#Long-term retention

[maxlearnmicrolearningplatform]

Harnessing the Power of Spaced Repetition for Enhanced Learning: A Guide for MaxLearn

In today’s fast-paced world, effective learning methods are crucial for both individuals and organizations. Traditional learning techniques often fall short in ensuring long-term retention of information. This is where the concept of spaced repetition comes into play, offering a scientifically-backed method to enhance memory and learning efficiency. For MaxLearn, integrating spaced repetition into training modules can revolutionize the learning experience, making it more effective and sustainable.

Understanding Spaced Repetition

Spaced repetition is a learning technique that involves increasing intervals of time between subsequent review of previously learned material. This method is based on the psychological spacing effect, which suggests that information is more easily recalled if study sessions are spaced out over time. Unlike cramming, spaced repetition takes advantage of the way our brains are wired to forget and remember, thus enhancing long-term retention of information.

The Science Behind Spaced Repetition

The efficacy of spaced repetition is grounded in cognitive science. When we first learn something new, the memory of it is initially fragile and prone to decay. However, by reviewing the information at strategically spaced intervals, we reinforce the memory, making it more durable and less likely to be forgotten. This process is known as the spacing effect, first identified by Hermann Ebbinghaus in the late 19th century.

Ebbinghaus’s forgetting curve illustrates how quickly we forget information after learning it. Without review, our ability to recall information diminishes rapidly. Spaced repetition counteracts this by refreshing our memory just as it begins to fade, thereby strengthening the neural connections associated with the learned material.

Benefits of Spaced Repetition for MaxLearn

For MaxLearn, incorporating spaced repetition into its training modules offers several key benefits:

1. Enhanced Long-Term Retention

Spaced repetition ensures that learners revisit material at optimal intervals, which reinforces their memory and enhances long-term retention. This means that employees or students are more likely to retain information over extended periods, reducing the need for frequent retraining.

2. Improved Learning Efficiency

By focusing on the timing of reviews rather than the quantity, spaced repetition maximizes learning efficiency. Learners spend less time reviewing material they already know well and more time on areas that need reinforcement. This targeted approach reduces overall study time while increasing retention rates.

3. Personalized Learning Experience

Spaced repetition algorithms can be tailored to individual learning needs. MaxLearn can leverage data on learner performance to adjust the timing of reviews for each user, ensuring a personalized and effective learning experience. This adaptability is particularly valuable in diverse learning environments where learners have varying levels of proficiency and retention capabilities.

4. Reduced Cognitive Load

Traditional learning methods often lead to cognitive overload, where learners are overwhelmed with too much information at once. Spaced repetition breaks down learning into manageable chunks, reducing cognitive load and making it easier for learners to absorb and retain information.

Implementing Spaced Repetition in MaxLearn

To successfully implement spaced repetition in MaxLearn’s training modules, several steps should be taken:

1. Integrate with Existing Content

Identify key learning objectives and integrate spaced repetition into the existing training content. This involves breaking down information into smaller, digestible chunks that can be reviewed at spaced intervals. For example, a comprehensive training module can be divided into several smaller lessons, each with its own review schedule.

2. Utilize Technology and Algorithms

Leverage technology to automate the spaced repetition process. MaxLearn can employ algorithms that track learner performance and adjust review intervals accordingly. These algorithms can analyze data such as quiz scores, time spent on modules, and accuracy of responses to determine the optimal spacing for each learner.

3. Incorporate Various Learning Materials

Spaced repetition is most effective when it involves diverse learning materials. MaxLearn can include videos, interactive quizzes, flashcards, and real-life scenarios to reinforce learning. This variety keeps learners engaged and caters to different learning styles.

4. Monitor and Adjust

Continuously monitor the effectiveness of spaced repetition through learner feedback and performance metrics. Make adjustments to the algorithm and content as needed to ensure optimal results. Regular assessments can help identify areas where learners may be struggling and require additional review.

Practical Application of Spaced Repetition

To illustrate the practical application of spaced repetition, consider the following example in a corporate training context:

Initial Training Session

During the initial training session, employees are introduced to a new software system. The session covers basic navigation, key features, and common tasks. At the end of the session, employees complete a short quiz to assess their understanding.

First Review (After One Day)

One day after the initial session, employees receive a brief review module. This module includes a summary of the key points covered in the initial session, along with a few interactive exercises to reinforce the material. A second quiz is administered to gauge retention.

Second Review (After One Week)

One week later, employees revisit the material in a more detailed review module. This module delves deeper into the software’s features and includes more complex exercises. Another quiz is given to assess progress.

Subsequent Reviews (At Increasing Intervals)

The reviews continue at increasing intervals—two weeks, one month, three months—each time focusing on different aspects of the software and incorporating new exercises and quizzes. These reviews ensure that employees retain the information and are able to apply it effectively in their work.

Measuring the Impact of Spaced Repetition

To evaluate the impact of spaced repetition, MaxLearn can track various metrics:

1. Quiz Scores

Regular quizzes can provide insight into how well learners are retaining information. Comparing quiz scores over time can highlight improvements in retention and areas that may need additional review.

2. Completion Rates

Tracking the completion rates of review modules can indicate learner engagement and the effectiveness of the spaced repetition schedule. High completion rates suggest that learners are finding the modules manageable and valuable.

3. Feedback Surveys

Collecting feedback from learners about their experience with spaced repetition can provide qualitative data on its effectiveness. Surveys can ask learners about their confidence in retaining information, the perceived usefulness of review modules, and any challenges they encountered.

4. Performance Metrics

For corporate training, tracking performance metrics related to the application of learned material can demonstrate the practical benefits of spaced repetition. This might include measuring productivity, accuracy, and efficiency in tasks related to the training content.

Conclusion

Spaced repetition is a powerful tool that can significantly enhance learning and memory retention. For MaxLearn, integrating this technique into training modules can lead to more effective and efficient learning experiences. By leveraging technology and personalized algorithms, MaxLearn can provide tailored, engaging, and impactful training that meets the needs of diverse learners. Embracing spaced repetition is not just a step forward in educational technology—it’s a strategic move towards sustainable and long-term success in learning and development.

[mars-ipan]

still insane to me how ppl pretend fatphobia is about health only to continue to be fatphobic when someone gains weight or even just looks somewhat fatter as a result of improving health

[trufynd01]

Discover how permanent staffing solutions provide long-term employment candidates, ensuring cultural fit and increasing retention rates. Learn how Trufynd's tailored approach to permanent recruitment transforms organizations.

[fidicusautism]

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Effect Of ADHD ADD on Children Memory | Autism Hyperactivity Homeopathy Treatment Cure #adhd #adhdkids

Discover how ADHD and ADD impact children's memory in this insightful video. Learn about the challenges these conditions pose to short-term and long-term memory, attention span, and cognitive processing. Explore how these memory difficulties affect academic performance, daily life, and social interactions. Gain valuable insights into strategies and treatments that can help improve memory and support children in managing ADHD or ADD effectively.

Dr. Bharadwaz | Autism ADHD | Health & Fitness | Homeopathy, Medicine & Surgery | Clinical Research

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#FidicusAutism #Autism #AutismSpectrumDisorder #ADHD #AttentionDeficitHyperactivityDisorder #ADD #AttentionDeficitDisorder

#Treatment #Cure #Prevent #Relieve #Medicine

#AlternativeTherapy #AdjuvantTherapy #AlternativeMedicine #AlternativeSystem

Speciality Clinic

Fidicus Autism

highest success with homeopathy

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[blazehedgehog]

Soaking this in

If you don't know what this is, here's an explanation: Both Fortnite and Call of Duty employ something called "Skill-Based Matchmaking" (SBMM for short), and it has become the bane of a certain subset of players who very vocally yell about how it is ruining multiplayer games.

