This project aims to provide classroom resources to improve all types of reading skills. These are to be as low cost as possible and thus in the reach of even small schools. The aim is to maximise use of creativity and existing resources to limit use of software licences. Resources such as Microsoft Frontpage, Publisher, Word, Paint, Excel and Powerpoint are provided with many computers and are also more common on home computers. Editing software will be required. When using the Internet extensively for teaching purposes, it is important to save material to the hard drive as access to sites can change.

Activities are based on a computer lab rather than individual PCs (reasons such as listed in Skrzeczynski in Henri, J. and Bonanno, K. The Information Literate School Coomunity. Best Practice, Wagga Wagga: Centre for Information Studies, 261). This lab has 8 PCs. Half the class uses them at a time in pairs. PCs need to be networked and have voice recorders. The computer lab needs to have easy access to the resource centre to foster use for information literacy activities. Equipment such as a data projector, scanner, digital camera and digital video camera are suggested.

A technician is needed. Teachers will not use computers if they are are not reliable. A small school can employ a technician who specialises in school networks, for one day each week of term and then on an at call basis. This provides problem fixing and and upgrading the network.

Implementation of computer graphics tends to escalate as staff develop skills. Thus, the program changes with time and skills are often introduced at younger grades. The program also tends to move from mainly presentation, to more use as a learning tool.

Learning outcomes must come first. Activities should be integrated into the curriculum. They should consider McCutcheon’s (McCutchin, R. Tobin, K & Koehler, A. (1992) Graphics: A Visual Language. Milton: Jacaranda, pp. 65-91) model to evaluate use of graphics. Students should be taught critical skills about the effectiveness of different graphics, graphic sequencing and purposes. They need to be taught to reflect on each stage of their learning with more emphasis on process, rather than an end product.

Computer skills should be integrated with information literacy skills. This can be promoted by using a continuum which combines both, as well as literature objectives. This continuum can be flexible, but provides a focus for developing skills.

Skills can be taught both by the teacher/librarian and teacher through collaboration. With a small lab, it is necessary for the class to be divided and rotations used. Most primary schools do not have computer specialists, so it is an important part of the Teacher/Librarian’s role to update and monitor information and computing skills and literature outcomes, to assist with curriculum development across all year levels, and to resource the curriculum. Similarly, the Teacher monitors KLA outcomes, chooses unit themes and most assessment, as well as many other areas of responsibility.