Section 6-Getting an IDT Position

Section 6-Getting an IDT Position

Chapter 24-Getting an ID Position

The first job I found is for an Education Technology Facilitator at The Hotchkiss School, a boarding school in Connecticut.  According to their advertisement they are looking for someone that “provides leadership, assistance, and mentoring in the implementation of technology and communication tools to support teachers in their delivery of the curriculum”.  They also require experience teaching, working with teachers, and extensive experience in the effective use of technology in the classroom required. They are looking for a “team player with excellent organizational and time management skills to handle multiple projects simultaneously”.  A bachelor’s degree, excellent customer service, and communication skills are required.   Although I have never been in a leadership role specifically in implementing technology into classrooms, I have extensive experience in leadership roles including those of Site-Based Committee Chair, PTA Vice-President, and Team Leader of the English Department.  I hold a bachelor’s degree in English and already possess the skills and experience needed in the field of education.

The second job I found that peaked my interest (I almost considered doing this as my profession) is that of a counselor at a public school.  Lovejoy ISD is looking for someone to “work with school faculty and staff, students, parents, and community to plan, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive developmental guidance and counseling program at school assigned”. The applicant should be able to “counsel students to fully develop each student’s academic, career, personal, and social abilities and address the needs of special populations students”.  From my years as PTA Vice-President, I am very adept at working with faculty, staff, parents and the community.  As an Assistant Principal/Athletic Director/coach’s wife, I have mentored and unofficially counseled many students in my district for years.  The counseling  job also requires a minimum of two years teaching experience, which I have completed, and TEA requires a Master’s degree in guidance counseling and a valid Texas counseling certificate.  Although I have a minor in psychology, I did not continue my education in this line and do not now possess a master’s in counseling or a valid counseling certificate.

The third interesting job I found is to teach English to Russian adult students.  This can be done from my home using the online communication tool, Skype.  I included the original job listing because I thought the small grammatical issues with translation were interesting. We are looking for native English speakers to teach English online. We are Russian Online company and most of our students are from Russia, Ukraine. We offer one-on-one English conversational practice with native speakers through skype. Briefly about job position: - we are looking for responsible English tutor with serious approach for classes and love to teach - one to one classes by 45 min (mostly with students from Russia aged 25-50) - teaching fee is 10 usd per 45 min (money is paid by PayPal, we cover transfer fee) - our student's peak time from 17:00-23:00 according time zone/UTC +3 Moscow time - working days: Monday to Friday (Saturday\Sunday - possible) - we are interested in long-term employees, teacher's plan should be predictable at least for nearest 12 month so that not to change time of classes for students - we are interested that teacher can work at least 4-6 hours per day - teacher get students gradually if tutor succeeds with a few students, constantly we make all schedule busier It is a part time, home-based job, and you can do it when it is a good time for you. Technical requirements (you will need to have) a) Reliable Internet connection b) Headset (headphones and a microphone) + «Webcam»

           There only requirements are an internet connection, a headset and a Webcam.  I now have this capability and if I had had this opportunity when I was always at home with my children, it would have been a really wonderful way for me to contribute to the family income.

Chapter 25-Getting a Job

            I completed the skills profile that I found through a link on the Department of Labor’s website.  http://www.careerinfonet.org/skills/skills_final_report.aspx

            This profile validated what I already knew.  I am perfectly suited for the life of a librarian.  I was, however, surprised that it also came up with the career of proofreader that I originally had in mind when I graduated from Austin College.  It was also no surprise that athlete and archivist were mentioned as well because I am immensely competitive and driven and also highly organized. 

Job type	Your skills match
Librarians	86.8% ( 33 of 38 skills)
Library Technicians	64.0% ( 16 of 25 skills)
Library Assistants, Clerical	51.9% ( 14 of 27 skills)
Gaming Change Persons and Booth Cashiers	50.0% ( 2 of 4 skills)
Proofreaders and Copy Markers	42.9% ( 3 of 7 skills)
Archivists	37.9% ( 11 of 29 skills)
Athletes and Sports Competitors	33.3% ( 2 of 6 skills)
Medical Transcriptionists	33.3% ( 2 of 6 skills)
Meter Readers, Utilities	30.0% ( 3 of 10 skills)

Chapter 26-Professional Organizations

Professional Organizations:  I examined the Association for Educational Communications and Technology, American Society for Training and Development, and American Educational Research Association.

