The Role of a HS Media Specialist

For a recent discussion post on coursework for KSP 630-01 Materials for Young Adults, I made some comments on the HS literacy plan for my school district :
"There is little to no independent reading assigned,"  which provoked the response, "So the students are never introduced to modern YA books?" If they are, it is not through the school.
The plan also calls for the monthly and weekly PLC meetings to include specialist teachers in the implementation of Common Core Language Arts standards. Great ground work for collaboration, ...if it was in effect.
I went to talk with administration about my role as a Media Specialist in the high school, wanting to find somewhere to begin. I was told that the Union insisted I be given the same duties as a classroom teacher, and when it came to collaboration, "the teachers would never go for it."  So there I was, demeaned to supervising study halls and tech practice programs in the media center. I was not to be given time to work with individual ELL students or those on 504 plans. I was not be involved in any planning for the library's future, with the unstated opinion that developing literacy and libraries are far from the top of priorities.

Then I read one librarians belief...
"We have a lot of needs here and our kids normally don't read, and we need to do everything that we can to get our kids to read because they deserve it.  It can make a difference in your life.  It could mean you go read a book instead of doing something that is not good for you."
So I believe I must state my case again, share what expertise I have developed and work towards collaboration by gaining support for goals that will benefit everybody.
First, to answer the Union I include a link to the responsibilities of the job as posted by the school board.  They do not include teaching, but developing, evaluating, supervising, informing, promoting, establishing, participating, assisting, maintaining, training, updating, ordering and maintaining.

The article Teacher Librarians: Their roles in reading support outlines these responsibilities in greater depth. According to this UNI research collaboration is the key! Collaboration between staff should help develop and promote the library collection, provide appropriate professional development for teaching staff, and assist in the effective implementation of reading initiatives throughout the school.
True collaboration only occurs between equal partners, each executing different but important aspects of instruction.  I was advised to think of my role as a servant leader to allow others to see the value of my contribution, especially in technology.  I begin by providing the teachers with products for their needs, then suggest other materials or programs. Inserting myself into the Language Arts PLC's will also help.  There is money available but ordering is time consuming and new technology requires training.  It would be easy to just write off the HS media center because students have one-to-one Chromebooks and "don't read anyway." But there is much to be done, and the students deserve an equal chance.

Research shows that better readers are given a choice of materials they enjoy, opportunity to read in school, and access to materials of the highest quality.
This means we must stock the HS library with 'light reading', that which leads to a better attitude towards independent reading. The school can provide materials that the parents will not wish to buy.  To enhance the element of 'choice' students shouldn't be forced to read something in which they had no part in picking. They will only see it, and the required AR tests as punishment.
Most students will find their choice of reading material in the media center if the library is stocked with modern YA books that students will want to read. It is up to the teachers and media specialist to collaborate in finding those books that both support the curriculum and bring pleasure. When in the media center students must also be allowed a choice of how they read: with a partner, in a book group, out-loud, on audio-tape or smartphone, or alone in a comfy quiet corner.

Leading Through Equity 

Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it is faced. 

— JAMES BALDWIN

Introduction to Technology in Education

The 'Intro to Tech Education' is part of a masters course for Media Studies.  Although not primarily aimed at grade school teaching, it introduces different levels of tech integration for both learners and instructors. Most of us are comfortable learning to perform a familiar task using new technology, it makes us more efficient.  We are also open to using familiar technology in a different way and provide us with more options. However, this course pushes educators to use new technology to perform some previously unimaginable tasks. That is where it gets uncomfortable. And teachers are unlikely to want to put themselves into a situation where they are experimenting with something new (a possible failure) in front of a class.

The weekly assignment consisted of making a Pecha Kucha presentation, sharing it with an online group, taking questions and recording the joint session.  The whole thing made me uncomfortable because, not only did I have no idea what 'Pecha Kucha' was, but I was anxious to have others see and record my ignorance. I Googled "Pecha Kucha', used Slides to make a presentation, and set up a time to make a group video call on Hangouts. My anxiety only increased.  I really didn't know what I was getting into.  I was only pretending to know what I was doing for the sake of my group.

