Seymour Papert, Educational Computing Pioneer, Honored with SPA Lifetime
Achievement Award

March 5, 1993 (San Diego, CA)- Seymour Papert received the Software
Publishers Association (SPA) Lifetime Achievement Award yesterday at the
annual SPA Excellence in Software Awards ceremony. Professor Papert is an
influential figure in the fields of educational computing and artificial
intelligence. He has made many important contributions to the development
of computers in education, including inventing Logo, a computer language
in widespread use at schools today.

More than any other individual, Seymour Papert has been responsible for
transforming the way education views the role of the computer in schools.
Papert showed that computers are ideal tools to promote creativity,
critical thinking, and problem-solving through the creation of Logo, his
programming language for children, and through "Mindstorms: Children,
Computers and Powerful Ideas," his landmark book. The principle Logo
represents - that the computer can encourage children to be active
learners and help create their own knowledge - is now part of the
conventional wisdom about educational computing.

In the early 1960's Seymour Papert joined MIT, where he co-founded the
Artificial Intelligence Laboratory with Marvin Minsky. Currently the Lego
Professor of Learning Research at MIT, he is also one of the founders of
the Media Arts and Sciences Program and the MIT Media Laboratory. He has
been the Director of the Epistemology and Learning Group since it was
established in 1985.

Commenting on the award, SPA Executive Director Ken Wasch, said "Seymour
Papert truly is a pioneer in his field. A number of creative thinkers have
followed Papert, but no one has had a more profound influence on the
evolution and revolution of computers in education."

The prestigious SPA Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to an
individual who has, during his or her lifetime, made outstanding
contributions to the development and growth of the PC software industry.
Past recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award include Bill Gates of
Microsoft Corp., Steve Jobs of NeXT, Alan Kay of Apple Computer, Steve
Wozniak, co-founder of Apple Computer, and Rear Admiral Grace Hopper, US
Navy. Individuals are nominated by members of the trade and general press
and the SPA Board of Directors, and the SPA membership selects the
distinguished recipient of this award.

The Software Publishers Association is the principal trade association of
the PC software industry. Its 1,000 members represent business, consumer,
and education software firms around the world. The SPA has offices in
Washington, DC, and Paris, France.

Software publishers Association
1730 M St, Northwest, Suite 700, Washington, D.C. 20036
202-452-1600,  Fax: 202-223-8756

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