I attended a 2 part  online webinar and workshop dedicated to advocate for digital equity for everyone.  The host of the Webinar was  COABE (Coalition on Adult Basic Education).  According to their website, their mission is to “inspire educators so adults succeed and communities thrive. We provide leadership, professional development, advocacy, and communication services that encourage greater consciousness and cultural competency in our interactions with teachers, administrators, adult learners, and our partners.  We are committed to using our platform and influence to celebrate, engage with, and listen to all adult education communities and divBy going over the guidelines to follow, this webinar illustrated good digital citizenship. They used the chat box and the hand raising mechanism for inquiries, suggested that participants minimize background noise and kept their laptops on quiet, and asked that they treat each other with respect. It was also made sure that everyone knew that the webinar will be recorded by the host.  erse voices of our field.”  (Coalition on Adult Basic Education, 2024) 

 

During this webinar, a  panel of “experts” presented a variety of "possibility models" of effective and replicable techniques from throughout the United States, with the goal of further assisting adult education leaders in realizing their own significance in this national focus on digital equity.  During the webinar, there were three speakers from different organizations discussing how they increased digital equity in their state.  The webinar featured presentations from three distinct groups.  Out of the three presenters, two were more interested in helping organizations boost efficiency by offering a digital product.   

 

One Kansas-based group battled to allow inmates to use tablets and the internet in order to complete their GED and college degrees.  Additionally, the organization ensured that all eligible prisoners could use digital services.  Sacrum Technologies and the Sedgwick County Jail in Kansas collaborated to launch a new initiative that would allow prisoners to pursue education and maintain stronger family ties.  Job search tools, thousands of e-books, self-paced learning resources like Khan Academy, access to legal libraries, religious knowledge and rituals, and dozens of podcasts on addiction and mental health are just a few of the many possibilities available to prisoners at no cost.  

 

 By going over the guidelines to follow, this webinar illustrated good digital citizenship.  They used the chat box and the hand raising mechanism for inquiries, suggested that participants minimize background noise and kept their laptops on quiet, and asked that they treat each other with respect.  It was also made sure that everyone knew that the webinar will be recorded by the host.  I demonstrated digital citizenship by following the guidelines during the webinar.  I listened and took notes so that I could remember the information that I needed.  I made sure to write my questions in the chat and I respected the presenters and the other participants in the webinar.  

The Digital Equity Champions for All Learners: Preparing Adult Education Leaders for Upcoming Digital Equity Opportunities webinar would fall under digital access, equity, literacy and citizenship.  Sacrum Technologies assisted in acquiring the tablets for the inmates, teaching the staff and inmates to safely use digital technology.  Inmates are allowed to check out hundreds of "community" tablets from the jail twice a day in increments of two to three hours.  For a $5 monthly subscription charge, however, they can also be customized and offer premium applications, downloaded media, and phone-on-tablet calling.  Sedgwick County Jail initiated the program in November of 2023 in all of its housing units.   It is important to mention that Secrum Technologies is  the parent company of JPay, a service that offers a convenient way send money to inmates for a fee.   

References

Coalition on Adult Basic Eduaction. (2024, January). Our Story – Coalition on Adult Basic Education. Coalition on Adult Basic Education. Retrieved March 17, 2024, from https://coabe.org/our-story/

Leiker, A. R. (2021, January 4). Kansas County Jail Inmates Receive Access to Tablets. Government Technology. Retrieved March 17, 2024, from https://www.govtech.com/public-safety/kansas-county-jail-inmates-receive-access-to-tablets.html