#problem is is that my new design might alter the abilities and disabilities of the ponies

[lesbianapplejack]

Pony redesigns I wanna redo:

Rainbow Dash

Fluttershy

Pinkie Pie (?)

Maud Pie (?)

Princess Celestia

Princess Luna

[fqtoxicity]

New Post has been published on My Quin Story

New Post has been published on http://www.myquinstory.info/speak-comfort-to-me-jacob/

Speak Comfort to Me Jacob

Warning

This article deals with themes that some readers may find disturbing so reading discretion is advised.  For those of you that continue, you will find some very good information plus exclusive access to a very damming document on the pharmaceutical industry.

Speaking Comfort

Ah, Dickens’ famous “Christmas Carol.”  Who hasn’t seen this classic at least once in their lives and many watch it religiously every year.  One particularly poignant part is where the ghost of Scrooge’s former partner, Jacob Marley, frighteningly confronts Scrooge in the dank, dark rooms of Scrooge’s London abode.

Cowering in fear Scrooge cries out “Jacob! Old Jacob Marley, tell me more! Speak comfort to me, Jacob!” With that the ghost candidly replies, “I have none to give.”

This line echoes in my mind almost daily.  Why?  Well, frankly I get asked to speak comfort to someone almost daily. Despite the lull times in advocacy throughout the fluoroquinolone (FQ) community the never-ending stream of contacts by those newly or chronically floxed goes on.  This last week I was averaging at least a new contact a day, either from someone who was recently floxed, had connected the dots in their long battle with health problems, or a family member of someone suffering.

Many times, the folks are scared, some half out of their wits, and almost all are asking for me to speak comfort to them.

Yes, I do feel terrible.

Yes, I do sympathize with their predicament, having been there myself.

I reach down and struggle to find what words of comfort I can, but I cannot lie. I will not. Often, like Marley, I have no comfort to give.  The truth and comfort collide. FQ Toxicity aka FQAD is ugly.  It’s terrible.  And for some, it’s hell on earth.

While it is true that some do heal or at least gain some semblance of normalcy in their lives, the hard-cold truth is, for many, that it does not go away, or worse yet comes back after they thought it was gone.   I am so sick of seeing this happen to good people. This is why I maintain this website as opposed to just walking away.

You see, I have learned enough about this condition, for myself.  I have made enough contacts and know enough about my own health problems brought on by FQAD to walk away for good.

But then comes along one more, another victim, shocked and reeling, wondering how this could have happened to them.  From doctors to average folks, they come looking for answers, directions, and comfort.  Some answers I do have and I can usually point them in the right direction.  Comfort on the other hand, that is a hard one to sell.  I can express my sorrow and show brotherly love, I can share statistics, but I cannot promise them that it will be okay; that everything will be alright.

What makes this a tragedy of epic proportion is that it is hiding in plain sight.  How one of the most commonly prescribed antibiotics is undermining the health of the world.  And no one suspects, UNTIL it is too late and happens to them or a loved one.

Maybe We Should Just Remove Them

I used to be a proponent of allowing the FQ’s to remain on the market.  To allow them to be used in institutionalized setting with informed consent in life or death situations.  But responsible use of the FQ’s is eluding us and is nowhere on the horizon.

Take Levaquin for instance, it is still massively prescribed, with doctors doling out 32 million prescriptions for the drug only in the US in 2015 (1).  Despite warnings and a admirable and loud outcry, the prescription rate only dropped about 10% in 2016 (1), with around 30 million still be dolled out.

“It turns my stomach,” as John Way used to so powerfully say.

 On my website, My Quin Story, I have a small poll in the right hand column that asks, “Were you previously Floxed, thought you recovered, only to have symptoms reappear later?”

Of the respondents so far 91 people or 96% have answered yes, while a mere 4 or 4% have answered no.  To be fair, the website deals with those chronically impacted by the FQ’s, but I get my fair share of the newly floxed as well.  I am sure the numbers will change but you get the general idea.   People’s live are being permanently altered.

The Crux of the Problem

One of the most damming documents I have read in a while comes from the Journal of Law, Medicine and Ethics from 2013.   The article is titled “Institutional Corruption of Pharmaceuticals and the Myth of Safe and Effective Drugs.”  The three authors are from Harvard, Rowan, and York Universities.   The title speaks for itself but let me quote the introduction, “Institutional corruption is a normative concept of growing importance that embodies the systemic dependencies and informal practices that distort an institution’s societal mission. An extensive range of studies and lawsuits already documents strategies by which pharmaceutical companies hide, ignore, or misrepresent evidence about new drugs; distort the medical literature; and misrepresent products to prescribing physicians.  We focus on the consequences for patients: millions of adverse reactions. After defining institutional corruption, we focus on evidence that it lies behind the epidemic of harms and the paucity of benefits.” (2)

The “paucity” of benefits. In other words, an epidemic of adverse events versus few benefits.

Documented in this paper is the shocking statistic: 30 Adverse Drugs Reactions occur for every one that leads to hospitalization. About 81 million side effects are currently experienced every year by the 170 million American who use pharmaceuticals. (2)

You can read this shocking article here.

One of the authors Donald W. Light, from the Edmond J Safra Center for Ethics and Harvard University, also wrote an article in 2014 entitled “New Prescription Drugs: A Major Health Risk With Few Offsetting Advantages.”

In this article he writes, “The pharmaceutical industry refers constantly to its “R&D pipeline” of new drugs under development. But there is a second, parallel pipeline—the trial-journal pipeline. It consists of randomized clinical trials designed with the marketing departments to produce evidence that their drugs are more effective and safer than unbiased trials would show. Commercially funded clinical trials are at least 2.5 times more likely to favor the sponsor’s drug than non-commercially funded trials. The FDA accepts these biased trials and uses them to approve drugs.” (3)

While some of us in the FQ community are resting on our laurels there is the silent pushback happening against our meager strides forward.

Despite our communities’ valiant past efforts, I, and a few others, have noted that the term FQAD (Fluoroquinolone Associated Disability), which was coined by the FDA on November 5, 2015 is being slowly redacted across the Internet.

In addition, you remember those commercially funded clinical trials that Donald W. Light mentioned above?  Here is one sponsored by Janssen Research & Development, LLC to study FQAD.

They are going to study participants who were exposed to an oral fluoroquinolone (FQ) with an occurrence start between 2007-01-01 and 2015-12-31 (inclusive) and are between 18 and 65 years of age (inclusive).  Participants exposed to an oral FQ will be observed. The oral FQ included are Levofloxacin, Ciprofloxacin, Moxifloxacin, Ofloxacin, Gemifloxacin. Participants will not receive any intervention as a part of this study.

The official title of the clinical trial is: Fluoroquinolone Associated Disability

The Study runs from May 17, 2018 through July 21, 2018

Let me make it clear that I believe the purpose of this study is to disprove FQAD.  It is to pushback against the FDA’s acknowledgement and coining of the phrase “FQAD”.