In short, the game secretly and quietly keeps track of your "skill level." Even if a game has both ranked and unranked modes, it is always tracking this skill level stat that reports back how quickly and easily you're getting kills. When you connect to a new match, it tries to group you with players near your skill level.

The idea being you start with zero skill stat, and by playing the game well, your skill stat levels up until you eventually plateau and you are forever playing the game with people that are just as good (or bad) as you are, within some level of variance.

This means if you're one of these career streamer guys or a Youtube clip compilation sort of dude (or both), then you very quickly get put into high tier matchmaking pools with all the other career streamers and wannabe esports pros. Hence the very loud, very vocal complaints, because if you're one of those guys, the idea of having a "casual match" goes away. Everybody is always firing on all cylinders and you're expected to do the same in order to keep your rank and not look embarrassing to your captive audience.

So Activision apparently ran an experiment per Charlie Intel (article here) where they reduced SBMM's effectiveness, meaning the big fish pros and the little tadpole casual players were thrown into more games together.

The result was a sharp uptick in players rage quitting matches early, some even quitting the game entirely and never coming back. The report notes that while player retention for players with a high skill rank was improved, they make up such a small percentage of the player base (apparently less than 1%; the article has some grammar problems) that servicing them really doesn't make sense.

As it turns out, low level players don't want to get hopelessly destroyed by wannabe esports pros. And those pros make up such a small percentage of the player base it doesn't make sense to keep feeding them more low level chum, even though they are the hungriest for it. As more and more low level players permanently leave the game due to frustration, it turns into a wasteland where high level players are getting mad at each other until they also get frustrated and leave as well. SBMM ensures long term health for a game's multiplayer ecosystem.

And being a Fortnite player, it's so validating to hear this. "SBMM is ruining multiplayer" was always a narrative coming from streamers and youtubers who were frustrated by having to actually TRY instead of being able to score easy clip compilation fodder on clueless newbies.

Enjoy sticking to your smurf accounts now, I guess.

[fwam0511]

Unveiling the Power of Nutritional Diet Charts: Your Key to Weight Loss and Body Transformation

Embarking on a journey towards weight loss and body transformation can be both exciting and challenging. While exercise plays a crucial role in sculpting your body, the foundation of any successful transformation lies in the realm of nutrition. A carefully crafted nutritional diet chart is your compass, guiding you through the labyrinth of choices and helping you achieve your desired goals. In this article, we'll explore the benefits and pivotal role of a nutritional diet chart in your transformative journey.

Precision in Caloric Intake: A nutritional diet chart serves as a roadmap for managing your caloric intake. Understanding the balance between calories consumed and calories burned is essential for weight loss. By meticulously planning your meals, you can create a calorie deficit, prompting your body to tap into its fat reserves for energy.

Optimized Macronutrient Ratios: Achieving the right balance of macronutrients—proteins, carbohydrates, and fats—is vital for effective weight loss and muscle preservation. A personalized diet chart ensures that you get the optimal ratio based on your body type, activity level, and goals. Proteins support muscle retention, while carbohydrates provide energy, and healthy fats contribute to overall well-being.

Steady Blood Sugar Levels: Nutritional diet charts emphasize the importance of choosing complex carbohydrates that release energy gradually, preventing sudden spikes and crashes in blood sugar levels. Stable blood sugar levels not only aid in weight loss but also help regulate hunger, reducing the likelihood of unhealthy snacking.

Nutrient-Dense Foods for Vitality: Weight loss should not be synonymous with nutrient deprivation. A well-crafted diet chart includes a variety of nutrient-dense foods, ensuring you receive essential vitamins and minerals. These nutrients not only support overall health but also enhance the body's ability to burn fat and build muscle.

Enhanced Metabolism: Certain foods have thermogenic properties, meaning they increase the body's metabolic rate. A nutritional diet chart can strategically incorporate these foods, giving your metabolism a natural boost. A revved-up metabolism aids in more efficient calorie burning, even during periods of rest.

Sustainable Habits: Crash diets and extreme restrictions may yield rapid results, but they are often unsustainable in the long run. A nutritional diet chart promotes sustainable habits by allowing flexibility and variety within a structured framework. This approach fosters a positive relationship with food and encourages long-term adherence to healthy eating patterns.

Supports Exercise Performance: Physical activity is a cornerstone of any body transformation journey. A well-balanced diet chart provides the necessary fuel for your workouts, optimizing performance and aiding in faster recovery. The right nutrients contribute to increased stamina, strength, and endurance.

In the pursuit of weight loss and body transformation, a nutritional diet chart is not merely a tool—it is the cornerstone of your success. By understanding the significance of balanced nutrition, you empower yourself to make informed choices that align with your goals. Remember, the journey is not just about shedding pounds; it's about cultivating a lifestyle that nourishes both your body and your spirit. Embrace the power of a nutritional diet chart, and witness the transformative magic unfold in your life.

[grandisknight]

at your service | rafayel

summary: Gaining the upper hand in Kitty Cards has its benefits, which solely consist of making the loser (Rafayel) comply to the winner’s choice.

tags: nsfw (mdni), established relationship, kitty cards (derogatory), teasing, gn!reader (no specific descriptors), 'miss bodyguard' name mention, thomas mention, maid!rafayel, sub!rafayel, costumes, roleplay, maids, photography, kissing, praise kink, ‘master’ kink, brief mouth fucking, finger sucking, handjobs, m!orgasm, ejaculate, implied/suggestive ending

wc: 3.0k | ao3 | kinktober in deepspace masterlist

a/n: don't ask me what happened but just know i will die on the hill that is maid!rafayel

You couldn’t believe your luck. 

And Rafayel couldn’t understand his lack of it. 

The Evol kittens were no better in-between the two of you—some were happily purring or fast asleep, comfortable in their colored teacups. More importantly, unbothered and unaware of the two players on opposite spectrums in their aftermath.

Out of the nine creatures, an overwhelming majority belonged to you. After a long, arduous dual and third round sweep, you had overshadowed Rafayel with a score of thirty-two points to his measly eight sum. He held a quarter to your victory.

“This game sucks,” Rafayel sulks. His frown mirrors one of the red Evol kittens closest to him, rounded tears blobbing down its cheeks. Both defeated, worse for wear at the outcome.

You let out a small laugh. “You say that, and yet you still play with me every week.” 

You poke the cheek of a cheery green Evol kitten, who nudges against your touch in turn and meows. “Isn’t that right, little fella?” It delightfully purrs back at you, the accordance only rubbing more salt into Rafayel’s poor wound.

“Hmph.” He doesn’t fight you there, chin resting in the palm of his hand and averting your teasing gaze.

You collect your hand and his, returning all cards to the discard pile with a satisfied hum. No sooner did a café worker come by to clear your table, leaving the two of you to your devices.

“And you know what that means, don’t you?” You lean forward, reaching to his sulking demeanor. Catching the sleeve of his blouse, you lightly pinch the silk between your fingers, putting on your own petulant expression. “Unless you forgot so soon.”

As long as he breathed and lived, it was actually Rafayel who would constantly have to remind you of things said and done in the past. Less of the forgetful one between you, he takes pride in his memory retention.

Even so, he couldn’t stay upset with you for so long. His shoulders relax at the sound, back straightening and taking your hand into his. A scoff of, “Puh-lease, of course I remember,” answers your questions.

“Loser does what the winner wants,” he tacks on in confidence. 

It was the terms agreed upon when stepping into Meow Meow Café earlier that day—he didn’t think much of it at the time, confident he would win today’s rounds. 