[My Pecha Kucha presentation is on a visit to the out-of-the-way abandoned Buzludzha monument in Bulgaria. We had sketchy directions, heavy snow and no obvious way in... but the effort was definitely worth it.  What a place!]

I prepared as much as possible before hand. I was ready...but very nervous. We  all remember that presentation that failed, where the video refused to play, the connection dropped, the system crashed.  So much could go wrong.... and did! My group didn't get the Hangouts invite, the picture kept disappearing, the recording stopped after 10 minutes and started replaying, the sound went off, and there was a lot of waiting for different group members to get it together. I totally understand why many teachers don't want to go there.  When technology fails then it wastes time and resources, forcing us back to the drawing board. So why try?  Why not stick with what we know?

We must believe that the effort in the end is worth it, because we are effectively "leveling up" our objectives and starting to broaden our expectations.  I not only got through the assignment (our group received full marks), but I felt like I had gained experience points and joined a higher rank.  One comment made by the instructor was about how we were there for each other, helping out our group-mates and collaborating with shared know-how.  The final result was more than enough to empower us to take on more new challenges, and to see where they will take us. If you stay with what you know works, you never find the unimaginable.

Reddit: Up or Down Vote

When living in Kuwait I started following @kuwaitup2date on Instagram.  This was the first time I had used social media for something other than keeping in touch with friends. The posts included upcoming events, some items for sale and lots of organic material from people's car cams and cell phones.  Everyday there was at least one car on fire, the occasional sand storm and one instance of camels running free on the highway.  These posts supplied me with a window into Kuwait culture and the business of everyday life in the desert.
At the same time social media was in the press for its role in bringing about change in the north Africa, and it involvement in the American elections. The 'haters' were all over Facebook and Youtube,  growing rich off of people's outrage.  Steps were taken to moderate and police these kinds of media.   However, some might also reason that following these activities, ideas and individuals, help users make sense of their society and communities.

About the time I started using Facebook and Instagram, my sons stopped. They moved on to Snapchat to message friends and Reddit to keep up to date. Reddit became their main source of information and news. "How do you know?" I'd ask; "I saw it on Reddit," was their answer. I imagined the app to be similar to my reading a Time magazine, or Newsweek.  Not only did I not understand the social and organic nature of Reddit, I was unaware of its popularity.
It has over 1.64 billion users, from over 186 countries, viewing over 6 billion pages. You will find literally everything on Reddit. Its popularity is partly due to its up/down voting feature. Posts receiving more up-votes will rise to the top and be seen by more people.

You can browse posts, but you will not be able to vote or comment without opening an account. On my recent visit to the site I found this video of Simone Biles' ceremonial first pitch and front flip with 49.5k upvotes and 2.4k comments.  Another feature which draws viewers is the fact that its traffic is 99.98% organic, in other words, on 0.02% ads.  With such a huge volume of posts the user is forced to choose and discard what they see. They cannot see it all, so they join communities that follow different interests. For example: the Simone Biles video was posted in r/sports subreddit.

I asked my sons how these communities work. One son belongs to many gaming subreddits where members share tips or ask questions.  Where I might ask Google, he asks his subreddit buddies, or will browse the discussions. This is mainly due to his growing interest in gaming and game development.
My younger son developed an interest in musical theory. Through various subreddits he found others with similar interests and described to me how they learn from one another.  These communities have certainly shaped his interests and social awareness.

Through their teenage years they went to Reddit seeking knowledge online, and seeking their place in the world. They were connected with people like them, and fortunately did not align themselves with raving lunatics.
Most educators would stay away from Reddit because of the explicit and unmonitored content. But students will access this content anyway, and there is much to be gained from helping them navigate through the truths and falsehoods online.
I believe Reddit has helped my sons move on to explore multiple perspectives and has provided them with rich connections.  But more than anything, it has helped them find their real interests, and people who share this passion.