Remember “Commercially funded clinical trials are at least 2.5 times more likely to favor the sponsor’s drug than non-commercially funded trials.”

Beatrice Golomb at the University of California, San Diego, says that investigating medication that has been on the market for years isn’t a priority for research agencies, and scientists are reluctant to publish results that drug companies might find unfavorable. (1)

There’s a long history of adverse action against people who expose drug and chemical harms,” says Golomb. (1)

Where Does That leave Us?

The detractors are out there, and they are many.  From the pharmaceutical companies that spend untold millions to dissuade through tacitly controlling research and phraseology, and formulating the very thought process used by the medical establishment, to websites that ‘candy coat’ the reactions by focusing away from the ugly truth. Using dismissive phraseology and denying the ugly reality is both a misrepresentation and an insult while there are people at risk or suffering. It plays right into the hands of entities that want to continue to roll in the obscene profits and shields those who do not want to look at the actual horror that is ruining human lives.

I have already been asked, on more than one occasion, to ‘tone it down.’ To present the FQ’s in a more favorable light. To not tell the truth as I see it.

Let me throw in a caveat about hope.  I believe in hope and find my solace and meaning through Christianity.  I will not however lie.  Lying sets up people for further disappointment and prevents changes from ever happening by downplaying the ugly truth.

Our politicians and law makers must see the ugly truth in order to enact change.  If they believe things are ‘not that bad’ they will not have the impetus to enact change.

In the mean time you have a duty to warn.  If you are reading this for the first time remember, the FQ’s are indiscriminate in their ability to damage the human body in numerous ways from metabolic to genetic.  For many these drugs are the difference between good health and bad. They have the ability to manipulate our genes via epigenetic changes and direct DNA interaction. There are NO ways to determine who will have an adverse event to these drugs and there are NO ways to determine how severe or long lasting an adverse event will be.

The best defense is information.  Often, there is a safer alternative.  So, do yourself, your friends, and your loved ones a favor, become informed.

This website makes use of licensed stock photography. All photography is for illustrative purposes only and all persons depicted are models.

[georgiannazc-blog]

the dyslexic advantage

If several typical people were asked what dyslexia is, it is very likely that most of their responses would sound something like this: “dyslexia is when you mix your letters up”, “dyslexia is when you can’t spell”, and “dyslexia means you can’t read.” These responses are all incorrect beliefs and assumptions of dyslexia. Dyslexia is a learning difference and brain variance that is far more common than most people believe. In fact, studies show that one in five people are dyslexic (Brennan). This number is much larger than most people would assume. Because dyslexics are scattered throughout the human population, it is important that people become educated on what exactly it is, especially our teachers so they can help the coming generations of dyslexics reach their potential. Diving far deeper into the subject than most people even attempt, one can discover what dyslexia truly is and how to better accommodate and advocate for themselves if they are dyslexic, for others who are dyslexic, or for their dyslexic students.

If one in five people are dyslexic, that means that there must be some commonly known and famous dyslexics. According to dyslexiaonline.com, the list of famous dyslexics includes but is not limited to Winston Churchill, Albert Einstein, Steve Jobs, Andy Warhol, Alexander Graham Bell, George Washington, Babe Ruth, Walt Disney, Stephen Speilburg, to name a few (Levinson Medical Center for Learning Disabilities). Those are some very impressive and historically significant people in the world. People who often think of dyslexia as unintelligence, should note that these significant figures are dyslexic, and excel because of their dyslexia, not in spite of it. The strengths they have as dyslexics are often major reasons why they are successful.  The New York Times shows that 35% of entrepreneurs are dyslexic. (Crosby Carroll). Although this is an impressive statistic that shows a correlation with dyslexics and businessmen/women, the New York Times also shows that 45% of the prison population is dyslexic (Crosby Carroll). That statistic shows how far society has to go in progressing towards change. This high percentage could be because dyslexics are often treated poorly within their school systems, so they begin thinking they are incapable, stupid, and worthless, which could end up causing much greater problems later on in life. Patricia Lee Hodge, who is a former teacher with specialized training in Specific Learning Difficulties and Dyslexia, explains that teachers should focus on their dyslexic student’s strengths. Students are more likely to be successful later in life if teachers begin to focus on their strengths at an early age (Hodge).

In order to change the way dyslexia is thought about, one must understand some of the most common myths about dyslexia and why they are untrue. First, dyslexia is often thought of as a problem to be corrected, much like poor eyesight. Even the reputable site, WebMD, regards dyslexia as a habit a child will grow out of (Brennan). Other people and websites consider it a condition to be fixed with proper medication. The truth is, there is no “cure” for dyslexia, nor does there need to be. It is not a problem to be fixed and if someone has it, it is impossible for it to go away (“Debunking the Myths about Dyslexia.”). Second, people often regard dyslexia as an arbitrary moment of confusion, or a “dyslexic moment.” Contrary to this idea, it is not possible to be temporarily dyslexic. Your brain cannot alter its biological wiring to ever acquire or grow out of dyslexia (Hymas) Third, Dyslexia is often regarded throughout the education system as a result of a student not trying hard enough. This is not true because the dyslexic brain does not learn by the conventional method, the same way the average brain does not learn like that of the dyslexic. It is not a matter of effort, it is just because their brains process information differently. The movie, Night School, is a good example of how society believes this myth about dyslexics. The movie did so much damage to the dyslexic world and the current issues the world is facing. In Night School, the character played by Kevin Hart discovers that he’s dyslexic ("Night school"). The remainder of the movie shows Kevin Hart’s teacher pushing him to “try harder and focus more.” This is completely false because dyslexia is not a problem of effort or focus. The misconception about a lack of effort could stem from the fact that sometimes dyslexics try to take on a new reputation of “class clown” to override their current reputation of stupid and slow. This is because it is easier to be the kid who is funny than the kid who is stupid and it’s easier for a kid to show little effort because if they aren’t trying then they can’t be viewed or thought of as stupid. Another misconception is that dyslexia is always a negative thing. People do not believe that dyslexia has any advantages and it is often synonymous with laziness, stupidity, or unmotivated behavior, instead of it’s positives. However, there are inherent gifts that come with dyslexia. The Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity states that, “dyslexia is an unexpected difficulty in reading in an individual who has the intelligence to be a much better reader. While people with dyslexia are slow readers, they often, paradoxically, are very fast and creative thinkers with strong reasoning abilities.” (“What Is Dyslexia?”) Society will never understand the dyslexic mind if its goal is simply to understand the challenges that accompany it. Dyslexia will always be a disability until the benefits are truly realized.