But, that wasn’t the case. Right. You won the first, he the second, and as for the third…

Rafayel pauses then, dual-chromed eyes now narrowing in suspicion. “Wait a minute. I’m the loser.”

You nod, a grin plastered to your face. “Today you are, yeah.”

“And you’re the winner,” he follows up. 

(If you look close enough, you could make out swirls of equations and calculations floating around his head.)

“Two for two, you’re absolutely correct.” With a gentle tug and rise from your seat, you string along a bewildered artist in tow. 

It came altogether then. A sense of dread at your unrevealed schemes quickly fills his tone, face already draining of its color. “Oh no,” Rafayel groans.

“Oh yes,” you chirp. “I have a wish that needs to be granted, and you’re going to help me out!”

—

“Are you sure you don’t need my help?” 

You stood outside the bathroom door, which was currently (and firmly) locked from within. Not that you were going to barge in unannounced, but surely it warranted some concern when Rafayel hadn’t stepped a single foot out since entering. Only the rustles of clothing and hushed utterances echoed the acoustics of tiled walls; you couldn’t really make out any of the finer details otherwise.

And it’s been ten minutes.

You clear your throat, wondering if he missed the first time you called out. “Ra—fa—yel—“

The door swings open then, the man of the hour greeting you with, “Yeah, yeah. I hear you.”

It took a second to register his reappearance, and your mouth fell slack taking him in. “Woah,” you breathe out in awe.

No longer in his casual blouse and accompanying slacks, the artist stood before you in a newly picked attire. 

White knee-high socks stuck to his calves, with the edge of their supporting garters partially hidden and neatly wrapped all the same. A frilled apron of ivory linen rested neatly above his kneecaps, blanketing the black satin of a dress in an equally-met length underneath. Sleeves puffed around his shoulders, and a pointed collar was tastefully unbuttoned in fashion—undoubtedly of his own doing, revealing the flush of his chest and collarbone that homed one of his many beauty marks.

To which, he instinctively covers up with a defensive cross of arms and ears tipped in a bright red. Embarrassment follows his rather meek stance. “So like, that’s all, right? Can I take this off now?”

You take a step closer, hands clasped behind your back in observation and hum. It was well-fitted to his body, hugged neatly in all the places where it mattered. Thomas came in clutch when you asked him the other day, catching him at Flux Arts during one of the slower viewing hours. 

“His measurements?” The agent pondered your request. A couple swipes to his tab later, he adds on with a smile, “Sure thing. If it’s for Rafayel’s sake, then I’ll send them over.”

A little secret kept between the two of you, unbeknownst to the wearer. It was probably for the best, you wouldn’t hear the end of his moping otherwise.

Rafayel whines under your scrutinizing gaze that was lost in thought. “Hey—“

“Not yet,” you say with a shake of your head. “Indulge me for a while more. You took forever in there all by yourself, anyhow.”

You reveal a matching headdress between your once hidden fingers, a row of pleated ribbon swiftly placed amongst his wavy locks. The final piece of the puzzle, a maid in all his glory and in the comforts of your humble abode. A sense of glittering pride holds your gaze to his.

“You’re enjoying this too much,” he points out.

Your shoulders raise in a slight shrug. “Of course I am, it’s the winner’s right.” A hand trails down to the curve of his jaw, holding the face that continues to pout. With a light snicker and compliment in attendance, you tell him, “You look very cute, by the way.”

Rafayel’s pout twitches for a second, slyly revealing his enjoyment to the compliment. He clears his throat, saying, “Yeaaah right. Take a picture, I’m sure it’ll last longer.”

Oh, but he spoke too soon. His eyes widen when you actually take out your phone, much to his better judgment. “Hold on, you’re not planning on really keeping a memo, are you?”

“It would be a shame if I didn’t,” you counter. He said so himself—might as well take his word for it.

Swiping to the camera app,  you position the lens inches away and see his furrowed brows through the viewfinder. You gently tug him forward, fingers fully curled underneath his chin. On the other hand, he purposefully sways back and forth in an effort to blur your captures.

You tsk. “The more you squirm, the longer I’ll have to keep trying to take a shot.”

“What, you don’t like my blurry faces too? They’re all handsome,” he huffs. Though a squish to his cheeks cuts him short, stilling him long enough for a ring of shutters to seal the deal.

“Alright, alright,” you coo to console his woes. “I think I managed to get a good one.” 

You lower the phone in observation, scrolling through the new gallery additions. The flurry of dark lavender and hazy skin aside, a few select shots captured the paused moment of time where he did behave. 

Device neatly tucked away into your back pocket, your attention turns back to the subject of your newest wallpaper. Even if this was a reward for you, he deserved just as much in compensation. 

A soft kiss to Rafayel’s jutted lip melts some of his tension, brows no longer scrunched together. You smile at his relaxing shoulders and opening arms when you give another. 

You shower him in adoration, butterflied smooches and his closing eyes soon pressing against the closest wall. Your hands run over the frills of his skirt, smooth to the touch and gently laid out atop his thighs. The barrier of fabric did nothing to hide the amount of warmth emanating through, the effect of your touches having a clear reaction on him. 

You wondered if there was more to be seen—only one way to find out.

Shifting, you drag your lips away from his and to the sweet spot where his jaw and earlobe meet. You ask in a low voice, “So, what do you think?” His blush steadily follows into the very space, worsening when you blow gently over the affected skin. “Dressing up like this for me.”

“My thoughts?” 

Whether it was in disbelief or furthered embarrassment—perhaps a fine condition of both—Rafayel could only exhale. You could feel his legs pressing together in unspoken confirmation, and a bashful turn of his head carries his murmur of, “What do you think I’m thinking about when you touch me like that?”

“Well,” you trail off. “I’d rather show and not tell.”

In a blink, your fingers bunch up the skirt fabric into messied pleats that reveal the answers you sought after. And it truly was a lovely sight to see—you let out a low whistle, impressed at the state he’s in. Through the sheer lace of white trim, a curved tip as red as his ears was weeping quietly, soiling the undergarment dutifully.

“Don’t look,” he whines, attempting to cover up his hardened arousal with the satin.

“Would you prefer if I touched instead?” You tease, catching his wrist in apt timing. You guide his hand over where his body couldn’t lie, and he noticeably twitches. “Oh? Maybe you prefer touching yourself.”

“I can’t do that,” Rafayel weakly counters. It breaks into a low moan when you slowly inch him closer to the beads of precum pulsing past his slit. He hisses when your thumb slips against it, purposefully smearing his come against the lace. “You’re so, so mean, Miss Bodygu—“

“Ah, not so fast.” You tut, drawing back and a string of his arousal follows. He gasps at the unexpected loss, protests shaping his lips before you continue your turn. “That’s not my proper title.”

Confusion tints the hues of red and blue that, already, were far dipped into the seas of lust. “I call you that all the time though.” 

In hindsight, you are his Miss Bodyguard. Have been, for months on end, and with generous bank statements stamped with his name as a source of proof. One who graciously accompanies him when your schedules allow it, to even sightseeing trips for both business and pleasure.

He pauses, then notably gawks with the cogs of realization spinning. “You… Don’t tell me, you want me to call you that?”

It wouldn’t be the first time this particular name has come up in conversation, but the circumstances were vastly different. You bring your soiled thumb to his lips, swiping it across and allowing it to settle into a thin layer of gloss. 

“You can’t be serious,” he says.

“Sorry, are you talking to me right now? I only listen to those with manners.” His eyes only grow in size, yet you feign indifference to it. Of course you would hear him out—though only with the proper name.

Ignorance was never bliss, but rather a crude form of torture for Rafayel. “M… m…” The word laid on the tip of his tongue in a hesitant sound, before a quick mumble follows.