Digital Footprint Reflection

I have three sons with different online habits. My oldest was banned from the military installation we lived on because of a Facebook post of underage drinking. He now rarely uses Facebook, only Snapchat. My middle son is a computer science major and is constantly warning us of our online behavior consequences. He hates Apple and was using WhatsApp for its encryption service.  We considered him slightly paranoid when he ditched his smartphone for a classic Nokia candy bar phone.  But when I noticed odd ads on my Facebook feed, he claimed they had access to my credit card purchases. When 'Googled',  these two men show no footprint.
My youngest son was not brought up with a smartphone and had become very anxious of social media.  Then he became a musician and was told he needed to expand his social media presence. That resulted in a photo shoot and global sharing of his music online.  I follow him on Instagram and he is definitely ...'out there'.
I managed to avoid the whole social media scene for years while I lived and worked abroad. Then one day a friend of a friend suggested I should start a travel blog.  Before I knew it I was hooked.  I had few views (most in Russia), but lots of positive comments. When I got a job as a Media Specialist I was told that I must do much more to both promote myself online, and to follow current tech trends through podcasts, twitter and professional collaboration. On the other hand, I am also told to teach my students to do exactly the opposite: they must keep a low profile, respect privacy and copyright. 

This sudden self-exposure to the online digital world had me feeling quite smug about the North Star Digital Literacy assessment.  To my surprise, I failed.  The areas I need to work on include the importance and consequences of a digital footprint, and the use of cookies. I realize that I have only just scratched the surface of what is really happening.  I started expanding my awareness through the readings and some Youtube videos.
4 Reasons to care about your digital footprint  (published by The Internet Society) gave me many more than four reasons to be concerned about privacy and unethical handling of our personal information online.  At this point I started to get concerned and join my middle son in his approach to minimizing our digital footprint.  Then I listened to Rethinking Digital Citizenship  published by ISTE (2018) where Richard Culatta redefines the importance of a digital footprint. He says that technology should be used to make our community better and to connect with others respectfully.  Instead of focusing on the dangers, we should be doing good and posting kindness.

 This reminded me of a project I involved my elementary students in last February.  I suggested they make a Valentine's card using ABCYa Paint.  They naturally wanted to hand these out, but I was reluctant to run my printer dry with their messages and suggested they email them. They loved the idea, and sent them all over the school. Teachers and principals were inundated, and friends sent encouraging notes to each other digitally.  I then showed them how to save these to the screensavers of the computers in the lab.
And what if someone took an image they didn't create and sent it on? The more sharing the better.

My students and I had stumbled upon the "remix" mentality described by Doug Belshaw in The Essential Elements of Digital Literacies TEDx. He illustrated this using memes.  Memes use other peoples images and ideas to create a new message. The "Hacker Ethic" believes that information and tools should be free in order to provide users with the means to create solutions in the digital world. Do I really need to go out and take my own photograph if I can more easily find an image online? Not necessarily, if I am not going to use that image for my monetary gain, but to better the world we live in.  Students need to understand this more than they need to understand copyright laws.  And as easily as they find an image online, others will be able to find their ideas and images as well.

Not long ago, I posted this photo on my travel blog during a visit to Croatia. Without my knowledge, a local artist downloaded and edited the photo, adding a comment about hobbits. This was then shared by a friend on Facebook.  I was immediately offended that my photo was "stolen" without giving me credit for the photo. Looking back, I realize that, unless I am a photographer trying to increase my professional recognition, it is really a nonissue.  If my intent of publishing the original photo, was to provide others with the viewing pleasure, then it served its purpose.  The artist enhanced this purpose.