If all those are examples of what dyslexia is not, then what is dyslexia? The website, The Dyslexic Advantage”, defines dyslexia as, “a structural brain variation that changes how one recognizes, processes, and organizes information. This genetically inherited variance can also affect the learning process. This difference is as simple as the subtle distinction between a right- and left-handed person. While dyslexia results from a biological difference in the brain, its outward manifestations differ amongst dyslexic individuals. Due to the difference in brain organization, persons with dyslexia will process language in different regions of their brain. Dyslexia may inhibit learning to read, write, and spell despite average or superior intelligence, The dyslexic brain possesses significant strengths in skills specific to the right side of the brain, such as creativity, visual-spatial skills, problem solving, mechanical functions, and general intuition. For the same reasons dyslexics struggle with certain tasks, they excel at others—not in spite of the dyslexic brain, but because of it.”

Madalyne Hymas, who is a dyslexic advocate and passionate artist, wrote an interesting article that compares a well known controversy to dyslexia, in hopes to better help others understand dyslexia. The controversy is over the color of a dress in a photograph. This went viral on the internet because people were very adamantly seeing the dress as a certain color. Some people saw a dress that was black and blue, while others saw it as white and gold. Once people saw the dress and it very obviously seemed one set of colors to them, it was extremely hard for them to see how others could possibly see the other set of colors. The comparison explains that there is no one right way to see the dress, but that it is simply a difference in the way the brain perceives it (Hymas). This is similar to how the dyslexic brain works. It is not wrong, it is just different. Dyslexics have many strengths that go unrecognized because they are not the most common way to think.

Another very good example for explaining how dyslexics might think is the example of holding a spoon up in the air. When it is held in the air with the stick part pointed upwards, it is, obviously, a spoon. When the stick is pointed forward, it is still a spoon. One can orient the spoon any direction and most people would still recognize the object as a spoon. Dyslexics wonder why when a letter such as “b” is flipped, it becomes a new letter. The dyslexic brain thinks this way, it is hard for them to understand why when the physical orientation is flipped, the meaning and purpose of said letter changes. This is the same with many letters, such as M and W, lowercase b p q d, and n and u.  A dyslexic once described to me that when a teacher would ask her what letter she saw, she always wanted to reply with, “well which way do you want me to see it” (Hymas).

The dyslexic who told me this is my older sister, Madalyne. Madalyne is a graphic designer and artist in New York,  she has worked for many major brands such as  Michael Kors, Tory Burch, West Elm, Bath & Body Works, and more (Hymas). She also makes and sells unique fine art. Madalyne grew up believing she was stupid. Madalyne was told by teachers that she was handicapped, they were shocked when she got into college, and they often asked very offensive questions regarding her dyslexia. Despite my parents consistent and honest efforts to help her feel as smart and capable as they knew she was, the education system still won. This is why we must educate our teachers.

So how does the education system fail dyslexics? The language used fails dyslexics. Imagine how one would feel as a student being labeled as learning disabled or being told they have a “learning disability”? Even if one was confident and liked learning would they feel capable? Dyslexia is not a disability, it is purely a difference. Because there are less dyslexics than non-dyslexics, it is easy to label the minority as the disabled ones. We must remember that this is not the case.  We need to change our vocabulary.  If we could shift our vocabulary, it would do a lot to help those with dyslexia not feel deficient. Words like diagnose, disability, cope, intervention, all imply inadequacy. How else could someone feel, other then dumb, when these are the words being used to describe them? Let's start using learning difference instead of learning disability.

Even though the dyslexic population is much larger than most people know, 20% is still a minority. This is why we must help dyslexic students in the general education system by providing the proper resources. Teachers should be educated on what dyslexia is so they can properly help their students. As previously stated, a shift in vocabulary will make a large impact. Along with this, teachers must allow their dyslexic students with proper help, such as, allowing their students to have their tests read to them, understanding that dyslexic students might be embarrassed to read out loud in class, and being willing to adjust assignments for their dyslexic students should they need to.

The most important thing we can do for the next generation of people with dyslexia is to help them understand the whole perspective of their dyslexia; strengths and weaknesses. It is also important to help dyslexics learn how to communicate about it to others, their classmates, teachers, neighbors, friends, and bosses. It is by promoting honest and positive messages about dyslexia that the conversation can change from a negative one. Let us change the way we think about dyslexia.

Bibliography

Brennan, Dan. “What Is Dyslexia? What Causes It?” WebMD, WebMD, 23 Mar. 2019,

https://www.webmd.com/children/understanding-dyslexia-basics.

Crosby Carroll, Mary Beth. “The Reality of Dyslexia: Millions Struggle.” The New York Times,

The New York Times, 12 Feb. 2012, www.nytimes.com/2012/02/13/opinion/the-reality

-of-dyslexia-millions-struggle.html.Levinson Medical Center for Learning Disabilities.

“Debunking the Myths about Dyslexia.” Dyslexia Help at the University of Michigan, http://

dyslexiahelp.umich.edu/dyslexics/learn-about-dyslexia/what-is-dyslexia/debunking-common-myths-about-dyslexia.

Hodge, Patricia Lee. “A Dyslexic Child in the Classroom.” Dyslexia the Gift, https://www.

dyslexia.com/about-dyslexia/understanding-dyslexia/guide-for-classroom-teachers/.

Hymas, Madalyne. “A-DRESS-ING DYSLEXIA.” The Advantage. cargocollective.com/

TheAdvantage/A-DRESS-ING-DYSLEXIA. Accessed 18 September 2019.

Hymas, Madalyne. “THE DYSLEXIC ADVANTAGE - Madalyne - Graphic Designer.”

Madalyne, madalyne.com/THE-DYSLEXIC-ADVANTAGE. Accessed 21 September 2019.

Hymas, Madalyne. Personal Interview. 8 October 2019.

Lee, Malcolm D, director. Night School. Universal Pictures, 2018.

“What Is Dyslexia?” Yale Dyslexia, http://dyslexia.yale.edu/dyslexia/what-is-dyslexia/.

YouTube, YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eObtEDWj4EU.

[grassroutes]

Is the Circle Home Plus Enough to Keep Your Family Safe Online?

Our verdict of the Circle Home Plus: A compact, lightweight internet filter that can help you to manage how your family uses the internet. Circle Home Plus is perhaps the best tech solution to screen time, but you might prefer to get your family on board before buying.910

How much time do you spend online as a family?

From streaming video on every device to kids enjoying Minecraft on their tablets and consoles, our time spent online is increasing. If you’ve decided enough is enough and it’s time to do more as a family, you can start by controlling online hours.

You’ve heard of parental control apps. Now meet a parental control router. Circle Home Plus aims to help you manage every aspect of your family’s online activity on the home network.

Manage Internet Screentime

Managing screen time is vital for a happy family life. Children addicted to digital devices are unlikely to give them up when it is time to eat, go out, take a trip somewhere without data. Having strict, immutable rules about usage is vital.

Being able to manage online screen time is a vital part of this. While standard parental control apps can monitor individual apps and games, internet access can be a bit trickier. After all, workarounds exist, in the shape of VPNs and proxies.