“I can’t hear you.” Your fingers curl themselves once more in a grip over his chin, directing his gaze to go nowhere else but to you. And your eyes were steadfast, committing his flustered face to memory.

“Speak up,” you encourage.

The air above sea had never felt so suffocating yet enticing all at once. Rafayel couldn’t help but enjoy the heat, and the root cause of it, to which he says in a low groan, “Master.”

“See? That wasn’t so hard, now was it?” Your faceted praise comes with a tilt of his head and a kiss to reward his newfound diligence. He sighs into your warmth that welcomes him, though it shifts to a whine when you pull away too soon.

Rafayel nudges your nose with his, a pity show pooling in his eyes. “More, Master.”

“More of what, exactly?” You contemplate, before a decisive, downwards push of his lacey underwear has him sighing. 

His length stood proud against his abdomen, way past a softened state, firm and twitching to the exposed air. You draw a fine line from base to sensitive head, gauging his reaction. The other hand toys with the closest garter on his thigh, fingers dipping past the fine leather. “My sweet Rafayel,” you purr. “What should I do with you?”

“Want you to touch me,” he strains, an edge of impatience to confession. His lips move to mouth at your collarbone, no longer hiding his neediness and taking it in stride. It was rare for you to see this side of him, so vulnerable yet entirely reserved for you—a face he wouldn’t dare show anyone else.

Rafayel spoke with heat in his voice and hazy stars in his eyes. “Master, please. I swear I’ll do anything you want.”

“Anything,” you muse, squeezing his thigh thoughtfully. “And all you want me to do is touch you.”  You can’t help but chuckle when his enthusiastic nod only adds to your point. 

You could see his illusory fox ears flatten in disappointment when you pull away, against his wishes. He lets out a small yelp when your fingers release the garter and smack against his skin.

“Master, I—“

“Open,” you instruct, fingers searching his lips once more. 

And Rafayel does, choking a moan when you place them against his tongue. Carefully, you stroke his warm cavern, to which his mouth closes around and sucks with zeal. He swirls his tongue against the pads of your fingers, determined to please you.

His canines briefly graze your skin when you depart with a faint string. Now finely coated in a layer of his saliva, you dip your hand downwards—curling the sticky fingers around his nearly-neglected cock. Rafayel cants his hips immediately, supporting the salaciously wet noises that echo in tune. 

You squeeze his length in warning, pressing the other hand to his abdomen. “Stay still,” you scold, feeling him contract beneath your pressure. “If you can’t follow a simple order, I’ll leave you high and dry.”

“No, no, no,” he whimpers, shaking his head adamantly. His hands grip the skirt, desperate and knuckles almost turning white from their strength. Something to keep him grounded, to make sure he listens well to his beloved—“Master, I won’t move, promise.”

You purse your lips. “We’ll see about that.” 

Up and down, you tenderly attend to his arousal in generous strokes. Steady rubs and an occasional swipe to his sensitive head last for what feels like an eternity to Rafayel. He was so well-behaved when his orgasm was threatened, all in the palm of your hand.

“You’re close,” you observe with a particularly firm flick, “Aren’t you?”

“Mhm, ‘m very close,” Rafayel quickly admits, his breaths ardent and changing in pitch. He looked so beautiful like this, prettily wrapped around your fingers and a sweet song of your name resonates from his throat. 

Abandoning the languid strokes, you angle your elbow to reach him sooner—faster. “A good, honest boy,” you coo. His blush only deepens at the sound, and his keens grow in volume. You’d apologize to the neighbors later. 

“Should I let you come?” You ask knowingly.

“Master, Ma—ah—ster,” he cries out. “Can feel it, I’m about to—“ A tear rolls down his cheek, matching the one threatening to bead past his slit. “Please, please.” Overwhelmed and in a desperate need for relief, Rafayel’s expression stirred a flame within you.

“Let it out,” you coax, pace unrelenting and threatening to cramp your fingers. The finish line was only a step away, and you say with a smile, “Do it for me. Come undone, my little maid.”

Blissful orgasm wrecks his body, accompanying his labored whines and pearls of white leaving his spent cock. Both the fabric of his outfit and your hand became victims to the viscous liquid, with the air equally met with nothing but the scent of it. 

Rafayel was boneless by the time he was nothing but dribbles of cum and a wrinkled skirt, slouching against the wall.

Your dry hand finds its way to his face, kindly stroking his cheek and adding a kiss to his relaxed brow. “You did so well, Raf.”

“Course I did,” he manages to jest in a hoarse voice. He eyes the state of his clothes and your dirtied hand, to which he nods towards. “Give me your hand.”

“What?” You look down, before raising it between your faces. It glistens, brought to the light and sinking into the creases of your skin. “Why—Ah.” 

Obediently, Rafayel takes your fingers dripping in release to his mouth. He licks in strides at the leftovers as if it were a swirl of ice cream on a hot, summer day.

“Cleaning up the mess you made,” you muse, though make no movement to stop him. “What a dutiful maid I have.” 

He nips your now unsullied fingertips at the comment. His hold on your wrist brings you closer—you stumble unexpectedly, letting go of his face to steady a hand to his chest.

“Raf—“ Your voice stutters when you feel his knee rub between your legs. Purposeful and angled, the pressure stokes the forsaken flames in your abdomen. “Rafayel,” you breathe, attempting to collect your bearings. 

“I hope you know I won’t easily forget all the things you’ve done,” Rafayel murmurs, eyes glimmering in mischief. “I won’t let you off easy, Master.”

[maxlearnmicrolearningplatform]

The Power of Core Concepts in Microlearning: Confidence-Based Assessments, Spaced Repetition, and Retrieval Practice

In the rapidly evolving landscape of corporate training and education, microlearning has emerged as a transformative approach. It leverages short, focused learning sessions to deliver content in manageable chunks, making it easier for learners to absorb and retain information. However, to fully harness the potential of microlearning, three core concepts must be integrated into your strategy: confidence-based assessments, spaced repetition, and retrieval practice. An understanding of these concepts is essential to maximize the effectiveness of your microlearning initiatives.

Confidence-Based Assessments

Confidence-based assessments are a sophisticated tool designed to measure not just what learners know, but how confident they are in their knowledge. This dual focus on knowledge and confidence helps to create a more comprehensive understanding of learner competency.

Key Benefits of Confidence-Based Assessments:

Identifying Knowledge Gaps: By asking learners to rate their confidence in their answers, these assessments reveal areas where learners may think they understand the material but actually do not. This helps in pinpointing specific knowledge gaps that need to be addressed.

Enhancing Self-Awareness: Learners become more aware of their strengths and weaknesses. This self-awareness is crucial for effective learning, as it encourages learners to focus on areas that need improvement.

Promoting Better Learning Strategies: When learners recognize discrepancies between their confidence and their actual knowledge, they are more likely to adopt effective study strategies and seek additional resources to bridge these gaps.

Implementing Confidence-Based Assessments:

Rating Scales: Incorporate rating scales into quizzes and tests, asking learners to indicate how confident they are in their answers. This can be a simple scale from 1 (not confident) to 5 (very confident).

Feedback Loops: Provide immediate feedback on both the accuracy of the answers and the confidence ratings. This helps learners understand where their confidence aligns with actual knowledge and where it does not.

Adaptive Learning Paths: Use the data from confidence-based assessments to create adaptive learning paths that focus on areas needing improvement. This ensures that learners spend time on the content that matters most to their development.

Spaced Repetition

Spaced repetition is a learning technique that involves reviewing information at increasing intervals over time. This method is grounded in the psychological principle known as the spacing effect, which suggests that learning is more effective when spread out over time, rather than crammed into a single session.

