About Me/This Website

Hello, my name is Jeff, and I’m an ASU graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and a Master’s degree in Educational Technology. I paid for my these degrees largely out of my own pocket. In fact, I paid for my entire education in cash without having to take out a formal bank loan for tuition. I’ve been going to college and/or simultaneously working in academia for over 13 years, with a two-year break to serve as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, which was truly the best, yet most challenging and growing time of my life, so I guess that was in of itself an education.

What This Website is About:

This is my professional blog that incorporates what I do for a living (developing/using technology) and then integrate it with what I’ve learned about learning. Since I’m a software engineer at heart, a lot of how I think is as an engineer. It wasn’t always like this, though. My experience going through school to reach that goal, although enjoyable, was long and difficult as is for many other trades and disciplines. It was a trial of my faith as well as an opportunity to grow and help others. If I can help students learn how to learn better and teachers how to teach better through this website, then that’s what I’m trying to accomplish here. My audience is a mix of non-technical users along with technical people for those that like that sort of thing. If you are a hard-core web developer or consider yourself a ‘bit-flipper’ (can speak in ones and zeroes) that’s great! We could probably have an intelligent conversation. However you will probably find more technical articles elsewhere. If you have philosophical views or insights on teaching and learning or how human beings interact with technology and learn as a result, you will probably find some valuable things here.

Ok, so what?:

So what I am saying, here, is that learning is very important to me. In order to support my higher-education goals, I worked my way through school from ground zero with the following jobs:

  • Landscape maintenance worker
  • School bus driver
  • Woodshop laborer (I used to help make custom doors)
  • Courier
  • Retirement Home Van Driver
  • Student Technology Assistant
  • Computing Specialist for a Financial Planning Office
  • E-Commerce Programmer
  • Educational Software Developer
  • Technology Trainer
  • Website Developer
  • Church Youth Conference Counselor
  • Adjunct College Professor

What I have studied in school:

  • Music Theory/Composition
  • Psychology
  • Computer Science/Software Engineering
  • Educational Technology

What I enjoy doing with my knowledge:

  • Teaching technology with technology
  • Helping other people learn
  • Designing and building software and media that helps people learn
  • Sharing my knowledge with others

What I enjoy doing in my spare time:

  • Time with family and friends
  • Writing and performing music
  • Working with teenagers/youth
  • Bike riding
  • Serving in my church
  • Photography
  • Videography
  • Reading
  • Playing with technology (actually my job and my school studies do a lot of that for me already)