The Circle Home Plus is a router and app combo that pairs with your router and inspects non-encrypted traffic. The accompanying mobile app helps you to manage internet use on your home network. It’s not just for the younger members of your family either. If you have a bad habit of staying online too late, you can put an end to late-night surfing.

Time limits can be set (and if necessary, altered), and content types blocked. Specific sites can be blocked and whitelisted too.

What’s In the Box? Unboxing the Circle Home Plus

The Circle Home Plus ships in a compact box, around the same size as a smartphone box.

Inside, you’ll find the main device, a mains adapter, USB type-C power cable, and an Ethernet cable. While the Circle Home Plus features a battery, it should be kept plugged in. Portable use with a mobile hotspot (perhaps in the car) is an option, however.

The Circle Home Plus device is, regrettably, rather dull to look at. As nondescript as network hardware comes, it is at least well designed. A rubber ring on the back acts as the power button, while secreting the 1Gb Ethernet port. Keeping things tidy, the USB type-C port is in the middle of the ring.

Ultimately this is a compact white cube (3.2 x 3.2 x 3.2 inches, weighing just 1.15 pounds) that can easily be hidden behind another device. Its unremarkable appearance strangely works in favor of the Circle Home Plus.

Key Features of the Circle Home Plus

The Circle Home Plus comes with good selection of features that are almost all controlled via the mobile app.

Content Filter: four levels are available, Kid, Teen, Adult, and None. Filter levels can be further customized, ads blocked, explicit search results filtered, and YouTube restricted. Various website and app categories can also be managed.

Time Limits: individual profiles can have time limits set, with platforms and apps subject to individual limits.

Bedtime: internet access for every device with is blocked for the set period. For example, 10pm to 7am.

Off Time: enables offline time, useful for periods of homework, family group activities, etc. Can be used to encourage verbal communication!

Pause the internet: this feature lets you disable internet access for individual devices or the entire house.

Location: helps you find a family member (or the device they use).

History: displays a list of sites viewed by a profile and their future availability to the user. For example, if an inappropriate site has been visited, it can be blocked.

Usage: site and platform access are logged, giving you an idea of how much time the profile owner has spent on an activity.

Rewards: time limits can be extended, bedtime set later, and off time disabled, all via the app.

The version we reviewed comes with a one-year membership with all premium features activated. Once this expires the subscription is $10/month; or you can opt to continue using the device without the premium features. On the free plan you’re limited to only content filtering and monitoring.

Activity, access, content, and pretty much everything else is managed via a mobile app. The Circle app is available for iOS (10.0 or later) and Android (5.0 Lollipop and newer).

The Circle app is available without the Circle Home Plus and can be used to manage all the devices owned by your family. However, this requires the family devices (phones and tablets) also have the app installed.

In contrast, the Circle Home Plus sits alongside your router, removing the need for individual apps.

Pairing the Circle Home Plus With Your Router

To use the Circle Home Plus, it needs to be paired to your router. This is a straightforward process, requiring you to connect the device directly over Ethernet for the best results.

With the Ethernet cable connected and the device powered up, setup is managed via the smartphone app. This uses the QR code printed on the side of the Circle device to establish a connection over Wi-Fi.

So long as the device running the Circle app is on the same wireless network that the Circle Home Plus is connected to, it should be a straightforward process.

Set Up the Parental Controls App

Things can get a little confusing at first with the app. Setting up the Circle Home Plus means creating a management account, then a series of accounts for each device holder on the network. However, both the main account and the device accounts must be set up on the device where the Circle app is installed.

This can cause some confusion. While the accounts are clearly labeled, if you’re browsing your own profile, it isn’t hugely apparent at times. In testing, I found myself using the Pause feature to disable the entire network’s internet connection. What I thought I was doing was Pausing my own account!

Inadvertent stupidity aside, the app is straightforward to set up.

Configure the App for Child Use

Getting the most out of the Circle Home Plus means setting up a child account and associating a device. This begins by creating a new profile in the parent app and giving it a name. Setting a filter level (Kid, Teen, Adult, None) comes next, along with platform and content whitelisting/blacklisting.

“Child” devices (which may also include your partner’s) use the same app. This time, the Set up as child device option is chosen, a QR code displayed, and the device easily paired to the Circle Home Plus via the parent app.

Some permission tweaking is required in Android, mainly to prevent the app from being uninstalled. Once this is done, the device will appear on the Circle app on the parent device. Time limits can then be remotely set and enabled, and content whitelisting and blacklisting adjusted.

The child device can be remotely managed, with rewards easily assigned for good behavior. Alternatively, instant internet blocking can be enabled using the Pause function.

Is the Circle Home Plus Useful?

In theory, Circle Home Plus is the perfect solution for managing screen time and restricting inappropriate internet content.

However, if you restrict online time for your kids already via existing parental control apps (e.g. Google Family, Amazon Parent Dashboard) you might be thinking about skipping this hardware.

The usage stats are certainly useful, but with so many other great features restricted behind a $10/month subscription, you might be discouraged. After all, a smart kid could get around this stuff with a VPN, right?

Well not in this case. The Circle Home Plus software filters popular VPNs, so your kids should not be able to encrypt their connection to avoid attention. (You should, of course, have a VPN set up on your main router for all outgoing traffic.)

Avoid Pairing and Network Issues

With so many different routers in circulation, there is some risk as to whether the Circle router will successfully pair with your device. While it is difficult to list all models, the device ships with some useful troubleshooting tips.

Some smart home equipment and mesh network hardware can cause problems with setup. The easy solution is to switch such devices to “unmanaged” mode, or simply use the device in Ethernet-only mode.

Rebuild Your Family Circle

The urge to keep tabs on your family’s internet activity—especially those members under 21—might well be compelling. Naturally, there are ethical considerations surrounding this, but ultimately it depends on the decision made together by parents.

Circle is a good way to manage online time. It isn’t perfect; the pause feature doesn’t quite work as intended, set up can be slow (it was tested on a 40Mbps line), but the app is well designed and effective. Unfortunately, while the internet-connected devices can be completely controlled, offline devices can’t, which is a bit of a shortcoming for things like gaming consoles.

You might indeed appreciate the monitoring aspect of the Circle system. Data usage, a history of visited sites per device, and the ability to track a phone (person) are useful. They can certainly be part of the armory of any parenting team attempting to manage screen time.

However, you might alternatively prefer a non-technology solution, one based on discussion, agreement, and trust. But there’s no reason why both methods can’t work hand-in-hand.

Enter the Competition!

Circle Home Plus Giveaway

Read the full article: Is the Circle Home Plus Enough to Keep Your Family Safe Online?

Is the Circle Home Plus Enough to Keep Your Family Safe Online? posted first on grassroutespage.blogspot.com

[droneseco]

Is the Circle Home Plus Enough to Keep Your Family Safe Online?

