Promoting Continuous Academic Improvement in Young Learners
AWE Learning’s Commitment to Addressing Illiteracy in Children Ages 2-12
Early childhood learning is one of the strongest predictors of long-term academic success (Heckman, 2006). Libraries play a critical role in this ecosystem not just as places to access books, but as community learning hubs that support literacy, school readiness, and lifelong learning.
This white paper explores how structured, interactive digital learning tools can help address one of the most persistent challenges in education: early literacy gaps among children ages 2–12.
AWE Learning has spent over 30 years developing solutions designed specifically for libraries, providing safe, engaging, and developmentally appropriate learning experiences that help children build foundational skills through play.
By combining research-backed approaches with accessible technology, libraries can expand equitable access to digital learning and support school readiness. These solutions also create meaningful opportunities for continuous academic growth. Ultimately, they strengthen communities by helping children build the skills needed for academic success, future employment, and lifelong learning.
Why Early Learning Matters
Children between the ages of 2 and 12 are in a critical stage of development, where cognitive, social, and emotional growth intersect with foundational academic skills. During this time, early literacy plays a defining role in shaping future academic success.
In the United States, literacy challenges remain a pressing concern. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, only about one-third of fourth-grade students are reading at a proficient level, with many falling behind before they reach middle school. These challenges have been further compounded by pandemic-related learning loss, which has widened existing gaps.
Early literacy struggles are often linked to long-term outcomes, including lower academic performance, reduced confidence in learning environments, and limited access to future educational and career opportunities.
At the same time, the role of libraries is evolving. Today’s libraries are expected not only to provide access to books but also to support early learning, digital literacy, school readiness, and equitable access to educational resources. This shift presents both a challenge and a powerful opportunity for libraries to make a lasting impact on their communities.
The Challenge: Supporting Learning in a Digital-First World
Today’s learners are digital natives, but not all digital experiences are created equally. While technology has the potential to enhance learning, libraries must navigate several challenges in delivering meaningful digital experiences.
Many children still face access gaps, lacking reliable devices or high-quality educational content outside the library. At the same time, caregivers and educators are increasingly concerned about screen time, seeking options that provide real educational value rather than passive entertainment. Libraries are also being asked to expand programming and services without additional staffing, making scalability a key concern.
Additionally, not all digital content is created with learning outcomes in mind. Many tools prioritize entertainment over skill development, making it difficult for libraries to confidently recommend or provide digital resources.
To effectively support their communities, libraries need solutions that are safe, easy to manage, developmentally appropriate, aligned with learning goals, and designed for children’s independent use.
The Opportunity: Digital Learning Done Right
When designed thoughtfully, digital learning tools can play a powerful role in supporting early education. They can improve literacy and language development, increase engagement and time spent learning, and provide consistent opportunities for skill-building beyond traditional programming hours.
Research shows that interactive, guided digital experiences are significantly more effective than passive screen time, especially for early learners (Hirsh-Pasek et al., 2015). These types of experiences encourage active participation, reinforce learning concepts, and support deeper learning.
This is where libraries can play a unique role, providing “productive screen time” in a trusted, structured environment where children can safely explore, learn, and grow.
AWE Learning: Supporting Libraries and Communities
AWE Learning was built specifically to support libraries in delivering early learning experiences at a scale through productive screen time. Today, over 49% of U.S. public libraries use AWE Learning, with more than 38,000 workstations deployed nationwide. Through these workstations, millions of children have engaged with AWE’s educational content, helping libraries extend their impact far beyond traditional programming.
AWE workstations are designed to create meaningful, safe, and engaging self-directed learning experiences for children. They expand equitable access to literacy, STEM, and problem-solving skills while providing healthy, productive screen time through structured, interactive learning. At the same time, they allow libraries to extend programming without requiring additional staff time and offer valuable usage insights that support programming and collection decisions.
What Makes AWE Different
Unlike open internet computers or entertainment-based software, AWE is intentionally designed to support continuous academic improvement among young learners. Its closed, safe environment—free from internet access, ads, and external distractions—ensures that children remain focused on learning rather than passive consumption.
With over 250 STREAM-aligned learning modules, AWE content is structured to build skills progressively, helping children strengthen literacy, math, and critical thinking over time. This approach supports consistent skill development, reinforcing what children learn through repeated engagement.
Bilingual learning options further expand access, allowing libraries to better serve diverse communities and support language development for multilingual learners. Because the platform is designed for independent use, children can engage in self-paced learning experiences that build confidence and reinforce foundational skills.
Together, these features enable libraries to provide high-quality, repeatable learning experiences that directly contribute to closing literacy gaps and supporting continuous academic growth.
Innovation: Platinum Version 4
AWE Learning’s latest platform, Platinum Version 4, builds this foundation with enhanced performance, faster load times, and a redesigned interface tailored for early learners. Expanded content across literacy, STEM, and critical thinking areas ensures that children have access to a wide range of developmentally appropriate learning experiences.
For children, these updates support independent learning by allowing them to explore content at their own pace, without requiring constant staff assistance. Skill progression is built into the experience, helping young learners strengthen literacy, STEM, and problem-solving abilities over time.
For library staff, improved reporting tools and a streamlined customer portal enable more effective, data-informed decision-making. Libraries can track usage trends, identify which content areas are most impactful, and make informed decisions about programming, resource allocation, and future investments.
Impact: Libraries as Learning Hubs
Libraries are uniquely positioned to become “third learning spaces,” bridging the gap between school and home. With the right tools in place, they can:
- Support school readiness before kindergarten and reinforce learning beyond the classroom.
- Provide equitable access to high-quality educational resources for all children.
- Engage both children and caregivers in meaningful, skill-building experiences.
- Extend learning opportunities without increasing staff workload.
AWE Learning enables libraries to deliver on this role in a way that is scalable, sustainable, and deeply impactful for the communities they serve.
Addressing early literacy gaps requires more than access; it requires intentional, engaging, and equitable learning experiences.
Libraries are already trusted community institutions. With the addition of structured digital learning tools, they can expand their role even further—supporting children not just as readers, but as confident, capable learners.
AWE Learning is proud to support this mission by helping libraries provide safe, meaningful learning environments, equitable access to digital resources, and opportunities for continuous academic growth.
Together, we can help ensure that every child has the opportunity to learn, explore, and succeed.
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info@awelearning.com (610) 833-6400
Heckman, J. J. (2006). Skill formation and the economics of investing in disadvantaged children. Science.
Hirsh-Pasek, K., et al. (2015). Putting education in “educational” apps. Psychological Science in the Public Interest.
UNESCO. (2017). More than one-half of children and adolescents are not learning worldwide.
World Bank. (2022). The State of Global Learning Poverty.