Benefits of Spaced Repetition:

Improved Long-Term Retention: By revisiting information at spaced intervals, learners reinforce their memory, making it easier to recall information in the long term.

Combating the Forgetting Curve: Spaced repetition helps combat the natural decline in memory retention that occurs over time, known as the forgetting curve. Regular reviews at strategic intervals help maintain high levels of retention.

Efficient Learning: This method allows learners to focus on information that they are most likely to forget, optimizing study time and effort.

Implementing Spaced Repetition:

Scheduling Reviews: Use algorithms or spaced repetition software to schedule reviews of content at optimal intervals. This can be days, weeks, or months apart, depending on the complexity of the material and the learner's familiarity with it.

Progressive Difficulty: Start with simpler concepts and gradually increase the difficulty of review questions as the learner demonstrates improved retention.

Consistent Practice: Encourage learners to engage in spaced repetition consistently to build strong, long-lasting memories.

Retrieval Practice

Retrieval practice involves actively recalling information rather than passively reviewing it. This method has been shown to significantly enhance learning and retention, as it strengthens the neural connections associated with the recalled information.

Benefits of Retrieval Practice:

Strengthened Memory: Each time a learner recalls information, it strengthens the neural pathways associated with that knowledge, making it easier to retrieve in the future.

Enhanced Understanding: Retrieval practice encourages deeper processing of information, leading to better understanding and application.

Immediate Feedback: It provides opportunities for learners to receive immediate feedback on their recall efforts, helping to identify and correct misunderstandings promptly.

Implementing Retrieval Practice:

Frequent Quizzing: Incorporate frequent, low-stakes quizzes into the learning process. These quizzes should focus on recalling information rather than recognizing it.

Varied Question Types: Use a variety of question types, such as multiple-choice, short answer, and essay questions, to promote active recall and deeper understanding.

Cumulative Reviews: Design cumulative reviews that require learners to recall information from previous lessons, not just the most recent content. This helps to reinforce long-term retention.

Integrating the Core Concepts

To get the most out of your microlearning initiatives, it is crucial to integrate confidence-based assessments, spaced repetition, and retrieval practice seamlessly. Here’s how to create a cohesive learning strategy that leverages these concepts:

Design Adaptive Learning Paths: Use data from confidence-based assessments to create adaptive learning paths that guide learners through content based on their knowledge gaps and confidence levels. Integrate spaced repetition and retrieval practice into these paths to ensure that learning is both effective and efficient.

Develop Engaging Content: Create microlearning modules that incorporate elements of all three concepts. For example, a module might start with a brief review (spaced repetition), followed by a quiz that includes confidence ratings (confidence-based assessment) and active recall questions (retrieval practice).

Use Technology: Leverage learning management systems (LMS) and microlearning platforms that support these techniques. Many modern LMS platforms have built-in features for spaced repetition, confidence-based assessments, and retrieval practice.

Provide Continuous Feedback: Offer continuous, detailed feedback to learners based on their performance in retrieval practice and confidence-based assessments. This feedback should help them understand their progress and areas for improvement.

Monitor and Adjust: Continuously monitor learner progress through analytics and adjust the training programs as needed. This ensures that the learning strategy remains effective and aligned with the evolving needs of the learners.

Case Study: Effective Integration of Core Concepts

Consider a healthcare organization that needs to train its staff on new medical procedures and protocols. The organization faces challenges in ensuring that the training is retained over time and applied correctly in high-stress environments.

Implementation:

Microlearning Modules: The organization develops short, focused modules covering each new procedure and protocol.

Confidence-Based Assessments: Each module includes assessments where staff rate their confidence in their knowledge and skills.

Spaced Repetition: The learning management system schedules reviews of the procedures at increasing intervals, ensuring that the staff revisits and reinforces their knowledge over time.

Retrieval Practice: The modules include frequent quizzes and scenario-based questions requiring staff to recall and apply the procedures in simulated environments.

Results:

Improved Retention: Staff demonstrate significantly improved retention of procedures and protocols.

Increased Confidence: Confidence-based assessments help identify areas where additional training is needed, boosting overall confidence in applying new skills.

Enhanced Application: Retrieval practice ensures that staff can effectively apply their knowledge in real-world scenarios, leading to better patient outcomes.

Conclusion

Incorporating confidence-based assessments, spaced repetition, and retrieval practice into your microlearning strategy can transform employee training. These core concepts enhance knowledge retention, ensure continuous learning, and promote a deeper understanding of material. By leveraging these techniques, organizations can create highly effective and adaptive microlearning programs that meet the needs of today’s dynamic workforce. Embrace these strategies to unlock the full potential of microlearning and drive lasting improvements in your training outcomes.

[nenelonomh]

how to improve memory retention in lectures?

improving memory retention during lectures involves a combination of preparation, active engagement, and effective review strategies. here are some detailed tips to help you retain more information:

prepare beforehand: review any assigned readings or materials before the lecture. this will give you a foundation to build on and make it easier to follow along.

active listening: stay engaged by asking questions, participating in discussions, and making connections to what you already know. this helps reinforce the material and makes it more memorable.

take effective notes: use methods like the cornell note-taking system or mind mapping to organize your notes. focus on capturing key points and main ideas rather than writing down everything.

use mnemonic devices: create acronyms, rhymes, or visual images to help remember complex information. these memory aids can make it easier to recall details later.

chunking: break down information into smaller, manageable chunks. this makes it easier to process and remember large amounts of data.

review regularly: go over your notes soon after the lecture and periodically review them to reinforce your memory. spaced repetition is a powerful technique for long-term retention.

stay organized: keep your notes and study materials well-organized. this makes it easier to find and review information when you need it.

get enough sleep: adequate sleep is crucial for memory consolidation. make sure you’re getting enough rest to help your brain process and store information.

stay hydrated and eat well: proper nutrition and hydration can improve cognitive function and memory. make sure you’re eating a balanced diet and drinking plenty of water.

i hope this post was helpful! ❤️ nene

image source: pinterest

[glowettee]

✧ ˚.The Ultimate Study Guide: How to Become a Top-Tier Student ✨📚

Hi besties! 💖 It’s Mindy here, your resident study buddy and glow-up guru at Glowettee. I wanna talk about how to become a top-tier student this upcoming year without losing your sanity—or your vibe. Imagine sipping on a latte, surrounded by pastel notes and cute stationery, feeling like the main character of your academic journey. That’s the energy we’re channeling today. Ready to take your study game from blah to iconic? Hopefully these tips could help prepare for the second semester!

1. Active Recall and Spaced Repetition Hacks

Okay, so here’s the deal: simply reading your notes is not the move. You’ve got to make your brain work a little harder to really soak in all that info.

Active recall: Write down questions from your notes and try answering them without looking. This forces your brain to actually retrieve the information (and helps you remember it longer!).

Spaced repetition: Spread out your study sessions instead of cramming. Use apps like Anki or Quizlet to create digital flashcards that you review over time. Bonus: Anki is super aesthetic if you customize the fonts and colors. 🌸

2. How to Make Study Sessions Feel Luxurious

Studying doesn’t have to feel like a chore, babe. Here’s how to romanticize the grind:

Set the mood: Light a candle, play soft lofi beats, and wear your coziest silk robe. (Yes, the fancy one.)

Aesthetic setup: Use pastel highlighters, cute pens, and a clean desk space. Your desk should feel like a Pinterest board come to life.