Our verdict of the Circle Home Plus: A compact, lightweight internet filter that can help you to manage how your family uses the internet. Circle Home Plus is perhaps the best tech solution to screen time, but you might prefer to get your family on board before buying.910

How much time do you spend online as a family?

From streaming video on every device to kids enjoying Minecraft on their tablets and consoles, our time spent online is increasing. If you’ve decided enough is enough and it’s time to do more as a family, you can start by controlling online hours.

You’ve heard of parental control apps. Now meet a parental control router. Circle Home Plus aims to help you manage every aspect of your family’s online activity on the home network.

Manage Internet Screentime

Managing screen time is vital for a happy family life. Children addicted to digital devices are unlikely to give them up when it is time to eat, go out, take a trip somewhere without data. Having strict, immutable rules about usage is vital.

Being able to manage online screen time is a vital part of this. While standard parental control apps can monitor individual apps and games, internet access can be a bit trickier. After all, workarounds exist, in the shape of VPNs and proxies.

The Circle Home Plus is a router and app combo that pairs with your router and inspects non-encrypted traffic. The accompanying mobile app helps you to manage internet use on your home network. It’s not just for the younger members of your family either. If you have a bad habit of staying online too late, you can put an end to late-night surfing.

Time limits can be set (and if necessary, altered), and content types blocked. Specific sites can be blocked and whitelisted too.

What’s In the Box? Unboxing the Circle Home Plus

The Circle Home Plus ships in a compact box, around the same size as a smartphone box.

Inside, you’ll find the main device, a mains adapter, USB type-C power cable, and an Ethernet cable. While the Circle Home Plus features a battery, it should be kept plugged in. Portable use with a mobile hotspot (perhaps in the car) is an option, however.

The Circle Home Plus device is, regrettably, rather dull to look at. As nondescript as network hardware comes, it is at least well designed. A rubber ring on the back acts as the power button, while secreting the 1Gb Ethernet port. Keeping things tidy, the USB type-C port is in the middle of the ring.

Ultimately this is a compact white cube (3.2 x 3.2 x 3.2 inches, weighing just 1.15 pounds) that can easily be hidden behind another device. Its unremarkable appearance strangely works in favor of the Circle Home Plus.

Key Features of the Circle Home Plus

The Circle Home Plus comes with good selection of features that are almost all controlled via the mobile app.

Content Filter: four levels are available, Kid, Teen, Adult, and None. Filter levels can be further customized, ads blocked, explicit search results filtered, and YouTube restricted. Various website and app categories can also be managed.

Time Limits: individual profiles can have time limits set, with platforms and apps subject to individual limits.

Bedtime: internet access for every device with is blocked for the set period. For example, 10pm to 7am.

Off Time: enables offline time, useful for periods of homework, family group activities, etc. Can be used to encourage verbal communication!

Pause the internet: this feature lets you disable internet access for individual devices or the entire house.

Location: helps you find a family member (or the device they use).

History: displays a list of sites viewed by a profile and their future availability to the user. For example, if an inappropriate site has been visited, it can be blocked.

Usage: site and platform access are logged, giving you an idea of how much time the profile owner has spent on an activity.

Rewards: time limits can be extended, bedtime set later, and off time disabled, all via the app.

The version we reviewed comes with a one-year membership with all premium features activated. Once this expires the subscription is $10/month; or you can opt to continue using the device without the premium features. On the free plan you’re limited to only content filtering and monitoring.

Activity, access, content, and pretty much everything else is managed via a mobile app. The Circle app is available for iOS (10.0 or later) and Android (5.0 Lollipop and newer).

The Circle app is available without the Circle Home Plus and can be used to manage all the devices owned by your family. However, this requires the family devices (phones and tablets) also have the app installed.

In contrast, the Circle Home Plus sits alongside your router, removing the need for individual apps.

Pairing the Circle Home Plus With Your Router

To use the Circle Home Plus, it needs to be paired to your router. This is a straightforward process, requiring you to connect the device directly over Ethernet for the best results.

With the Ethernet cable connected and the device powered up, setup is managed via the smartphone app. This uses the QR code printed on the side of the Circle device to establish a connection over Wi-Fi.

So long as the device running the Circle app is on the same wireless network that the Circle Home Plus is connected to, it should be a straightforward process.

Set Up the Parental Controls App

Things can get a little confusing at first with the app. Setting up the Circle Home Plus means creating a management account, then a series of accounts for each device holder on the network. However, both the main account and the device accounts must be set up on the device where the Circle app is installed.

This can cause some confusion. While the accounts are clearly labeled, if you’re browsing your own profile, it isn’t hugely apparent at times. In testing, I found myself using the Pause feature to disable the entire network’s internet connection. What I thought I was doing was Pausing my own account!

Inadvertent stupidity aside, the app is straightforward to set up.

Configure the App for Child Use

Getting the most out of the Circle Home Plus means setting up a child account and associating a device. This begins by creating a new profile in the parent app and giving it a name. Setting a filter level (Kid, Teen, Adult, None) comes next, along with platform and content whitelisting/blacklisting.

“Child” devices (which may also include your partner’s) use the same app. This time, the Set up as child device option is chosen, a QR code displayed, and the device easily paired to the Circle Home Plus via the parent app.

Some permission tweaking is required in Android, mainly to prevent the app from being uninstalled. Once this is done, the device will appear on the Circle app on the parent device. Time limits can then be remotely set and enabled, and content whitelisting and blacklisting adjusted.

The child device can be remotely managed, with rewards easily assigned for good behavior. Alternatively, instant internet blocking can be enabled using the Pause function.

Is the Circle Home Plus Useful?

In theory, Circle Home Plus is the perfect solution for managing screen time and restricting inappropriate internet content.

However, if you restrict online time for your kids already via existing parental control apps (e.g. Google Family, Amazon Parent Dashboard) you might be thinking about skipping this hardware.

The usage stats are certainly useful, but with so many other great features restricted behind a $10/month subscription, you might be discouraged. After all, a smart kid could get around this stuff with a VPN, right?

Well not in this case. The Circle Home Plus software filters popular VPNs, so your kids should not be able to encrypt their connection to avoid attention. (You should, of course, have a VPN set up on your main router for all outgoing traffic.)

Avoid Pairing and Network Issues

With so many different routers in circulation, there is some risk as to whether the Circle router will successfully pair with your device. While it is difficult to list all models, the device ships with some useful troubleshooting tips.

Some smart home equipment and mesh network hardware can cause problems with setup. The easy solution is to switch such devices to “unmanaged” mode, or simply use the device in Ethernet-only mode.

Rebuild Your Family Circle

The urge to keep tabs on your family’s internet activity—especially those members under 21—might well be compelling. Naturally, there are ethical considerations surrounding this, but ultimately it depends on the decision made together by parents.

Circle is a good way to manage online time. It isn’t perfect; the pause feature doesn’t quite work as intended, set up can be slow (it was tested on a 40Mbps line), but the app is well designed and effective. Unfortunately, while the internet-connected devices can be completely controlled, offline devices can’t, which is a bit of a shortcoming for things like gaming consoles.