Mission:  Mission statements are taken from the organization.

 “AECT is an international professional association dedicated to providing leadership in educational communications and technology by linking professionals holding a common interest is the use of technology and its application to the learning process”. http://aect.site-ym.com/

ASTD’s mission is to “empower professionals to develop knowledge & skills successfully”.  http://www.astd.org/ASTD/aboutus/missionAndVision.htm

The American Educational Research Association (AERA), a national research society, strives to advance knowledge about education, to encourage scholarly inquiry related to education, and to promote the use of research to improve education and serve the public good.  http://www.aera.net/AboutAERA/Default.aspx?menu_id=90&id=40

Cost of Membership:  I didn’t realize how expensive these professional organizations can be.  The prices ranged from $40 for new graduate students to $400 for corporations per year.

Publications: AECT’s iTech Digest Winter 2012 and their Open Content Portal, T+D (ASTD’s monthly magazine), Infoline, ASTD Research and many epublications, AERA’s Educational Researcher, American Educational Research Journal, Journal of Educational and Behavioral Statistics, and Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis,  and each site has different webcasts and many books.

Conferences and meetings: AECT holds their 2012 International Convention, Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) Research Symposium, and the International Student Media Festival.   ASTD holds their 2012 International Conference and Exposition, World Class Benchmarking: Seeing Success in Action, Learn from the BEST, ASTD STADA Asia Pacific Conference, and their ASTD TechKnowledge 2013 conference.   AERA has their annual meeting and the Annual Brown Lecture in Educational Research.

Opportunities for Professional Development:  Many of these sites have forums (ITForum) to join that allow people from all over the world with similar jobs and interests to talk to one another and share ideas.  AECT was calling for papers to be presented at their annual conference and a biannual symposium.

ASTD was filled with a number of different conferences and speaking opportunities.  There are webcast that a member can attend to hear speakers address varied topics.  ASTD also provides education programs worldwide.

AERA, in collaboration with other IDT institutions, has many fellowships and grants available.  This site has links to other research associations and their resources.

Professional Publications:  I reviewed the American Educational Research Journal, Educational Technology and Society, and Practical Assessment, Research and Evaluation.

Focus/Goals of the journal: 

“American Educational Research Journal-Statement of Purpose  The American Educational Research Journal has as its purpose to carry original empirical and theoretical studies and analyses in education. The editors seek to publish articles from a wide variety of academic disciplines and substantive fields; they are looking for clear and significant contributions to the understanding and/or improvement of educational processes and outcomes. Manuscripts not appropriate for submission to this journal include essays, reviews, course evaluations, and brief reports of studies to address a narrow question”. http://aera.net/publications/?id=315

“Educational Technology & Society seeks academic articles on the issues affecting the developers of educational systems and educators who implement and manage such systems.  The aim of the journal is to help them better understand each other's role in the overall process of education and how they may support each other.” http://ifets.info/others/

“Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation (PARE) is an on-line journal supported entirely by volunteer efforts. Its purpose is to provide access to refereed articles that can have a positive impact on assessment, research, evaluation, and teaching practice.” http://pareonline.net/

Submission Guidelines:  All following guidelines are taken from the publication’s website.

“Specifications for Manuscripts
The preferred style guide for all AERA journals is the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 5th ed., 2001. The only exception is the Social and Institutional Analysis section of the American Educational Research Journal. Contributors to that section may, if they wish, useThe Chicago Manual of Style, 15th ed., 2003

If a manuscript that is accepted for that section does not use author-date citation, the author will need to reformat it for publication in author-date style, following either the APA or Chicago manual. Manuscripts should be typed on 8 1/2 x 11-inch white paper, upper and lower case, double spaced in entirety, with 1-inch margins on all sides. The type size should be at least 10 pitch (CPI) or 12 point. Subheads should be at reasonable intervals to break the monotony of lengthy text. Words to be set in italics (contrary to the rules of the style manual) should be set in italics, not underlined; sentence structure should be used to create emphasis. Abbreviations and acronyms should be spelled out at first mention unless they are found as entries in their abbreviated form in the Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th ed., 2003 (e.g., IQ needs no explanation).Pages should be numbered consecutively, beginning with the page after the title page. Mathematical symbols and Greek letters should be clearly marked to indicate italics, boldface, superscript, and subscript. Requirements for Computer Disks
A 3.5-inch computer disk should be sent to the editor once an article has been accepted. (The disk may accompany the manuscript for book reviews.) The computer file must contain all revisions and must agree with the final version of the manuscript. We prefer a file in Microsoft Word for Windows, but can convert from RTF and WordPerfect. Tables and figures should be included on disk and hard copy.”