Snacks & drinks: Treat yourself to something yummy like matcha lattes or chocolate-covered almonds. A chic study session is fueled by snacks, trust me. 🍵

3. Step-by-Step Pomodoro Method Breakdown for Focus

Pomodoro is basically magic for productivity. Here’s how to do it:

Set a timer for 25 minutes and work on one task. (Pro tip: Choose something specific, like summarizing one chapter.)

Take a 5-minute break after each session. Stretch, grab a sip of water, or scroll Pinterest for inspo.

Repeat four times, then take a longer 20-30 minute break. Use this time to dance around your room or journal—it’s all about balance.

🦢 ✧ ˚.Why it works: Breaking your tasks into bite-sized chunks makes studying less overwhelming and way more manageable. Plus, the breaks keep you refreshed and motivated.🦢 ✧ ˚.

4. Best Apps for Studying

Bestie, your phone doesn’t have to be a distraction—it can be your ultimate study tool. Here are my faves:

Notion: Perfect for organizing your study schedule and creating dreamy, color-coded notes. You can even add cute icons and headers to make it so aesthetic. (SPOILER!! I'll be making some soon for you guys!!)

Quizlet: Great for flashcards and testing yourself on key terms. Bonus: You can use other people’s study sets if you’re short on time.

Anki: Ideal for mastering those tough subjects (hello, bio and chem!). The spaced repetition feature is a lifesaver for long-term retention.

Forest: Keeps you off your phone by growing virtual trees while you study. The guilt of killing your tree will keep you focused, I promise. 🌳

5. How to Romanticize School and Make It Fun

Here’s the tea: school doesn’t have to be boring. Treat every class like a stepping stone to your dream life.

Dress the part: Show up like the best-dressed main character. Think Blair Waldorf vibes but comfy—plaid skirts, cozy cardigans, and knee-high socks are always a win.

Curate your supplies: Invest in cute stationery, a pastel planner, and maybe even a monogrammed tote bag. If it feels luxurious, you’ll want to use it.

Celebrate small wins: Finished a chapter? Reward yourself with a TikTok break or a face mask. You deserve it.

Shift your mindset: Instead of dreading school, think of it as part of your glow-up. Every essay, test, or project is one step closer to the 🦢 ✧ ˚.elite🦢 ✧ ˚. version of you.

Final Thoughts

You’ve got this, babe. Becoming a top-tier student is about working smarter, not harder—and looking cute while doing it. Make your study sessions a vibe, stay consistent with these hacks, and watch your grades (and confidence) skyrocket. Remember: You’re not just studying for school; you’re building the foundation for your dream life. 💕

Let me know how you’re leveling up your study game in the comments or tags! And don’t forget to tag @glowettee if you post your aesthetic study setups—I’d love to see them. ✨

Xoxo, Mindy/Glowettee 🌸

[smartgirrl]

the science of learning

understanding how your brain learns can help you optimize your study habits and make learning more efficient and enjoyable

how the brain learns

your brain is a network of neurons that form new pathways or strengthen existing ones when you learn.

neuroplasticity -> allows your brain to adapt and learn throughout life.

˚ ͙۪۪̥◌ ✧˚ · . ˚ · . ༉‧₊˚. ‘˚ ͙۪۪̥◌ ✧˚ · . ˚ · . ༉‧₊˚. ‘˚ ͙۪۪̥◌ ✧˚ · . ˚ · . ༉‧₊˚. ‘˚ ͙۪۪̥◌ ✧˚ · . ˚ · .༉‧₊˚. ‘˚ ͙

spaced repetition

...is reviewing information over increasing intervals of time.

this technique helps move information from short-term memory to long-term memory, making it stick better.

Anki or Quizlet use this technique for efficient studying

˚ ͙۪۪̥◌ ✧˚ · . ˚ · . ༉‧₊˚. ‘˚ ͙۪۪̥◌ ✧˚ · . ˚ · . ༉‧₊˚. ‘˚ ͙۪۪̥◌ ✧˚ · . ˚ · . ༉‧₊˚. ‘˚ ͙۪۪̥◌ ✧˚ · . ˚ · .༉‧₊˚. ‘˚ ͙۪۪̥◌

active learning

passive studying (re-reading) is less effective. use active learning methods:

testing yourself - with flashcards or quizzes

teaching others - explaining concepts out loud

turning notes into visual aids - like mind maps or concept diagrams

the more actively you engage, the better you retain information!

˚ ͙۪۪̥◌ ✧˚ · . ˚ · . ༉‧₊˚. ‘˚ ͙۪۪̥◌ ✧˚ · . ˚ · . ༉‧₊˚. ‘˚ ͙۪۪̥◌ ✧˚ · . ˚ · . ༉‧₊˚. ‘˚ ͙۪۪̥◌ ✧˚ · . ˚ · .༉‧₊˚. ‘˚ ͙۪۪̥◌

chunking

the brain can only hold a limited amount of information in working memory at once

break large information into smaller, manageable "chunks."

ex: group numbers into sets (like phone numbers).

˚ ͙۪۪̥◌ ✧˚ · . ˚ · . ༉‧₊˚. ‘˚ ͙۪۪̥◌ ✧˚ · . ˚ · . ༉‧₊˚. ‘˚ ͙۪۪̥◌ ✧˚ · . ˚ · . ༉‧₊˚. ‘˚ ͙۪۪̥◌ ✧˚ · . ˚ · .༉‧₊˚. ‘˚ ͙۪۪̥◌

the importance of sleep

sleep consolidates memories and strengthens neural connections + filters out irrelevant info, helping key details stick

studying before bed - improves retention after a good night's rest.

˚ ͙۪۪̥◌ ✧˚ · . ˚ · . ༉‧₊˚. ‘˚ ͙۪۪̥◌ ✧˚ · . ˚ · . ༉‧₊˚. ‘˚ ͙۪۪̥◌ ✧˚ · . ˚ · . ༉‧₊˚. ‘˚ ͙۪۪̥◌ ✧˚ · . ˚ · .༉‧₊˚. ‘˚ ͙۪۪̥◌

multisensory learning

the more senses you use when learning, the better you’ll remember.

using visual aids, audio, and even physical movement can help reinforce what you’re trying to learn.

creating colorful notes, speaking aloud, or even walking while reviewing flashcards can make a big difference in memory retention.

˚ ͙۪۪̥◌ ✧˚ · . ˚ · . ༉‧₊˚. ‘˚ ͙۪۪̥◌ ✧˚ · . ˚ · . ༉‧₊˚. ‘˚ ͙۪۪̥◌ ✧˚ · . ˚ · . ༉‧₊˚. ‘˚ ͙۪۪̥◌ ✧˚ · . ˚ · .༉‧₊˚. ‘˚ ͙۪۪̥◌

growth mindset

... believing you can improve is crucial to learning effectively.

embrace mistakes as part of the learning process – they’re essential for growth!

focus on effort and progress, not perfection

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing Notes: Anxiety & Sleep

Anxiety - an emotional condition characterized by extreme worry, fear, or discomfort.

Some anxiety is triggered by circumstantial stress, while chronic anxiety disorders may link to long-term mental health issues.

Symptoms may include increased breathing and heart rate, gastrointestinal distress, panic attacks, and sleep disruption.

Potential Effects of Interrupted Sleep

The lack of sleep that comes from interrupted sleep can make it harder for you to function during the day and can have harmful health ramifications in the long term. Common effects of interrupted sleep include:

Drowsiness: Excessive daytime fatigue, which feels similar to jet lag, can decrease mental acuity and memory retention.

Immune system impairment: Normal sleep can strengthen your immune system, and disturbed sleep can weaken your body’s ability to fight infection.

Mood swings: A person overcome by sleepiness may be cranky and irritable, and they may also experience headaches that further sour their mood.

