Participate: 1.1.1 Character Traits Quest

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An exemplary citizen within a digital learning community is not unlike an exemplary citizen in a typical, real-life community. These individuals should practice discernment and safety, and the digital citizen should be connected with other members of the digital community.


Discernment:
An exemplary digital citizen will intentionally evaluate the validity of all content before perpetuating it in any fashion. This requires the digital citizen to think critically before sharing any found information and analyze the reliability of the source. When a digital citizen recognizes that a piece of information found within the digital community is not valid or not authentic, the citizen should consciously avoid redistributing that material. Discernment is vital amongst all digital citizens in order to maintain the quality of the material found therein.

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Safety:
An exemplary digital citizen will be mindful of legitimate safety concerns and will take the appropriate precautions to avoid these threats. These precautions include using virus protection software, routinely backing up data in multiple formats, and performing regular maintenance on all hardware and equipment. When these precautionary measures are in place, all members of the digital community will reap the benefits of a safe online community.

Connect:
Finally, an exemplary digital citizen is connected and well-versed in recent trends in online research and social media, and the citizen has an electronic network of like-minded peers who he/she interacts with frequently. Staying connected is such a vital part of a digital community because those relationships can encourage digital citizenships to grow personally and professionally.