“Please make sure that your article is within 7000 words (including everything - title, author names, affiliations, abstract, keywords, main body, references, appendices - everything). Papers that are longer than the maximum limit may experience significant delays in review process, as they will be sent back to authors at whatever stage we notice this problem.  All peer review publications will be refereed in double-blind review process by at least two international reviewers with expertise in the relevant subject area. Book, Software and Website Reviews will not be reviewed, but the editors reserve the right to refuse or edit review.”

“Manuscripts to be considered for Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation should be short, 2000-8000 words or about eight pages in length, exclusive of tables and references, and have clear generalizable implications for practice in education, certification, or licensure. They should conform to the stylistic conventions of the American Psychological Association (APA).”

Peer reviewed:  AERJ=yes, Educational Technology and Society=yes, PARE=yes

Online:  AERJ=yes, Educational Technology and Society= yes, PARE= all online.

            Two of these of the organizations I had never heard of at all. I have actually used AERA in previous assignments and thought that it would be a useful resource.  However, I don’t have the cash flow to subscribe to too many organizations besides the few I am already a member of, like TLA.  I have examined AERJ before and found some information that was helpful to my graduate work.  I am interested in further examining PARE because I think it could contain information relevant to my career in the library.

Chapter 27-Performance Technologist

I would use the 1988 ibstpi competencies and the code of ethics.  I think the 2004 ISPI/ASTD PT Competencies are too broad and do not take into account necessary specific skills needed to be a performance technologist.  I would definitely use the first 4 competencies that deal with effectiveness, systematic approaches, individual accomplishment and outcomes, and results of performance.  In using the mandates and values, I would pick and choose several that I think are more important in today’s world. 

#1-I would leave out the life-fulfilling end.  All work should be done in a socially responsible manner.

#2-Serve individuals/organizations within the context of work.  I believe that a PT candidate should be able to distinguish between work goals and his/her own personal goals.

#4-Support goals that impact society as a whole.  As ‘global’ as our world has become, it is important to realize that what one person does affects others in some way, shape, or form.

#6- Help clients make informed decisions.  I think this is one of the most important aspects of PT candidates.  Knowingly leading clients to make bad decisions based on false information is very unethical and just plain dishonest.

#7-High standard of ethics.  I think that if all humans used a high standard of ethics, the world would be a much better place.  I cannot abide dishonesty or shifty ways either in a person or a company.  If you are going to do something, then do it right.

#8- Privacy.  Privacy and the protections of those rights are crucial in our society.  But, I do not believe that those that are found guilty of knowingly propagating bad business should be guaranteed the rights.

#10- Dealing with peers.  Honesty and integrity are two of the most fundamental behavioral aspect humans possess.

#11-Sharing knowledge.  Allowing the profession to grow and evolve helps all who are involved.

#12- One’s ideas- Knowingly taking credit for the work of another destroys trust and the sharing of knowledge.

Section 5: Trends and Issues in Various Settings

Rapid Prototyping-Ch.18

            The idea of rapid prototyping can be used in education any number of ways.  I have used it previously when constructing a new unit on a novel in my middle school reading class.  I did not complete the entire unit at once before I used in my classroom.  Instead, I created each individual project and paper, gave them to my students to complete, and then analyzed how the students did and surveyed how they felt about the work.  The unit goals stayed basically the same, but each assignment continually evolved and refined as each group of students gave their input on what worked and could be made better. A positive outcome was that the students took some semblance of ownership in the new unit because they had valuable input into the creation of the final product.  Using technology makes this process much easier in that written (typed) materials are easily edited and new activities can be easily found on the internet to replace those activities that did not work well in the classroom.