Microsleep: In addition to general drowsiness, a person running on very little sleep can experience microsleep—very short bursts of unconsciousness that feel like blacking out.

Medical conditions: Chronic insomnia can exacerbate medical conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes and lead to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

How Anxiety Affects Sleep

Chronic anxiety can affect your circadian rhythm and lead to poor sleep quality.

Sleep disorders caused by anxiety can include insomnia and sleep apnea.

A generalized anxiety disorder brought on by mental health conditions, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), may lead to elevated sleep disturbances like nocturnal panic attacks and night terrors.

To address anxiety-induced sleep problems, seek advice and treatment options from a medical professional.

Tips for Reducing Stress at Bedtime

Maintaining a regular nighttime routine and practicing sleep hygiene habits can lead to a good night’s sleep. Follow these tips to relax before bedtime:

Develop a bedtime routine. Ritual can lead to better sleep. Try doing the same thing at bedtime every night. This might involve taking a bath, drinking hot tea, or listening to relaxing music. You can train your body to associate bedtime rituals with sleep onset.

Lower the temperature of your bedroom. A nighttime room temperature of 60 to 67 degrees Fahrenheit is optimal for sleep. A lower room temperature leads to a lower body temperature, which signals to your brain that it’s time to sleep.

Play relaxing sounds. Try calming your nervous system by playing tranquil sounds such as soft music or nature sounds in the leadup to bedtime, and use white noise to block outside sounds that might disturb your sleep.

Try aromatherapy. Aromatherapy, the use of aromatic plant extracts and essential oils to promote wellbeing, can lead to feelings of relaxation, which in turn can lead to drowsiness and sleep.

Practice mindful relaxation techniques. A bedtime ritual of deep breathing exercises and slow exhales can promote progressive muscle relaxation. Add to these breathing techniques by visualizing a relaxing scene. Mindfulness and visualization can eliminate tension while allowing the body to drift from wakefulness into unconsciousness.

Consider natural sleep aids. Natural sleep aids such as melatonin are available as an over-the-counter medication in most drug stores. Taking melatonin can hasten the onset of sleep without interfering with the natural processes of REM sleep and non-REM sleep.

Invest in your sleep environment. Create a dark, cool, comfortable space for yourself. You might want to invest in quality sheets, cooling pillows, or even blackout curtains.

Source ⚜ More: Writing Notes & References ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs

[b1asho]

Round one of the species introduction!!!!

Prectikar Master Post:

Here's some info on them, and if you want to see some other drawings I've done of them (albeit some occasionally older n crustier ones), check out my deviantart: https://www.deviantart.com/blasho

Anyway let's get into a terribly long string of paragraphs about some of their info:

Prectikar are a large sentient species, usually standing at around 8-9 feet tall when fully upright and weighing anywhere close to or upwards if 1000 pounds

They are covered in feather-like fur (or is it fur-like feathers? They're occasionally branched like feathers, and all have quills, but some are more hairlike) due to the cold climate they evolved in, though length and thickness of it now varies by region.

They are omnivorous, and while they have many traits to help them hunt and kill, most of their diet tends to be plants.

Originally rush-down predators, they use their considerable strength to move in quick bursts and their specialized tusks to either ram prey to death or gouge into it as they grapple it.

Their jaw strength is also insane,with their skull actually sacrificing brain space in favor of it, which helps them eat pretty much anything they come across. They pay a lot of attention to food and cooking because of their high calorie needs and very sensitive nose/tongue.

They have manganese as an oxygen carrier is a result of the scarcity of other metals in their environment and potentially because of its general affinity for oxygen.

This causes their blood to be an amber/orange brown and shades of pink depending on its exposure to oxygen.

Through a network of cooperative bonding and other adaptations (like better oxygen retention in muscles and the easily carried size and longevity of the molecule) they’ve managed to bring this manganese transport molecule close to hemoglobin in terms of effectiveness, though they can also make use of manganese’s catalyst properties to temporarily push it to bring lots more oxygen to their tissues at a time (used for short bursts of speed and strength that allow them to take down large prey and plants for food).

their large body size (selected by their colder environment) lets them use their own high body heat to keep the O2 fixation and liberation going in their highly effective lungs.

An extensive understanding of their internal chemistry is unknown (aka gatekept by their colonizers/"uplifters" who ill get to later) but it seems like they also have a network of bacteria in their body just to manage the more reactive and damaging oxides that form, and to remove/convert the spent manganese into connective tissue and aid in bone maintenance.

They have higher calorie needs from keeping up the body temp and recycling/removing all that stuff, alongside just being big in general. Alongside a lot of sleeping, they also basically just eat all the time (compared to other species) to compensate, though their mammal-like fat retention and other metabolic adaptations for scarcity mean that they can handle long periods without resources(though this causes increasingly compounded problems for them)

Some other downsides include low tolerance of changes in oxygen levels (particularly low) and temperature levels, and poor adaptation to environments outside of their biosphere/without all the microorganisms since these things upset their delicate balance.

(part of why so many tribes were nomadic was/is to chase temperate and ‘warm’ seasons, even though to us that’s still cold. Prectikar living in human dominated areas often just take a lot of supplements with beneficial bacteria in them to cope with thr lack of that in their environent, and any food printers need an 'ink' cartridge containing these things or else theyre basically useless.),

They also experience faster general wear and tear from having constant complex and intensive chemical reactions(sometimes with dangerous chemicals) going on in their bloodstream and tissues.

( I’m not a biochemist, so if there’s any glaring issues with this then just explain it away to yourself with ‘they have a gland for that’ or ‘just don’t think about it actually’ which is what I did. I just wanted the fun color with a metal that can reversibly bond with oxygen :). )

They have one nasal passageway for smell/air and a second, bigger cavity for just vocalization (which they can’t breathe in from as easily).

This second cavity is between their first set of eyes, and has a phonic lip structure inside to produce higher pitched sounds.

The upper nasal opening has muscled nostrils that act as lips to further help control sound. The noise coming from here sounds very high to them, but to us it sounds like a nasally human voice, broken uobhere and there with squeaks, buzzes, and clicks).

They can pitch this nose voice very high, closer to dolphin-like clicking noises but not quite echolocation level.

Their throat vocal cords by their air sac are very long and thick, used for making very deep noises that carry long distances.

However, the vocal control they have through their mouth is very poor due to this and the inarticulate lips and tongue they have, and due to the more limited air they can bring in and out of it, so when speaking only through their mouth they sound a lot like seals or dogs and can only really go in short bursts before having to refill the sac.

Most of their languages are spoken with the nose and mouth sounds in tandem, where the high and low mix to make a more even sounding voice.

It’s fairly easy to understand them, but nearly impossible for us to truly speak any of their native languages, and if they wanted to they could also just start making sounds we cant hear.

They see it as strange that humans and other species speak with a single tone without difficulty.

The red flaps pictured on the drawing of their mouth and nasal passages can be moved to seal off the passage and direct airflow elsewhere.

The big red one in their throat acts as a “diaphragm” to fill and empty the air sac (which is left over from when their digestive and respiratory tracts were more connected like ours, but time in the water heavily shifted it to a more ‘blowhole’ type outline to help them breathe and vocalize from the surface).

The other flap by the air sac and its vocal cords moves upwards to block off the digestive tract whenever the mouth or nose is opened to allow air to be drawn in by this diaphragm.

The two red flaps making a pinched shape can move independently or with the other red flap, but never at the same time with each other. The main airway is always separate from the digestive tract, though the flap to the middle, non vocal nasal passage can be moved so that it’s a part of either the vocal nasal passage to draw in air or the air sac part to act as another resonance chamber.

