service training on the educational use of computers in Australia and New Zealand. Both countries have three kinds of in-service teacher training courses related to instruction on the educational uses of computers. These are : 1. graduate diploma courses offered by post-secondary institutions, 2. short term courses run by national or state governments, and 3. local workshops given at the school or school district level for experienced teachers. Of these, the third receives the main emphasis because both countries have widely-scattered populations. National and local governments have developed a wide variety of materials and provided resources for making these local workshops more effective. The current trend in the area of education and computing, again in both countries, is to use computers as study tools for a variety of subject areas. This is reflected in the contents and objectives of the various in-service training courses. Most of the courses also emphasize knowledge and skills for making the most of software application programs in the teachers' routine, daily work. While most of the secondary schools offer courses in computer literacy, few in-service training programs focus on conventional programming skills.

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