In 1997, student use of computers at home and school generally increased with family income . Teacher Preparedness As new instructional practices and technologies make their way into the classroom, they are requiring fundamental changes in how teachers work and prepare themselves to teach. Helping teachers to meet these new demands has become a major focus of school reform efforts. Some students are being taught core academic subjects by teachers who are not certified to teach those subjects, but certification requirements are increasing. Increasingly, teachers are being required to have a thorough grounding in the subjects they teach so that they can guide their students effectively through the material and respond knowledgeably to questions and comments.
Equity is a concern.
Many teachers do not consider themselves very well prepared to handle some of the new demands being placed on them, but they are more likely to feel prepared after they have participated in related professional development activities. How well prepared teachers believe they are to meet some of these new demands is associated with their participation in related professional development activities. In 1998, teachers who had participated in 8 hours or more of professional development in selected areas in the previous 12 months were more likely than other teachers to consider themselves very well prepared in those areas. Percentages based on teachers who teach such students. Teachers report that regular participation in collaborative activities improves their teaching.