Educational computing is a hot topic here this winter, and it is prompting a questioning of such basic things as "what is an education?" Reading, Riting and Rithmetic? Endless hours under the stern eye of the Beak? "As Caeser subdues ancient Gual"? Or Logo, domestic economics, breakdancing graphics, and micro-guided automobile repair?

Government estimates that there will be 1.5 million computer-related jobs by 1955 have helped set off a mad scramble in US universities, as students, who would much rather be studying Romantic Poetry or Petroleum Geology, force themselves into Computer Science classes. The crush in these courses recalls memories of the glut of Ph.Ds in the mid 70s - will these computer-related jobs really be there in 10 years' time?

Progressive states like Minnesota and New York are placing computers in classrooms and sending (often unwilling) teachers off to computer courses. Computers are seen as the big status symbol of the moment for school administrators - it helps if people know what to do with them.

But the process by which schools computerise is haphazard and bedevilled with problems: some schools spent their whole budgets on hardware and forgot to buy software; in others, the computer room was no sooner set up than it was ransacked because no-one thought to provide security.

In some states there are such absurdities as one-day district seminars featuring "Whip them up" lectures, where 100 teachers work out on two micros, and leave baffled at the end of the day with Aspirin, not computing, on the mind.

Even in those districts where the micros are on the desks, the struggle is to find something other than 'computer-literacy' drills to do with them. The integration of micros into school work is the new ideal, but the major problem, outside of a shortage of money to buy enough hardware, lies in the software field.

Of some 7,000 educational software currently available, more than half are concerned solely with computer literacy and skills. An on-going study by Educational Products Information Exchange of Long Island, NY, has evaluated 600 pieces of software. "About 5 per cent of what we examined was first rate," said Kenneth Komoski, executive director, "and the rest is pretty depressing: pedestrian, simple, and easy to produce. Schools are paying $50 for what they could have gotten in a $5 work book."

Another problem is computer phobia on the part of teachers. Enter such new names as the National Computer Training Institute, which offers a $195 45-hour course to train primary and secondary teachers in computer use. With 90 locations in place, and 200 planned by the end of the year, business is booming. NCTI also offers IBM a wedge into the education market, which has been Apple's preserve for the most part - 50 per cent of computers in US schools are Apples.

NCTI was turned down by Apple, and was happy to get Big Blue's support. Each NCTI centre will have 15 PC Jrs with 256K, colour monitors and printers, all on loan from IBM. Says Robert Wallace, IBM's manage of industry marketing: "We have figures that suggest that for every child to be able to use a computer in schools for 20 minutes a day, the schools would need at least four million computers. The battle for the education market is far from over." IBM currently holds eight per cent of it.

Computers are infinitely patient with slow learners and handicapped students. Some teachers have discovered that micros are great for teaching writing to students with learning disabilities who find handwriting to students with learning disabilities who find handwriting next to impossible to master. Others have discovered that they can turn the brighter kids in their class loose on the computers while they concentrate their human efforts on those who need it most.

As for the college kids cramming Comp Sci, there appears to be no likelihood of a shortage of jobs for them when they emerge. But in the age of mass programming and increasing user-friendliness, those jobs will either be too demanding or extremely tedious. It seems doubtful that the computer work field will provide very many undemanding yet well-paid employment opportunities.

The obvious next stage in the scenario will be a vigorous boom in the games machines business, as the inadequacies of education are laid bare.