In conclusion, I think it best to compare our digital footprint to gardening. We all have digital space and opportunity to 'grow' information online. We have a choice in what we 'seed'.  I should know not to seed 'weeds' because they will not bring me or anyone else benefit.  So I choose to seed 'produce' that will feed me and my neighbors, or improve the quality of our lives.  If I intend to make my 'garden' a business, then I need to make sure I produce what others want, expand if necessary, and deliver it to them ethically. That being, all gardeners must look out for 'critters' that will steal or consume our produce.  There are ways of safeguarding our product from theft and misuse. It is not necessary to become so alarmed that we dig up the garden and pave it over with concrete.  It is possible to have a healthy 'garden'.
I will continue to work on creating a healthy online digital presence for both myself and my elementary students.

What Killed the Library?

There is no doubt that our libraries are changing: adding technology and subtracting quiet reference spaces. When I was young I visited my school library to do homework, read a magazine or check out new novels.  We had no study halls, and the library was the only spot to hang out during our free periods. As a beginning teacher I relied on the library to supply my students with reading and reference materials.  Now that I am a school librarian I find that those are no longer reasons to use a library or media center.
The truth is that most teachers have a wealth of reading material in their classroom libraries and find it so much more convenient to keep these at arm's reach.  And one-to-one devices such as Chromebooks and iPads have completely changed the way we do research.  When teachers want students to look something up in a book they will find means to have a set of such books in the classroom. That leaves nothing up to chance.  There is no longer any need to seek out the library or computer staff to find materials, and scheduling no longer depends on media center availability. 

So as the classrooms become more self-contained, the library books gather dust.  Some schools have done away with both libraries and computer labs.  They found that the only use for these areas was to house a study hall or give the elementary teachers a much needed break from their class. But in other schools the libraries didn't go away, they evolved into Media Centers, Maker Spaces and Cooperative Learning areas.
I found myself redefining my library space, both for High Schoolers and Elementary.  First I had to determine what I could provide that the classrooms could not.  For High School it was easy.  They wanted a space to print out and display their work.  There was a need for craft supplies, paper and printer.  The area had large tables for making large banners along side a paper and die cutter.  I had originally thought teachers may want the space to be an alternative setting for students to make up tests and quizzes.  But it became more of a cooperative space where students could collaborate without disturbing classmates in their normal classroom routine. The space was used heavily before and after school for homework and checking out Chromebooks.  The books on the shelves were never checked out, although they would get leafed through while students waited for the computer to load. 

The elementary was more of a challenge because each class was dropped off for a 25 minute period in order to give each teacher a break.  There is little more that could be accomplished during that short time other that allowing students to browse and check out books.  The challenge came when students either forgot to return their books, and could not check out new ones, or they simply didn't want to check out a book from the library.  One fourth grader explained that all the books he could possible want to read were either in his classroom or at home.  These students were using the time as recess, a break to socialize or relax. 
After setting up science tables, building and craft materials, and puzzles, I allowed the students to socialize while working together on one of these activities. The time limit was still an issue, and students wanted to maximize their time in the media center which led to disputes over who got to do what, instead of collaboration.  Some activities, like the small robot, had to be 'checked' out like a book would be, and students would take turns according to the waiting list. Both a joy and a challenge was the way most students prefer to work together than individually.  They crowd round the Legos and leave the craft table empty.  Although I want students to work together, and have their choices reflect their interests, I don't want students to follow the crowd blindly, rushing to the next hot idea. I want them to develop their interests and follow their passions, individually or as a small group, in a way that would not be possible in a classroom where all are following the same curriculum.  So students need to be both forced to try new things, and left to develop their strengths.
Traditional school libraries are all but dead.  However, the three C's of Cooperation, Communication and Collaboration are keeping these areas alive by bringing students together in ways that a normal classroom cannot afford to accommodate.