Full-Spectrum Diagram-Ch.19 

Here are many different examples of full spectrum taining: https://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&aq=0&oq=full+spectrum+training&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4TSNF_enUS445US447&q=full+spectrum+training&gs_upl=0l0l1l276815lllllllllll0&aqi=g4

            In Scenario 3: Full-Spectrum Training in the textbook, I found myself thinking that it seemed that several men were not trained sufficiently in the first place.  It seems that the sergeant, RTO, and the crew chiefs should have been better trained before they were deployed on the mission.  But, I am fully aware that this is not how it happens in real life in the military or anywhere else in the normal civilian world.  Soldiers must train when and wherever they get a chance.

The RTO is very important in the flow of crucial information from the resource to the soldiers who are in need of training.  His ability to connect the men to the needed information is a priority.  As a consultant, I would suggest that the military invest in more portable, adaptable, and user-friendly training methods.  The sergeant in the scenario seems to be stuck without the materials, namely current manuals (in the scenario), needed to accomplish his job of training his men.  To train on the job, those responsible for the training need to make sure they are prepared to do the training sufficiently and thus avoiding costly human errors later in the mission.  Current, up-to-date information is essential in situations where life and death scenarios are played out on a daily basis.

In this day and age it seems like everyone has their own ‘hotspot’ on their personal iPhone. It is hard to imagine a situation where the availability of electronic access to technology does not exist.  Even if you imagine you are in the deepest part of a desert where electricity has not yet reached, technology that is able to connect anyone anywhere to military and commercial satellites is already a reality in today’s world.  The DLRC is an example of this type of on the site training.  Efficiently powering the devices that actually provide the training without the use of electricity is a problem that is soon to be no more.  With smaller, more efficient, and  portable solar power stations or pods, soldiers in the farthest reaches of deployment can still have access to training modules.

Methodologies in Staff Development Activities-Ch.21

                           thefmduffygroup.com            For Step-Up-to-Excellence, I would first introduce the basic premise of the SUTE process and lay out the various roles people play within the process.  I would then hold a staff development activity that asked the attending staff to place people that actually are connected to our district into the different roles and teams required for the SUTE process.  This placement of real people into various roles ensures that the staff doing the activity examines and comprehends what specific responsibilities for which each leader, team member, and individual role player will be held accountable and examine who in our district has the qualification to be considered an asset if functioning in that specific role.

The breakdown of the discrete events needed in GSTE (p. 212) to enable ecological systemic change look very daunting.  For a GSTE staff development workshop, I would begin by stressing that every member of the district is not expected to participate in every single event, but that it takes a combined effort to accomplish the entire process.  Many in this district already share a number of the core values underlying GSTE, but I would still define and elaborate on several of the terms that are present in the district personnel, but may be less obvious.  I would take each phase and examine: what is required from those that will fill those roles, what is needed from campus/district personnel, and how everyone no matter their position can offer their input.

Faculty Development-Ch. 22

health.usf.edu

      Collin College

Names for faculty development:  professional development

Division:  Human Resources-Professional Development

Services:  Teaching and Learning Center

The mission of the Teaching and Learning Center (TLC) is to help Collin faculty learn and master teaching technologies online and in the classroom. The staff of experienced instructional designers provides workshops, creates tutorials, and is available for one-on-one assistance and consultations.

When and what programs:  There are continuing education classes offered year round and from a variety of places, if approved.

Professional Development- The Office of Human Resources and Organizational Development provides district-wide professional development programs, primarily for staff and administrators, and coordinates special events involving college staff as well as outside community organizations. Professional development guidelines specific to full-time faculty and staff include:

• Professional development courses must be related to your current job.
• Any class listed in the Continuing Education (CE) schedule is eligible if approved by your supervisor as work related.
• Distance Learning classes are eligible if approved by your supervisor as work related.

Professional development guidelines specific to part-time faculty and staff include:

Part-time faculty and part-time staff who are assigned to work at least 15 hours per week may attend Continuing Education classes or Professional Development workshops that are necessary for improved job performance, as directed/required by the supervisor.

Time spent by part-time non-exempt staff members who attend required training must be reported on the employee’s timesheet as work time.

 TAMU-Commerce

Names for faculty development:  training and development, employee development, leadership development, continuing education, faculty support.