You might indeed appreciate the monitoring aspect of the Circle system. Data usage, a history of visited sites per device, and the ability to track a phone (person) are useful. They can certainly be part of the armory of any parenting team attempting to manage screen time.

However, you might alternatively prefer a non-technology solution, one based on discussion, agreement, and trust. But there’s no reason why both methods can’t work hand-in-hand.

Enter the Competition!

Circle Home Plus Giveaway

Read the full article: Is the Circle Home Plus Enough to Keep Your Family Safe Online?

Is the Circle Home Plus Enough to Keep Your Family Safe Online? published first on http://droneseco.tumblr.com/

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5 Actions to Get Rid of Brain Fog

So you wish to Remove Brain Fog? To earn sure we get on the exact same web page, brain fog can be called either momentary or persistent disability of one's mental capacities. Typically we perceive a sharp decrease in our cognitive capacities. A sensation of confusion and also absence of psychological clearness accompany this. An additional symptom typically associated with this condition is the inability to concentrate. Also, feelings of fuzziness, lapse of memory and also a sensation of detachment might show up. If you seem like you are not as sharp as you utilized to be, this short article will certainly aid you figure out the reasons as well as learn a solution to get rid of brain fog . Exactly what causes brain fog? Prior to we can go over how you can do away with brain fog, lets examine the possible causes. There are lots of factors that could lead, alone or in combination, to the onset of brain fog. Several of them are: • Rest starvation • Rest apnea • Chronic fatigue • Fibromyalgia • Anxiety • Anxiety • Obsessive uncontrollable problems • Mental deterioration • Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease • Schizophrenia • Bipolar disorder • Alcoholism as well as drug addiction • Particular medications • Dehydration • Menopause • Seasonal allergies • Low blood sugar • Vitamin deficiency If you are struggling with any one of these conditions, or believe you might be, it is a good idea to look for medical interest. Ways To Get Rid of Brain Fog The good news is, there is a series of simple steps that will absolutely improve your overall wellness, as well as reduce the feeling of psychological fogginess. Below are five ideas that will favorably enable you to remain sharp all day long and also aid you in your mission to get rid of brain fog: 1. Sleep Rest deprival, if serious enough, will certainly bring about brain fog. Even minor alterations to your resting patterns might impair your ability to concentrate. You could discover it hard to concentrate, as well as you may be not as sharp as you can be. Luckily, the opposite is additionally equally real. Gaining back control over your sleeping habits (by making sure you sleep enough hrs daily without interruption) will absolutely improve your cognitive capabilities. The reason that is basic enough: mental, emotional and also physical recovery happens primarily throughout rest. Both your brain function and immune system are impacted when the all-natural healing processes that occur at night are altered or reduced. For example, take into account, that explores guinea pig have actually revealed that rest deprivation could even create death. Quality sleep is not a luxury, yet a biological requirement that should be on top of your concerns. Recent research studies have actually shown that memories as well as procedural learning are combined during the REM phase of rest. If you are experiencing a hard time remembering words or truths, or failing carry out particular tasks with enough speed and accuracy, you will most definitely take advantage of longer periods in the arms of Morpheus.

Sleep ... a vital first step to obtain rid of brain fog! 2. Kick back Along with resting, you should attempt your best to maintain concerns at bay. Persistent tension is a major factor in almost all autoimmune problems, because of consistent launch of the anti-inflammatory hormonal agent cortisol. By taking control over your frame of mind, you will certainly limit the negative feelings that equate into physical ailment as well as unclear awareness. Or else, you will remain in greater danger of experiencing clinical depression, anxiety, sleep problems as well as other conditions, that will certainly in turn trigger more issues and aggravate your brain fog. Among other things, you might attempt breathing exercises that are incorporated into tasks such as Yoga and also meditation. Right breathing routines allow much better blood flow, boosting your degrees of energy as well as the efficiency of your muscular tissues. Healthy and balanced breathing also assists to activate your cerebrospinal liquid. This will certainly help in the elimination of waste products from the main nervous system. In addition, this will assist offer even more oxygen to your cells, enhancing their metabolic feature. By learning the best ways to unwind, you will certainly be taking better treatment of yourself. Subsequently, you could remove brain fog and also will definitely gain lots of various other health and wellness benefits. 3. Eat Well The quality, amount and regularity where we feed ourselves will establish how we really feel and believe. We are, fairly essentially, just what we consume. Nutrition influences all the systems in your body, yet specially the brain. Poor eating behaviors put you at an enhanced danger of high cholesterol, hypertension, obesity, etc. Consuming a nutrient-dense diet plan will certainly aid you to keep your power levels up all day, and also ensure you preserve your vigor as high as feasible. You could likewise intend to decrease the glycemic index of your food choices. You could achieve this by focusing on entire fresh foods, eating great deals of fruits and vegetables, and consist of sufficient resources of fiber to keep a healthy and balanced gut. A wellness diet regimen will absolutely play a vital role in assisting you do away with brain fog. 4. Workout Workout is necessary to stay healthy and fit. High Strength Period Training (HIIT), such as sprinting, is specifically a good idea as a brain fog treatment. It assists the body launch much more lactate, which in turn reduces the threat of hypoglycemia. Another outstanding workout is weightlifting. Naturally, the breathing and techniques associated with weightlifting are very cathartic. Yoga exercise, as said, is also a great alternative, not just to improve your breathing behaviors however also your body pose, which also has a big effect in your overall health and wellness and mental abilities. 5. Get out in the sunshine! Appropriate direct exposure to natural sun-rays contributes favorably to your general health and wellness. A shot of sunlight will certainly assist promote healthy and balanced bones and also teeth, audio resting patterns, and also promotes the production of vitamin D. About fifteen to forty minutes per day should be more than enough. No sunburns now! All the steps to obtain eliminate brain fog detailed above will considerably boost your overall wellness, as well as certainly help you recover your optimal mental capacities. Keep in mind, sleep, relax, eat well, workout (be active!) and also locate some time to sunbath and appreciate the outdoors. Take pleasure in, de-stress, and your psychological fogginess will progressively go away. My name is Clancy Davies and I am the designer as well as author of the internet site, "Reduce the Anxiety". I have actually concentrated on the area of education and learning and also individual growth for almost Thirty Years as well as appreciate aiding people address their individual concerns and reach their maximum possibility. While checking out 'Reduce the Stress and anxiety' you will find several interesting short articles on a selection of subjects consisting of; anxiety, panic attack, shyness, tension, anxieties as well as more. You will certainly find several pointers, solutions and also options to help you on your course to much better health.

[annoyinglywisedefendor-blog1]

10 inquiries for your existence insurance agent

Talk to your life insurance agent If you’re feeling intimidated by your daily life insurance options, you’re not the only one. A 2010 study by the Country wide Association of Insurance Commissioners shows less than half of American customers feel self-assured about making insurance decisions. Perhaps more frightening is only A couple of out of Your five U.Azines. consumers could answer questions about insurance insurance coverage.

