edWebinars
«Back to all edWebinars- This event has passed.
Digital Literacy and Well-Being as a Core Component of Career and Technical Education
Monday, November 9, 2026 @ 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm EST
Digital Literacy and Well-Being as a Core Component of Career and Technical Education
Presented by Jordan D. Renken, Executive Director, Metro Alliance of Career Readiness Organizations (MACRO); and Sue Thotz, Director of Education Outreach, Common Sense Media
Moderated by Jennifer Ehehalt, Senior Regional Education Manager, Common Sense Education
Sponsored by Common Sense Education
Learn more about earning a CE certificate and our accessibility features.
Watch this edWebinar with Jordan Renken, Executive Director of the Metro Alliance of Career Readiness Organizations (MACRO), and Sue Thotz, Director of Education Outreach at Common Sense Media, as they discuss the growing importance of digital readiness as a point of focus in effective career and technical education (CTE) and workforce development programs. They share how they're collaborating to close the gap between what employers need and how students are prepared. See how Common Sense Media's digital literacy and well-being lessons map to the Colorado Department of Education's Essential Skills framework, turning abstract competencies into concrete, classroom-ready learning.
We explore how these lessons address employer concerns around social media, online betting, attention span, and misinformation as a foundational part of career readiness. We share lessons and ideas that build personal skills like self-awareness and resilience as students reflect on their relationship with technology and what it means in a job setting.
Viewers can receive:
- A clear picture of the digital readiness concerns employers are raising and why they matter for your students
- A practical crosswalk connecting digital literacy and well-being lessons to CDE Essential Skills
- Ready-to-use strategies for weaving digital readiness into CTE pathways, advisory, and core classes
- Ideas from MACRO's work with partners on building career-ready learners across the region
This recorded edWebinar will be of interest to elementary through high school teachers, school leaders, and district leaders, as well as workforce development professionals. Whether you teach a CTE pathway, lead workforce programs, or simply want your students prepared for life after graduation, this session will give you the tools to help them thrive both online and on the job.
About the Presenters
Jordan D. Renken, Executive Director of the Metro Alliance of Career Readiness Organizations (MACRO), is a former K-12 math and physics teacher turned workforce development professional who is determined to use his platform and position to advocate for classroom solutions that many might say are just common sense. MACRO brings a big-picture approach to address the upstream challenges impacting a learner's capacity to learn, achieve, and stabilize. Jordan started MACRO to accomplish two things: build a community of K-12 and non-traditional postsecondary Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, and advocate for more holistic career-readiness education by combining the existing hard/technical skill framework of CTE programs with essential life and career skills such as soft/durable skills, financial literacy, workers' rights, mental and physical health/well-being, and digital literacy and well-being education. He says, "My generation was taught that cigarettes are bad, as a result a majority of us do not smoke. Maybe if we taught our children that social media is bad for your mental health, perhaps a majority of them would make the right decision."
Sue Thotz (she/her) is the Director of Education Outreach for Common Sense Media and Co-founder of Equity in Action CA. Based in Los Angeles, she has spent more than a decade partnering with educators, administrators, and district leaders to build cultures where students engage with technology meaningfully, safely, and with a strong sense of identity and belonging. Since joining Common Sense in 2011, Sue has led districtwide implementation of digital citizenship, digital literacy, and well-being curricula to create sustained, systemic change in how schools approach digital life. She holds a master’s degree in public health and undergraduate degrees in zoology and chemistry. She tries to find time to sail with her husband and two adult children.
About the Moderator
As Senior Regional Education Manager, Jennifer Ehehalt designs and delivers high-quality professional development opportunities for educators across the country. She spotlights thought leaders by creating and moderating conversations on timely topics relevant to digital teaching and learning. When attending Jennifer’s edWeb sessions, participants know they will leave with concrete strategies from the field, including how to build a positive school culture, use straightforward templates to guide challenging conversations, and implement family engagement ideas.
Join the Digital Learning & Leadership community to network with educators, participate in online discussions, receive invitations to upcoming edWebinars, and view recordings of previous programs to earn CE certificates.
Learn more about earning a CE certificate and our accessibility features.
Common Sense Education develops high-quality digital citizenship programs and digital teaching resources, providing educators and students with the digital learning tools they need to harness the power of technology for life.
