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31 percent of teachers reported assigning practice drills and

30 percent reported assigning research using the Internet to a moderate or large extent (table 2). The ways teachers direct students to use computers or the Internet varied by instructional level, main teaching assign- ment, and the school poverty level. Elementary school teach- ers were more likely than secondary school teachers to as- sign students practice drills using computers (39 versus

12 percent) and to have their students use computers or the Internet to solve problems (31 versus

20 percent). Second- ary school teachers, however, were more likely to assign research using the Internet (41 versus

25 percent). Teachers in the lowest poverty schools were more likely to report assigning students work involving computer applications, research using CD-ROMs, and research using the Internet to a moderate or large extent than teachers in the highest poverty schools (table 2). Teachers with more professional development in the use of computers and the Internet over the last

3 years were more likely to assign students various types of work involving computers or the Internet. For example, teachers with more than

32 hours of professional development were more likely to assign problem solving (41 percent) than were teachers with

0 hours (14 percent) or those with

1 to

8 hours (24 percent), graphical presentations (31 compared with

10 and

16 percent for the same groups), and demonstrations or simulations (29 compared with

8 and

13 percent for the same groups). How well prepared do teachers feel they are to use computers and the Internet in their teaching? When teachers were asked to focus specifically on the vari- ety of potential uses of computers or the Internet in the class- room,

23 percent of public school teachers reported feeling well prepared and an additional

10 percent reported feeling very well prepared to use computers and the Internet in their teaching (table 3).1 Teachers who reported assigning stu- dents work that involved corresponding with experts, au- thors, or students from other schools were more likely to

3 The Stats in Brief series presents information on education topics of current interest. All estimates shown are based on samples and are subject to sampling variability. All differences are statistically significant at the .05 level. In the design,conduct,and data processing of NCES surveys,efforts are made to minimize the effects of nonsampling errors,such as item nonresponse,measurement error,data processing error,or other systematic error. This Stats in Brief was prepared by Cassandra Rowand ofWestat. This Stats in Brief was desktopped by Allison Pinckney and Carol Rohr of PCCI. For further information or additional copies,contact Edith McArthur at 202C502C7393 or e-mail Edith_McArthur@ed.gov. NCES publications are also available on the Internet at http://nces.ed.gov. Table 3.―Percentage distribution of teachers with access to computers or the Internet at school according to the level of preparedness they feel to use computers and the Internet by school and teacher characteristics:

1999 School and teacher Not at all Somewhat Well Very well characteristics prepared prepared prepared prepared All public school teachers with access to computers or the Internet at school

13 53

23 10 School instructional level Elementary school

12 55

23 10 Secondary school

15 50

23 12 Percent of students eligible for free or reduced-price school lunch Less than

11 percent

10 53

25 12 11C30 percent