Get informed relating to your policy and also the company providing it by asking your life insurance agent these 10 concerns. Whom am I buying from? Prior to getting into the main questions of methods much lifestyle insurance you need or if you want expression or permanent insurance, do some groundwork on the organization, says Allen McLellan, affiliate dean and assistant professor associated with insurance at The American College throughout Bryn Mawr, Pa. “You have to know how long the organization has been in organization, the size of this (and) it's ratings,” he says. “You also want to inquire the adviser, ‘What are your experience for being an existence insurance professional?'” McLellan states consumers can easily research the monetary strength of the life insurance business by checking out their particular fiscal rankings through organizations such as A.M. Best Corp., Standard and also Poor’s and Weiss Evaluations. When it comes to lifespan insurance agent, McLellan says to look for designations such as Chartered Life Underwriter, Certified Financial Planner as well as Chartered Financial Advisor. “These designations take up to 12 semester-long courses to acquire,” he says. “Those which come out of people courses are, at the very least knowledgewise, going to be fairly professional.” Consumers will also want to know if his or her agent carries insurance from one specific insurance company as well as multiple firms. How is my need identified? How much lifestyle insurance you’ll need consists of two key factors: how much it will take to pay your debts away from, including the house loan, and how much your loved ones will need to take care of the same life-style after you’re eliminated. Though all companies factor those two variables in, insurance suppliers frequently utilize different supplements for managing your specific insurance need to have, says Bradley Behrendt, a CFP with Tax & Financial Team based in Newport Beach, Calif. “(Consumers should ask) how did the adviser produce the (suitable) amount of insurance?” Behrendt affirms. “Was it a ballpark determine? Was it depending on an evaluation? If so, exactly how deep ended up being the analysis?” Focusing on how your need is determined is important, especially for families with unusual debts, including high medical bills, that may not be considered in a rudimentary-needs system. Once policy shoppers are sure their insurance representative is taking a bunch of their current as well as future budgetary needs into account, they can purchase a policy that suits their family. Will the policy supply living advantages? You’ll want to inquire about the basics with the policy, which includes how long the insurance policy will last, exactly what your premiums will be, what the policy’s rate involving return can be and how the particular death benefit works. If you’re purchasing permanent insurance, you should also enquire about what kinds of advantages the policy gives while you’re existing, says Ellie D. L. Butler, publisher of “Live Your Life Insurance.” “You’re basically seeking four items: control, assets, use and also equity,” the lady says. Management means your policyholder is see-through on who owns the policy, who’s financing it, that gets to make a decision the receivers and if the policy remains open or perhaps closed, says Butler. Liquidity means your policyholder is obvious on how much money he or she can take out of the policy and the way fast. “You can acquire the cash worth of whole life insurance within a week,” she states. As for utilize and value, Butler claims policyholders ought to thoroughly know very well what money extracted from their accounts can be used for and just what the rules are saved to borrowing versus it if you need to take a plan loan. What’s certain? If buying a permanent insurance plan, consumers have to pay careful attention with their life insurance illustration, says McLellan. “Another problem (consumers should) ask can be ‘What are the assures associated with this system?'” anchor general insurance says. Even though life insurance pictures frequently present several projections on how your current policy could pay out down the road, McLellan says your numbers that basically count are the “guaranteed” figures, which show simply how much you’ll make in spite of fluctuations out there or budgetary problems the actual insurance provider might encounter in years to come. While can I count on returns? This specific won’t be a question for phrase purchasers, however those seeking permanent guidelines should be happy to wait a long period before their particular policy will start generating positive returns. “Expect which 100 percent of one's first-year premiums will go to publishing the policy,” says Behrendt, adding that a majority of of it is going to be paid on the agent while commission. He states permanent life insurance policies are developed as long-term financial savings vehicles and will take between five in order to 10 years to generate positive results. New buyers who observe green inside their immediate future could be greatly disappointed. Suppose my wellness changes? Unless of course you’re buying a guaranteed-issue policy or buying life insurance through your employer, you’ll likely have to endure a clinical evaluation. The problem is that over the amount of your policy, your health could change for better or even worse. “If you don’t obtain the highest (health) classification once you apply for a policy, you need to inquire if there is the capacity to improve on that rating should your health improves,” says Behrendt. Behrendt affirms people who have got health risks like a heart attack, Drunk driving or smoking habit in the past can have between 10 percent and 20 % knocked off of these life insurance high quality if they go through new medical underwriting after a particular period of time. Policyholders, especially those together with term insurance, may also want to know what happens if themselves decreases or maybe they turn into uninsurable. What’s covered easily become impaired? Even if you don’t buy a disability riders or a separate disability insurance plan, some life insurance policies supply some advantages for motorists who become disabled. “Usually those benefits certainly are a disability high quality waiver,” says Adam Sherman, Chief executive officer of Firstrust Money life insurance advisory organization in Chicago. “For example, for those who have a $5,500 (annual) quality and you have been deemed to be disabled, the organization would provide in which $5,000 to the policy.” Sherman can be quick to demonstrate that insurance firms have different definitions regarding “disabled.” While some companies define becoming an inability to perform your specific profession, others outline it as a lack of ability to perform any kind of occupation in any way. Being absolutely clear on what specifies disability and also whether your health insurance waives premiums in the event of catastrophe will help you find the right insurance plan and determine the need for further riders. Will the dying benefit alter for the cost of living? “If we’re talking about (any death profit) that’s anywhere from 20 to Four decades away, we have to talk about having that loss of life benefit elevated (over time),” states Butler. A new $500,000 dying benefit may appear enormous these days, but Thirty years down the road, it is going to only be worthy of approximately $200,Five-hundred after changing for rising cost of living. With the cost of living increasing approximately 3 percent each year, time alone can severely erode your life insurance plan even if you never ever miss a repayment. While some policies automatically adjust to keep speed with rising prices, some organizations sell which feature as an extra rider. Prior to you signing onto an insurance policy, Butler suggests shoppers to question their living insurance agent if your policy routinely factors throughout inflation and allows them to purchase more insurance later on if necessary. What goes on if I can’t give the premium? In the event you run into monetary trouble, figuring out your options will be invaluable. Butler says term policyholders who can’t pay their own premiums most often have a 60- for you to 90-day grace period of time to come up with the bucks, but long term policyholders have an overabundance of options. “(Long lasting policyholders) usually takes an ‘automatic high quality loan’ and use against the money value of the protection to pay the particular premiums,” she says. “If you’re gonna borrow up against the cash price, you’ll want to ask what the bank loan rate is, the ones are usually between 5 (%) and 8 per cent.” The added extra of borrowing against your coverage is you don’t need to pay it again, but you ought to understand how asking for against a money value insurance plan could affect your current future results and loss of life benefit. How are you affected as I get older? Your monetary needs can change as you age group. The stipulations of your coverage might as well. Some term procedures will eventually enable you to convert to a perpetual policy, Sherman states you may not need to do so. “Usually you have to convert by simply age 75,” Sherman says. “For individuals their later years, it’s very, extremely expensive. For example, in case I’m a 45-year-old i buy a time period policy for $1 trillion, that could charge $1,300 (annually) today. Easily wanted to convert that same plan at age Over 60, the quality could be $15,Thousand a year.” To save thousands of dollars in the future, ask your health insurance agent regarding the future of your own policy.