Division:  Office of Vice President for Institutional Advancement

     Training and Development-Faculty Staff Services

Services:  Training and Development provides several programs for both managers and employees to help them improve their abilities and skills as employees of Texas A & M University - Commerce.

When and what programs:  Positive Performance Management, Employee Development, Strengths Based Leadership, Strengths Finder, Services Excellence, Active Shooter, Blood borne Pathogens, and Hazardous Communications.

There is a complete list of all training courses at: http://www.tamu-commerce.edu/td/CourseCalendar.aspx

http://web.tamu-commerce.edu/aboutUs/policiesProceduresStandardsStatements/facultyHandbook/campusLifeResourcesServices/campusResources/continuingEducation.aspx

• The Department of Counseling offers an annual continuing education conference known as Murphy Day to recognize Dr. Harold D. Murphy’s contributions to the profession of counseling at the university. The event has grown to become the best and most affordable opportunity for professional growth and continuing education for counselors and other human service workers in educational, agency, and business settings.
• The Department of Curriculum and Instruction hosts the annual Bill Martin, Jr. Symposium in honor of the world renowned children’s author that donated his professional library to Texas A&M University - Commerce. The purpose of the symposium is to provide Bilingual, Early Childhood, Mid-Level, and Secondary education teachers with creative and innovative methods for invigorating their pedagogy.
• The Department of Educational Leadership offers a variety of workshops and conferences through their Center for Career and Technology Education, Center for Community College Education, and Meadows Principal Improvement Program.
• The College of Business and Technology through the Center for Professional Department provides executive education and professional extended learning opportunities to individuals, groups, and community organizations who desire advanced achievement.
• The College of Education and Human Services offers a broad selection of educator certification programs approved by the State Board for Educator Certification. Specifically, the Center for Educator Certification and Academic Services provides alternative educator certification, educational aide certification, field-based educator certification, and professional educator certification.

TAMU Commerce

Names for faculty development:  Faculty Development

Division:  Office of the President-Committees and Councils-Faculty Development & Grants

Services:  A variety of continuing education and professional development opportunities are offered at Texas A&M University-Commerce. 

When and what programs:  The following are listed online at:  http://web.tamu-commerce.edu/aboutUs/administrativeOffices/committeesAndCouncils/facultyDevelopmentGrants/workshopsConferences/default.aspx

• A&M-Commerce Faculty Development Fall 2007 Workshop Series
• Strategies for Facilitating Student Learning.ppt
• Interpreting IDEA Results.ppt
• J.Humphreys 11.15.07.ppt
• E.Faulkenberry 11.15.07.ppt
• Department Head Leadership Fall 2007 Workshop Series
• Association of American Colleges & Universities: Links to upcoming workshops and conferences.
  http://www.aacu.org/
• Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) Winter & Summer International Faculty Development Seminars:
  http://www.ciee.org/IFDS.aspx
• IDEA
  http://idea.ksu.edu

Non-Instructional Solutions-CH. 14

When I taught middle school reading several years ago, the reading scores on the standardized test were not where we, the teachers and administrators, wanted them to be and improving reading habits was one of our strategies to increase test scores.  So, Accelerated Reader was introduced.  After the initial rise in reading habits due to the excitement over having tests on the computer (and not written) passed, we discovered that many students did not sustainably increase their reading habits.  This absence of increase was not from the fact that they lacked instruction, lacked access to computers and time to test, lacked immediate feedback, or lacked teacher support.  As with most middle school age kids, the students lacked an INCENTIVE which held meaning for them.  Increasing test scores were incentive enough for the faculty, but the kids needed something more tangible.  Hence, the AR store was born.  Students used accumulated points, gained by reading and sufficiently completing tests, to ‘buy’ candy, trinkets, free time, and other rewards.  This AR store worked wonders in increasing reading habits and test scores because it was filled with things that the students wanted and would work hard to gain.

A small video promoting Accelerated Reader is at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wy8GREdfXIk

                                                         

Electronic Performance Support Systems

1.  An Electronic Performance Support System (EPSS) is any computer software program or component that improves user performance.