Air can be drawn in by the diaphragm via open mouth and through the nose via open top red flap at the same time, and can be released at the same time, resulting in their near continuous double speak sound they use for their own language.

Their characteristic large tusks are retractable and housed in a cone-shaped bony socket on the side of their jaw.

A muscle is attached to the bony root of the tooth, and pushes it out. As it slides towards the front of the mouth, the cone socket narrows and wedges a protrusion on the tooth into a hole in the socket, and then the muscle stiffens, locking it in there.

When the tusk retracts, the muscle quickly jimmies the tooth forward then draws it back to get it out of the hole, and then pulls it back into the wider part of the socket.

This is mainly because their tusks are ever growing (but very slowly) but not great at self sharpening, and are their main weapon in self defense and hunting,so it seems this just happened to keep them safe.

If a tusk is broken, as long as it was not cracked at the root, it can be regrown with extensive time in the socket, but otherwise they stay safely stowed in da socket where the majority of its sharp edge can stay protected from chewing and other mouth stuff. Tusks won't start growing in until their teenage years.

They are primarily bipedal/ quadrupedal and switch between the two occasionally.

Knuckle walking helps distribute their top-heavy weight and give them more balance for long and short distance, while walking upright gives them better visibility, less stress on their neck/upper back, and quicker but unsteadier movement.

Their gallop/sprint utilizes both arms and legs to propel them forward in a gait halfway between a bear and a gorilla (since their big mid arms are set like a bears) to overtake prey after an ambush or drive them into the rest of the pack waiting elsewhere. Quad walking also helps them get around in buildings meant for species half their size.

Their hands are some of their only places without hair, but as they age, they loose it on their arms and face too.

Prectikar have different uses for each of their pairs of limbs, and have for all stages of their evolution.

The front ones specialized for grappling prey and grabbing things, and so have a ‘sprawling’ shoulder position like humans and have hands with relatively nimble fingers, the outer two are angled inwards but can also move in a pamprodactyl ish fashion (which acts as their version of a thumb, and lets them switch from big to little grabbing motions) .

Their mid limbs used to be wings with hands, and still have a basically zygodactyl finger position that was helpful for holding onto branches (with the backwards facing finger), but over time they have been converted into terrestrial knuckle-walking limbs, with the one that swings back and forth being brought forwards to walk or swung back to adjust grip on big things they want to move or for balance on unstable terrain like ice . The fingers on this one are big and clumsy, pretty much only useful for digging, walking, or slashing.

Their back limbs also used to be for grasping but were mainly counterbalances, but have now turned into plantigrade walking limbs (and much like humans, that’s pretty much all they use them for). All have nonretractable claws.

Prectikar are viviparous and usually give birth to litters of up to 8.

They have a specific mating season, where their dimorphic traits will become more pronounced.

Males in rut will shed the feathers on their throat sac region and it will become a bright ambery yellow color, and they will also grow in longer feathers on their butt region (in a fan shape for display purposes. The dont have a true post anal tail like humans).

They will also develop some of that pinkish orange/yellow on their chest skin. Females go throguh estrus cycles and will also grow a more prominent butt feather crest, as well as some very long feathers around their neck, shoulders, and abdomen for babies to hold onto.

Their skin patches turn a much brighter shade of yellow to help direct newborns to where they can feed from. Once they give birth, they will start making an oily and thick secretion across the skin patch which is collected into a divot which the infant licks from. Part of why the babies hold onto them is so they can constantly lick the 'milk'so they can grow.

Newborns come out blind and hairless, but quickly grow in a thick down and open their eyes so they can climb on mom.

Once they're weaned, they'll drop off and use the muscles they gained hanging on and climbing to start moving with the adults. They grow very fast, and canes are a common sight in teens to help deal with the rapid bone and muscle growth.

Usually, it is only during this season where chest/skin related nudity standards change to be more conservative, since showing those colors means youre down to fuck and so doing that is usually restricted to in private with their partner or for bachelors.

They have very strict binaries for sex and gender based on this seasonal divide and religion.

Most tribes show gender identity through a piercing on their lower nose for male or chin for female (so dont worry, the main guy up there is showing some male presenting chest outside of the mating season, so hes fine).

Normally, only some cultures pierce their ears, which are like if owls had a little mobile flap of outer ear to swivel I stead of their whole head. Very little of it is actually flesh, and the sound is mainly captured by the feathers around it.

While they have a reputation otherwise, Prectikar are highly social within their tribal/family groups.

They regularly allogroom, greet each other with hugs, and usually travel in sibling groups. Households are multi generational.

They have a reputation as standoffish or irritable because they take things very differently and have other standards/specific body language truggers. also most other species treat them differently/with fear by default.

their upper pair of eyes is larger and focused on long distance vision while their lower pair is for close up vision, creatign a bifocal effect for them when using both at once.

Aaaaaand that oretty much everything, I think. I'll post some other arts related to them soon, but consider this the Master Post on the things you should know about them!!

[newsfromstolenland]

Atlantic Canada's largest newspaper chain is now officially owned by Toronto-based Postmedia Network Inc.

On Monday, Postmedia confirmed the closing of its $1-million purchase of SaltWire Network Inc. and the Halifax Herald Ltd. in a short statement on its website. The sale was approved by a Nova Scotia Supreme Court judge on Aug. 8.

Andrew MacLeod, Postmedia's president and CEO, said his company is "delighted" to welcome the new media properties, saying the sale "preserves their vital role within the community."

Full article

Let's explore why this is a very bad thing.

Postmedia, the company that just bought a chain of over two dozen Atlantic canada newspapers, is known for many things- none of them good.

This is an incomplete list of harmful things that Postmedia and its executives have done/are known for:

Right-wing politics. "The National Post was founded in 1998 by Conrad Black, who has connections to conservative politics and sat as a Conservative Party member of the United Kingdom's House of Lords. The Post has always been aligned with the right side of the political spectrum. ..."Just in the past couple of years, Postmedia has issued an edict stating that they should move even farther to the right, so they're very reliably conservative," said [Media journalist Marc] Edge. "In fact, [they] endorse Conservative candidates often over the objections of their local editors.""

Union busting. "They employed a mix of cajoling (such as with buyouts and raises), entreaties to preserve the paper’s uniquely collegial newsroom culture, office-wide memos decrying the havoc a union would wreak, and, according to CWA Canada President Martin O’Hanlon, one-on-one meetings between staff and management."

Monopolization of canadian news media. "Postmedia Network’s purchase of Saltwire Network will extend its grip from coast to coast, as it already dominates Western Canada with eight of the nine largest dailies in the three westernmost provinces. This purchase will give Postmedia the largest dailies in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland to go along with the largest in New Brunswick, which it acquired from the Irving Oil family two years ago."

Cuts to pensions and benefits while giving large bonuses to executives. "...several top Postmedia executives had received enormous retention bonuses at a time of aggressive belt-tightening (after which many left regardless), and second, the March 2017 announcement that benefits and pensions would be curtailed significantly."

Already beginning to lay off staff from the Atlantic canada newspapers they now own. "...the long-term future of workers in departments like circulation, advertising, customer service, finance and production remains uncertain. "Staff believe maintaining local jobs in the community is critical to retaining both subscribers and clients," the union said. Last week, the union representing workers at The Telegram confirmed that four of the paper's 13 newsroom positions will be eliminated."

More reading: source 1, source 2

Tagging: @allthecanadianpolitics

[hurglewurm]

lil comics i made for a poster project last term about improper records retention ! bonus under the cut just because it requires a bit more explanation

also there were some schools in the uk using facial recognition technology to identify children at lunch and automatically take money from an account (and they were keeping the facial information data for like. suspiciously long. also this is just weird. don't do that)