Why Use AwesomeStories? - Preface

Schools across the country are spending billions of dollars on technology.This movement is not only reasonable, given today's work world, it is mandatory.

Cutting-edge technology has created an environment where information on almost every subject imaginable can be accessed by anyone with a computer, cell phone, or tablet. Never before in human history has so much information been so available. Educators know that access to this wealth of knowledge needs to be available to students and integrated into all curricula.

Not only have they spent precious funding, schools have also expended time, effort and energy into strengthening broadband connections to make sure that students have Internet access for their devices. Schools also provide massive amounts of cloud or server storage for student and teacher use, as well as for administrative purposes.

In short, much progress has been made as schools prepare for the inevitable use of online resources, textbooks and digital tools to take student learning to a higher level.

Bandwidth and devices are more available, but schools must offer students a different classroom experience than traditional student-teacher interactions. This is where schools face their biggest challenge. As education journalist Stephen NooNoo put it:

Schools today are technology rich, but integration poor.

Keeping NooNoo's observations in mind, let's consider Alan November's Transformational Six Questions:

1.    Did the assignment build capacity for critical thinking on the web?

2.    Did the assignment develop new lines of inquiry?

3.    Are there opportunities for students to make their thinking visible?

4.    Are there opportunities to broaden the perspective of the conversation with authentic audiences from around the world?

5.    Is there an opportunity for students to create a contribution (purposeful work)?

6.    Does the assignment demo “best in the world” examples of content and skill?¹

In other words ... are we integrating 21st-century learning needs and methods with available technology? 

In the following chapters—listed in the "Media Stream" on the right side of this page and in the "Table of Contents" at the top—we'll explore the challenge of meaningfully integrating technology in classrooms. You'll see that everything about AwesomeStories not only engages and motivates students, it also effectively, cohesively and safely promotes use of the Internet's abundant knowledge warehouses.