Ready for Kindergarten

I consider Kindergarten teachers superheroes. They bring their classes to the media center in silence and drop them off for 20 minutes of adorable chaos. The little ones crawl around the floor like cats finding a spot to settle. They poke each other then find it necessary to tattle on the poker.  Everyone of them wants to speak to me at once, telling me about what just happened or about what they wish for. They find it hard to sit still during story time, as every book page needs to be commented on and peered at closely. And just as I believe I have got their attention, I notice one slinking off behind a bookshelf, and another creeping towards the computer lab.   I also have students swear they "forgot" their books at home, when I know they were returned days ago. It is hard to convince a 5 year old that the books they left the library with are now back on the shelves.

Then I bump into the same children walking in a line through a crowded hallway.  They all have their mouths closed and cheeks puffed out as they walk silently.  Instead of greeting me verbally, they waggle a "mini finger wave" in my direction.  Some stop to give me a hug, but don't break ranks or hold up their line. I was definitely impressed!  I started to watch their teachers to see what I could learn from them.  "Bubbles in!, Hand by your sides," were the magic words, somehow helping them to focus on their behavior instead of what others were doing around them.
My responsibilities in the school include a 12th grade advisory which meets for 20 minutes a week with me. The seniors barely greet me, get out their phones and lie on the floor. I leave them be, hoping to avoid a confrontation over rules and how mean all the teachers are. One girl who, due to a troubled upbringing and other factors I can't begin to understand, hasn't matured emotionally much past that of a Kindergartener.  She calls me names and has temper tantrums.  I don't think the "Bubbles in!" concept ever worked on her.  I started to dread my 20 minutes with her each week.

Other staff considered me lucky to only have to put up with her for 20 minutes!  "Just ignore her'" they said. So I found myself watching the clock, both with my seniors and my Kindergarteners, hoping it would pass quickly.
The Senior advisory was given the task of making a tie blanket for a children's home. When I tried to rally them into the planning, they politely ignored me, hoping I'd let the whole thing go. After all, no one expects seniors to do anything. But I went ahead and ordered the fabric, believing that even so, the blanket would never get made.
To my surprise my homeroom immediately took charge when they saw the fabric, not letting me in, even on the cutting.  When our short time was up, the group all left except my foul-mouthed friend. She stayed on through her study hall to finish the blanket by herself.  And in the process of cutting and tying, she transformed into a focused productive being, ready and willing to help out in a civilized manner. And the next time we met I asked for some creative assistance with a elementary project. Once again the seniors came through and worked cheerfully.

I changed my attitude towards those 20 minutes: they were too short to waste, and I better make the most of those precious minutes with each student 5 years through 18 years.
I try to find creative tasks for them to do, which they can focus on, participate in rather than merely observing. If they know the story I'm reading, I let them take over it's telling. I encourage them to focus on their own behavior, and no one else's. "What are you interested in?" "What will you choose to create?" And yet they still need to work with others.  A team of four children will build one Lego castle; friends will read the same book together; and at the computer one student will ask his neighbor, "How did you do that?"
As one student was leaving the media center he remarked to his friend, "I wish I could live at school!"  And just like that I was already looking forward to his next visit to the media center and what would come out of it.
Suffer little ones to come unto me... I'm ready!

Fourth Grade Boys vs Girls

My long study thesis in the final year of my undergraduate degree was THE STUDY OF CHILDREN'S ATTITUDES TOWARDS MATHEMATICS WHILE WORKING IN A GROUP.  My findings showed a distinct difference between boys and girls in the upper elementary school.  Boys, irrespective of their ability level, are more likely to act out and draw attention to themselves in a social situation.  The witty retorts, the exaggerated actions and mindless noise making, are all part of their repertoire.  They feed on the attention and have little regard for the image they are portraying. Good or bad, attention is attention.  In math this allows them to jump in with a answer without fear of being wrong, and also without much thought.   In this way they are always part of the action, and in their mind, part of the solution.  The boys enjoy group work and their self-confidence grows.  

