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Adaptive Consulting Services was started to provide a means for educational programs, school districts, and individuals to access the experience I have in education, assessment, computers, and whatever else you need that I can provide. I provide support and consultation services for a variety of organizations in the education and computing arenas. Let me help you figure out how to solve an education or computing problem when there is no off-the-shelf solution readily available for your educational, assessment, and computing needs.
Click here to see my online resume'.
Select a link below to learn more:
Assessment ConsultingScience Education
Inservice Training
On-line courses for Credit
Macintosh maintenance, service, and repairSoftware expertise
I have several years of experience in modern trends of assessment including standardized testing, test design and administration, performance assessments, open response and multiple-choice item design, and aligning benchmarks. I have served on the state assessment committee for the Commonwealth of Kentucky's original Kentucky Instructional Results Information System (KIRIS), and served as committee chairman and state assessment consultant for the statewide science exam. I also have worked on the development and implementation of the New Standards Mathematics, Science, and English Language Arts Reference Exams as Director of Assessment for the New Standards division of the National Center on Education and Economy (NCEE). I can perform such tasks as reviewing RFPs and proposals, guiding committee work, training on assessments, and provide advice on implementing procedures for success on standardized assessments such at the California STAR test. A large part of my assessment consulting work is providing inservice training to teachers on developing multiple-choice and open-response items.
As an experienced physics, astronomy, and general science teacher, I can offer concrete classroom experience from over eight years in the classroom to apply to models and theoretical strategies you may wish to evaluate. I can also provide inservice training on Conceptual Physics, Active Learning, Astronomy education, and using the computer in the classroom. I hold a Master's degree in Astronomy from the University of Arizona, Tucson, recognized as a world leader in the astronomical community. I am a longstanding member of the Mount Diablo Astronomical Society and have presented several talks there on a variety of topics. My publications include an article for Sky and Telescope magazine on how to use astronomical simulation software to observe the sky from the planet Mars.
In conjunction with the Heritage Institute, On-Line, I offer a course in Astronomy for teachers called Astronomy and the WWW. For more information, click here and select the course "Astronomy and the WWW" for a free preview of course requirements. The bibliography is restricted to registered students.
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I have over ten years of experience repairing and upgrading Macintosh computers, from the early Mac Plus and SE models to modern G3 models and the new iMac and iBook. While I am not an authorized Apple service technician, I can guarantee fast service, cost-efficient solutions to your problems, and a "no charge for repair attempts that fail" policy and free cost estimates. I have replaced hard drives, CD-ROMs, power supplies, powerbook screens, floppy drives and motherboards; upgraded RAM, added Ethernet cards, added peripherals such as modems, scanners, video capture cards and CD-RW drives; reinstalled system software from 6.0.8 through 8.6; and just about everything except repair faulty picture tubes (but I'm working on that).
Systems I have worked on include Mac Plus, SE, SE/30, IIci, Centris, Quadra, Power Mac 6100, 6200 series, 7200, G3 beige boxes, G3 beige MT, Powerbook models 180, Duo, 5300, G3, and probably several others in-between.
I have "power-user level" experience on all the standard software packages plus MacLink Plus, Scanbook for Macintosh, Filemaker Pro, and many others including Graphicconverter, Appleworks, various scanning software packages, and Microsoft Outlook.
My expertise is greatest with Filemaker Pro, where I have completed budget building and planning software, library tracking databases, conversions of the California Science Standards to database format, and many other projects. I can also train your staff on Filemaker Pro fundamentals and advanced topics.
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The Heritage Institute, On-Line, offers a number of classes including my course, Astronomy and the WWW, specifically for teachers with students. You can even earn college credit for the class. Click here for a course description.
The Antioch Unified School District is where I teach. I teach 9th grade science at Deer Valley High School in Antioch, California. However, I have on occasion done some inservice training for teachers at the district, including a workshop on student written assessments and another on incorporating assessment in the classroom.
For specific contact information regarding my work with these organizations, please email me. This list is provided as a service to my potential clients and does not contain proprietary information covered by non-disclosure agreements with these organizations.
I am an Apple Demo Day representative during the next couple of months in various locations around north central California. I will be presenting information on the new iMac and iBook products offered by Apple computer. Seems appropriate, as I am a rabid Mac Addict.
New Standards is a joint venture between the National Center on Education and the Economy and the Learning Research and Development Center. They are my former employers, and I still consult with them on occasion. When I was a full time employee there, I worked in the Oakland, CA office hosted by the University of California Office of the President.
Hanford Elementary School District, located in the fine city of Hanford, California, has asked me to consult in conjunction with the New Standards project work currently under way there. They are looking to implement a portfolio tracking and scoring system developed by the Alameda County office of education called the Student Work Scoring Profile, which, I understand, is entirely my fault. Just ask Drew.
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My primary email for consulting services is jefferyadkins "at" comcast.net.
For telephone and mailing information, please email me.
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The logo is a stylized combination of the initials of my name, J and A, rotated to make the combination resemble an upward pointing arrow. This particular version was rendered in Stratavision 3D and converted to GIF format using Graphicconverter. Oh yeah, I do web graphics too.