[thesnhuup]

The Future of Education is Open – Part II

The open educational resources movement was born out of the longstanding problem of affordability with regard to learning resources. Many would agree that requiring students to purchase multiple texts for a single course is not ideal, yet there is rarely a single resource that would be capable of reaching all students across levels of ability and knowledge.

Unfortunately, this places an additional financial burden on the student, as resources tend to be expensive. This led a cross-section of educational community members to seek better ways to create and share resources, and OERs developed.

In our previous post, we discussed the history of this shift toward the use of free and openly available resources in higher education and looked closely at how a few schools are integrating OERs into their courses and degree programs. In Part II we offer details about how to create, share and implement OERs to improve the student experience and highlight the belief that engagement of instructors and content experts is integral to supplying repositories with quality resources and keeping the OER movement progressing.

Creating Resources

More often than not, the primary resources in any given course are single-handedly selected when they are not part of a repository or collection; instructors and content experts will often use supplements to fill the gaps in student understanding. OERs are an ideal supplement because they can be molded and shaped to build bridges for students’ understanding of content.

However, as the OER movement is still relatively new, problems can arise and it sometimes is difficult to find an existing OER to meet the identified need. Still, a content gap will exist, prompting many instructors to create materials such as handouts, graphics, charts and videos for their students. Creating these materials from scratch takes valuable time, which is already limited in a classroom setting. If more instructors were to release these materials as OERs, their time could then be spent further developing strong relationships with individual students or pushing students to a deeper understanding of course content and basic skills.

“Keyword Searching Using Boolean Operators” by A. Davis is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.

Often times, breaking a complex or abstract idea into simple concepts can help us fill gaps in foundational understanding.  These gaps can be a good starting point for creating materials to be shared as OERs. For example, a common skill   students often must develop in higher education courses is conducting academic research. While most students are familiar with the concept of looking up answers to their questions on the internet, many students experience keyword searches, databases and scholarly resources for the first time in their undergraduate courses and often struggle with these concepts. Over and over instructors must reinforce the differences between an algorithm search on the internet and a keyword search in the library databases or explain the differences between the three Boolean operators that allow one to use multiple keywords to alter their search results. With only a few considerations (most of which represent teaching best practices), a simple infographic can be created and licensed for other instructors to use as an OER.

Modeling Best Practices

In order to truly be open, educational materials must be open to every student. This means that the intersection of accessibility and content mastery must be addressed. Guidelines for Universal Design for Learning (UDL), which aim to give all persons equal learning opportunities, and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), which comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), are not only good for students in need of accommodations, but are generally considered best practices for all teaching because any means that enable one student to better access the material are likely beneficial for all students.

The guidelines for UDL assert that educational resources must provide multiple means of representation, action or expression, and engagement, while addressing questions of what we do as learners, how we process and present information, and why we are motivated to learn.

Many of the guidelines for UDL also overlap with ADA compliance standards. The infographic above considers both UDL and WCAG. It provides multiple means of representation by combining graphics, text and examples, and can be incorporated with other curriculum materials to provide multiple means of expression and engagement. The fonts are clear and easy to read, and the font color contrasts with the background color. However, it is important to note that when the resource is an image, it should be combined with alternative text or an accessible alternative format, which can be translated by a screen reader.

In addition to considerations of accessibility, we must consider copyright protections. Creative Commons (CC) was established to allow creators the ability to retain the integrity of ownership and copyright while offering permissions for resources to be used and shared. With it, a broad spectrum of licenses was pointedly developed to promote self-assurance for users and creators. These licenses offer simple and consistent ways to establish copyright permissions for the use of OERs. Multiple iterations of licensing, indicated by a complex yet easy to use universal attribution notation, give users different options for how their work can be reused, remixed or redistributed. After its creation in 2001, this system of licensing quickly became widespread; within two years, there were approximately one million licenses of all types in use. Continued growth has been exponential.

“Ordering of Creative Commons licenses from most to least open” by creativecommons.org is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

A CC license is irrevocable and, by design, easy to obtain. The creator of an original work need only determine the permissions he or she would like to allow and indicate the license type within the artifact created. Determining the preferred type of license can be done online and requires the creator to consider three questions:

Do I want to allow my work to be used commercially?

Do I want to allow that derivatives be made?

Do I want to require derivatives to be shared under a similar license?

The end goal is to offer more freedom to users than the standard “all rights reserved” copyright, the most restricted copyright license. In the most open form of CC licensing, the only restriction is that appropriate attribution must be given to the creator.

Near the middle of the spectrum is the Noncommercial ShareAlike license, a common license used for OERs, which includes the additional requirements that any derivative of the original work must be shared and must not be used for monetary gain. This license allows for an artifact to be built upon, revised, remixed and shared to reach a wider educational audience.

  Sharing OERs

Once an OER has been created and licensed, it can and should be used and shared freely. There are many established OER repositories that have been created since the OER movement began. OERCommons is one well-known digital library where open resources can be created, uploaded and searched. Through these repositories, instructors are able to indirectly and asynchronously collaborate with one another to develop resources that meet their students’ needs.

These resources can be used in a nearly unlimited number of ways. With appropriate attribution, an English composition instructor can incorporate the infographic in a Blackboard announcement to support his students as they learn to use researching techniques. Meanwhile, a biology instructor might take advantage of the ShareAlike license to change the examples in the original resource to more directly reflect his own course content. And a high school history teacher could piece out each row of the graphic and combine it with other materials to create a detailed practice packet for her introductory unit on scholarly research.

According to the license, these derivatives must also be shared for other instructors to use as inspiration or build upon to meet their students’ needs. By applying a Creative Commons license, employing Universal Design and accessibility best practices, and sharing the material in an OER repository, the original instructor who developed a simple infographic to help 20 students succeed has now helped hundreds of students in a variety of subject areas and education levels.

OERs are continuously being derived from one another to reflect growth and shifts in the educational landscape. Creating and licensing OERs is a way of sharing expertise and crossing socioeconomic barriers, offering the chance for any of us to leave footprints on the educational world long beyond our years as teachers and learners.

Through collaboration and innovative teaching strategies, we have the opportunity to change the future of education for the better. We should not limit our potential, or the potential of our students, with unreasonable financial burdens. As educators, we have the content expertise to create materials that help students succeed, and we should be bold enough to share them openly.

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