Girls do not mind working with others on two conditions: that they can lead the group undisputedly or are allowed to work independently within the group without having to share any of their work.  I notice girls who are unsure of their abilities become very quiet and shy in a social group situation. Other girls will take over in a "teacher" role, where they offer to help others appear to be doing a task without any hope of success. Either mode serves to hide the fear and uncertainty they feel when asked to solve a problem or perform a task. This fear of perceived failure keeps many students from the chance of learning within a group. 

I notice this with my 4th graders who come to the Media Center.  I find my attention drawn to the lively boys who are often way off target, and need constant redirecting. The girls shrink into the background and I hardly notice that they are quietly doing nothing.  Whenever I introduce a new tech project I am overwhelmed by the number of boys who ask me what to do and how to do it.  They haven't listened to directions, obviously.  When I lift my head to look past the boys, I see that the girls haven't moved and seem to have no intention of starting.  They are just waiting out their time till they are released from class.   I am discouraged by both attitudes.
We are now working on coding using a math site that allows them to program the movements of a turtle around the screen.  They need to learn basic programming to do this and become aware of angle degrees and distances.  I have given instruction on the basics, but students will need to do most on their own.  The boys are anxious to get going, while the girls are not even looking at the screen.  The boys crash and burn, ask for help and are throughly engaged. 

The girls... not so much.  If I take the time to check what they are doing, I find that most have cheated in some way, using an existing program, to make it appear that they know what they are doing.  They expect my praise, and are surprised when I ask them to start again, with their own work.  It then becomes apparent that they haven't a clue.  I have shamed them and they lose the little interest they had in the activity.
Similarly the boys will accomplish something quite by accident, and expect my praise. When I ask them to repeat the 'accident' or explain how they did it to someone else, they fail, and lose interest.
You see my struggle.  I have found some success with identifying one boy who has understanding of the task, encouraging his success, then letting him interact with other boys in the class.  I can't be certain of their outcome, but there will be something happening and some learning occurs.  I take on the girls singly or in pairs. They need step by step directions when no one else is listening.  They still want my approval and the chance to share their success with me only.  They don't want their work on show, neither do they want to discuss it with an outsider.  They quietly thrive on praise from me and independent success.
If there are 10 to 12 girls in a class, I hardly have time to go round and spend individual time with each one in a 20 minute class time.  But I hope to work towards the chance to build each girl's self-confidence. 
In my mind this tuba-wearing student is undoubtedly a boy, or at least one with the attitude of most boys I teach.  A girl would rarely take the chance to look a fool.  But the real question is not what the sex of this student is, but whether what they are doing will result in music education.  I am not about to debate the learning roles of girls and boys, nor advocate for single sex classrooms, I am looking for understanding into how I could use such a moment as a teachable moment for both boys and girls.

Second Graders Explore Media

Similar but Different

Second graders don't clump, they spread out.  They divide and conquer the Media Center.  I watch other age groups following the pack, crowding the Lego table, and choosing the same books to read as their classmates.  It is hard to entice them to go out on their own with the suggestion, "Why don't you try this?"

The second graders scatter.  I see them prowling the shelves hunting books and have it on record that they check out more books than any other grade level. Their interests are varied and they will all but attack the Craft table to produce their unique creations. I love this inquiry and curiosity.  The challenge is reigning them in for group time on the rug.
Some might say that there is no need to read aloud to this group.  They will probably find the books they like by themselves.  But there must be something to which I can introduce them.  I have started bringing a collection of books to our class time.  They are quick to tell me which they have read, which they want to hear again.  I hope to show them a connection between the books: same author, sequel to, same theme, similar to...
So together we tackle book reviews.  These students are very articulate when it comes to expressing their views and reasons for their choice.  They can cite supporting details and find similarities and differences.  The session usually ends with me showing half a dozen students where to find similar books in the library. 
They are becoming quite adept at finding books about animals, jokes or poetry.  I always say that this age is the most rewarding in a Media Center.  They build together, flaunt their creations and always want to take things home. They will make me cards and make cards for their teacher. They are excited to show off what they have made. 

