In The I-Files I aim to provide Durack learners and teachers with easy and direct access to Internet resources that are interesting, informative, instructive, interactive. I hope that some will be inspiring.  The goal is to extend productive use of information and communication technology in our school community.  

The original The I-Files was conceived for similar purposes in 1995 at Ironside State School, where I was Teacher-Librarian from 1987 to 2000. The files began as a set of web links on a single internet connection, grew and evolved and migrated to a part of the intranet I constructed on the school LAN, and then came into public view on the first Ironside website, also my work. Comments from users indicate The I-Files were being used by many Ironside students and by several other Teacher-Librarians and their clients, especially in the local area. Feedback also arrived from the US, Canada, Singapore, UK, Brazil, and other far-flung places.

Since my departure for Durack State School (also as Teacher-Librarian) in 2001, the Ironside I-Files lay unattended and starting to decay, though still widely used, for over 12 months.  Their digital demise early in 2002 with the reconstruction of the Ironside website was brought to my attention by colleagues in other schools asking if I was going to publish something similar at Durack.

So.... though I believe an old version still resides on the Ironside LAN, I hereby reclaim the concept (morally at least - my employer,Education Queensland, undoubtedly holds any legal rights), and present the latest incarnation of The I-Files.  The source of the name is obvious, I hope, from earlier statements.

The selection of links and topics for students is very specific to the needs, interests and abilities of students at this school, with some attention to extending their horizons. All the usual criteria are of course considered - accuracy, authority, ease of use, and so on - but that is the prime consideration.

I have also expanded the files, incorporating resources for teachers (focussing on the incorporation of ICT use in our curriculum) and separating resources for older and younger learners.

If The I-Files meets the needs of another school in whole or part, please feel free to use, copy, improve on it (Let me know about the improvements!). The greatest satisfaction I can get from this is to know that others find it useful and valuable.

Ray Poultney, Teacher-Librarian (1974-   )

Durack State School, June 2002.