2.  In Electronic Performance Support Systems, published in 1991, Gloria Gery defined EPSS as:  an integrated electronic environment that is available to and easily accessible by each employee and is structured to provide immediate, individualized on-line access to the full range of information, software, guidance, advice and assistance, data, images, tools, and assessment and monitoring systems to permit job performance with minimal support and intervention by others.

3.  Also in 1991, Barry Raybould gave a shorter definition:  a computer-based system that improves worker productivity by providing on-the-job access to integrated information, advice, and learning experiences.

4.  From a business perspective, a former Nortel Networks executive, William Bezanson (2002) provides a definition linked to application usability and organizational results:  A performance support system provides just-in-time, just enough training, information, tools, and help for users of a product or work environment, to enable optimum performance by those users when and where needed, thereby also enhancing the performance of the overall business.

Above definition from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_performance_support_systems

5.  (EPSS) A system that provides electronic task guidance and support to the user at the moment of need. EPSS can provide application help, reference information, guided instructions and/or tutorials, subject matter expert advice and hints on how to perform a task more efficiently. An EPSS can combine various technologies to present the desired information. The information can be in the form of text, graphical displays, sound, and video presentations.
["Electronic Performance Support Systems: How and Why to Remake the Workplace Through the Strategic Application of Technology", Gloria Gerry, Weingarten Press].
(1997-10-24) http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/electronic+performance+support+system

I prefer the first definition because it is the broadest and most general.  The way I understand EPSS is that it can be any computer component, however complex or simple, that improves a user’s performance.  I have in mind the example of my personal computer which has all of the software and links I need to be an efficient and productive student.  I have been able to use my laptop to do everything I have needed to do so far in my online courses.  I see myself as a main designer of my own EPSS because I have picked what software and hardware I needed to make my laptop an efficient performance station. 

Knowledge Management and Learning-Ch.16

            Earlier this school year I helped my husband, an assistant principal, assign high school students to a tutorial program.  We used the online information from the school’s KM system to retrieve student test scores, current class schedules, and the educational history of students.  Our problem was that, although we were awash in important and very useful information, the numbers and facts did not tell the complete story of each student.  To place the students in the best possible tutorial, we used the explicit online information PLUS my husband’s (and other teachers’) tacit knowledge of each individual student.  Although the online information is indispensable, my husband cannot determine his decisions based solely on online student information.  The information in the KM system cannot tell what a student is like or what is going on with the student at a particular time.  A principal’s decisions still need to take into account teacher observations, peer interviews, classroom participation, and direct interaction with the students.  This blended approach is much more effective in truly determining what is best for a student.

Informal Learning-Ch. 17

            Informal learning takes place just about every moment of every day (much to my dismay when it comes to my children and what they learn on the playground).  Much of informal learning is unplanned, but it can also be sought out and premeditated.  As an adult, I try to place myself in situations (especially within the school building) where I can learn from watching other teachers and administrators interact with one another and with students.  I fully believe that “learning is driven by the real-life situations that arise” (Reiser, 2007).  At home (on the computer), I assume a different role depending on the situation.  Sometimes I am the learner, either eagerly seeking information or randomly acquiring knowledge from surfing the internet.  Other times, I am the instructor imparting some knowledge I have (like farming) to someone else that needs it.

         Since I made a Facebook account, I have learned many things (besides gossip) informally from friends.  This learning was definitely engaging because it usually concerned something I was interested in.  There usually did not seem to be a learner/instructor relationship.  It was more of one where both parties were equal. 
          I stay in touch with several librarians via email to ask questions about my work in my graduate classes.  This type of informal learning is also quite useful though not quite as engaging.  I am usually seeking certain information that I could not locate in a textbook or supplemental reading so the instructor librarian is typically answering my pointed questions and then adding in any tacit knowledge that he/she thinks I might find useful.  In addition to the online librarians, I use several mentor librarians that I can see face-to-face regularly.  I watch, listen, and ask them a multitude of questions most of which have nothing to do with my specific coursework.  I feel I benefit from casual conversations with them just as much as I would if I was reading a textbook. 

Much of the knowledge I have acquired lately has been gleaned from my own online searches and random surfing.  In this aspect, I am more of the facilitator/instructor in that I determine what knowledge I might learn.  Normally I don’t set out to “learn” something every time I get online, but by following links to things that peak my interest, I have found all kinds of knowledge that helps me in many aspects of my life.