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Helps adult learning organizations advance education with technology.
Before we meet Michelle and see how she shows up as a Digital Citizen in her workplace, take a second to think:
what does being a Digital Citizen mean to you?
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Tap on BLUE BUTTONS to make choices.
Michelle is a single mother who works in a small factory that develops plastic moldings for electronics.
She has worked there for several years, is well-liked by her co-workers, and is valued by her supervisors.
She is known to be kind, reliable, and quick to learn new things when presented with new technology to put into use on the production floor.
Michelle, can you show me how to change the VPT setpoint on this new system again?
Sure, here’s how it works...
One fall, her child became very ill and had to go into the hospital.
And Michelle needed to take time off of work.
The factory offered each employee two weeks of vacation time and two weeks of sick time per year.
Sick time could only be used with a doctor’s note saying that the employee could not attend work due to illness or injury.
Quickly, Michelle’s two weeks of vacation time were used up caring for her child.
Michelle requested to use her sick time so she could maintain her pay.
I know my vacation time is used up, but my child is still sick. Can I use sick time?
I’m sorry, Michelle, but you can’t do that. You can only use sick time if you yourself are sick and can’t work.  That’s the rule.
This is not fair. I’ve got this paid time off, and I can’t use it when I need it - and I rarely get sick!
this connects to
practice 3c
Digital Citizens are willing to challenge systems, procedures, and technologies that promote biases or perpetuate racism and inequity.
Michelle spoke with several coworkers, and learned THAT WHAT SHE WAS EXPERIENCING was a common problem.
I ran into that, too, when I had to take care of my father.
I’ve got my kids full-time, and I wished I could use sick time when I lost daycare last summer.
That week my car broke down and because I couldn’t get to work, I couldn’t get paid.

The system just isn’t set up to help people with real-world challenges.
It seems like my colleagues who are people of color are the ones most affected...
this connects to
practice 3a
Digital Citizens expand their perspectives, develop greater empathy, and support more inclusive and equitable workplaces using digital tools and resources.
Michelle did some research online to see how other companies handled paid time off.
She learned that many companies don’t distinguish between sick and vacation time.
It’s all in one pot that the employee can use how they need to.
This doesn’t seem so hard. I wonder if my factory could do this?
Michelle gathered her coworkers’ stories and posted them, along with the request, on a digital petition.
this connects to
practice 3b
Digital Citizens use technology in a safe, legal, ethical, and culturally mindful manner in order to advance inclusion and equity in local and global communities.
She circulated the petition among her coworkers.
The higher-ups considered their request...
...and agreed to try out the new system starting with the next quarter.
Before we go on…
How important do you think Digital Citizen skills are to being successful in life and work?
Somewhat
Very