AbstractFollowing a 3‐year pilot programme, the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) undertook to play a further major role in the evolution of new ways in which technology could contribute to learning by supporting some of the necessary basic research. It was accepted that the uncertain pragmatics of early work on classroom technologies required more clearly defined studies. Cognitive science, which promised to provide the basic concepts for work on teaching and learning, was seen to be achieving some maturity. Nevertheless, current work remained somewhat scattered. Whilst diversity of approach remains undoubtedly important when new problems are to be solved, an investment was required in broadly managed programmes across this multidisciplinary field to promote the development of ‘critical mass’ and the emergence of directions for change.A Coordinating Centre, a Programme Evaluation Unit and three Research Centres have been approved for work over 3 years (1988‐91) with support from ESRC of over Ł1M as part of the research initiatives programme of the Human Behaviour and Development Research Developme