 All this creativity can become chaotic.  Right now we are working on making Alphabet books using Google Slides. Their need to show off each picture and page to whoever is nearby can become quite noisy.  "Look at mine!" leads to "How did you do that?" Like the first grade, they are learning from each other, but not by imitating, but by challenging and assessing. I noticed two girls who had similar pictures on their alphabet slide show. I asked them about it and they were quick to point out how they were similar but different.  Although they rarely look for my approval or permission.  They are doing their own thing and are quite proud of it. I will often give these students extra free time in the Media center because I know they will take full advantage of it. "Can we work on our projects?" they ask, and off they go.  Most important to them is how they will show off their finished presentation.  Printing is quite important.  They like a concrete representation of their unique success.

First Grade Media

 I am learning on the job.  This is my first year teaching Tech to grades K-4 in the Media Center.  I have an area with 24 desk tops, one color printer and a Smart-board. I teach each class once a week, and with each failure I evaluate and tweak the next lesson.  I also teach three sections of each grade level, giving me three chances to get it right.
My learning experience began with discovering what students couldn't do, and helping them to become independent. Initially I found that first graders cannot sit at a computer station and, at the same time, follow directions shown to them on a smart-board. So I began starting each lesson with the students clustered around my demonstration on the smart-board where I used a mouse instead of the touch screen to be as much like the students' own experience.  Even if we were doing the same as last week, the students benefitted from the reminder. 
After sending the first graders to their computers I trusted them to independently find a site and navigate the different choices at the website.  My thinking was that they would learn from what they were interested in, and the element of choice would be their motivation to explore the site.

I introduced my first class to the San Diego Zoo official site, where the homepage displays the menu.  I showed them how to search for an animal (not very user friendly search engine), taught them how to use the back button, and pointed out how to find the live cams. The menu included activities and games.  Neither of these are age appropriate, but that is where my 6 year olds went first. They spent their short 20 minutes struggling to load and understand the games, scrolled through the activities and asked if they could leave the site for one they had done earlier. It didn't help that the animals where not appearing on the live cams, probably because it wasn't feeding time.
With the next class I approached the games head-on.  I gave the students a link to more age appropriate games that they could try after exploring the zoo.  With this I inadvertently lessened the appeal of the official zoo site, and gave the students the impression that it was something just to click around before moving on. Even in the short amount of class time, the students still race from activity to activity and don't really settle on any one. In one way they have become independent in their ability to navigate the websites, and their choices are causing them to move at a frantic pace. 
I often find that the third time is a charm.  As my last class came in I tried to slow things down.  I bypassed the unfriendly search option, and the games, and went straight to the live cams. We tried the elephants first, confident that we would see an animal.  The children's attention was immediately captured and they would have happily watched the elephants all day.  So... I let them.  They reluctantly allowed me to move to another live cam: the penguins.  Fortunately there was a penguin to view, but not much action.  I resisted the urge to click away and try another enclosure.  As we shared the experience together a huge shark suddenly came into view. The whole class gasped and jumped. Now that they were hooked, I sent them to their own computers, knowing that they would continue to enjoy the experience there.
And the experience did not cease to be collective. Classmates alerted others to the sightings of tigers, pandas and polar bears in the water.  Together they rejoiced in finding out that patience is rewarded by a change of camera angle, allowing previously hidden animals to be discovered.  The virtual experience of visiting a zoo in San Diego was complete.


 What I learned:
First graders will follow my lead to a point, but are more affected by the whole group experience.  They learn more from each other than they do from the technology.  They are excited to discover, and to share their learning.
The whole group time at the beginning of the class is very important and shouldn't be rushed.  It sets the tone and the purpose for the time at the computer.
I have to make sure I communicate a clear objective for the class time.  If I want students to explore and navigate around a site, then that is all they will do.  If I want them learn from a particular experience at the computer, then I must model my willingness to spend time on that. 
First graders are bombarded by choice and will often go back to a previously mastered site rather than try something new and challenging.