Danny Fekete

Danny Fekete

Full Stack Web Developer and Special Educator

As a technology and special education teacher, I map complex concepts, systems, and relationships, and then explain them in terms sensitive to needs of my audience. As a developer, I’m discovering the thrill of building logical machines from which emerge stable complexity and further potential. Pathological philomath, chronic autodidact, unfashionably metrical poet, designer of games no one plays, and aspirant to become the teachers I admired growing up; I’ve actively spent my adulthood trying to be uninterested in nothing.

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Location
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Email
Website
https://neckdeep.dev
LinkedIn
Daniel Fekete

Experience

Application Developer: PostageApp

Working under the mentorship of Scott Tadman with a focus on API development using GraphQL, Ruby on Rails, procedural test-generation, and building supporting microservices and gems for internal use/eventual open-source release; assisting in the training of recent hires. (Ruby, Rails, GraphQL, JavaScript, React.)

Highlights

  • Laid groundwork and did initial implementation/testing of the new GraphQL API.
  • Developed a TypeScript bridge application to serve legacy clients using the old RESTful API, translating to and from the new GraphQL interface.
  • Developed an internal API documentation site in Jekyll using GraphQL reflection for automated content and linking.

present

Technology Teacher; Resource and Enrichment Teacher: The Dunblaine School for Students with Special Needs

I’ve taught computer skills (basic operation, file system organization and navigation, Internet safety, general office software use, fundamental programming, video and image processing) to all students at Dunblaine since 2012, following the completion of my Master’s degree.

Highlights

  • K-8 special education computer and technology skills (8 years); Gr. 6 classroom teacher (1 year); resource and enrichment (8 years)
  • School website design, development, and maintenance
  • School computers/iPads/peripherals maintenance
  • Assistive technology implementation and training (currently Read&Write)
  • Facilitating weekly Hiking Club
  • Leading/facilitating yearbook production

present

Self-employed: Freelance Private Tutor

I’ve worked with students from elementary school through undergraduate university in English, History, Science, Study Skills, and Astronomy

Highlights

  • Specialized experience working with students with diagnosed learning disabilities and Autism Spectrum Disorder

present

Self-employed: Freelance Tech Consultation, Repair

Since high school, I’ve built desktops and done tech support for friends, family, and eventually paying clients.

Highlights

  • Designing and assembling computers to serve clients' needs
  • Application and network troubleshooting
  • Software and interface training

Education

Bootcamp Graduate in Web Development from Lighthouse Labs, Toronto

Master of Arts in Curriculum, Teaching, and Learning from University of Toronto: Ontario Institute for Studies in Education

Bachelor of Education in Intermediate/Senior Teaching from Nipissing University

Bachelor of Arts in Combined English and History (Hons.) from Nipissing University

Publications

Worthy Worlds: A Case Study of the Pedagogy, Design, and Execution of Two University Courses in Second Life (Master's Thesis) by University of Toronto: OISE

With increasing access to powerful computer processing and broadband Internet connectivity, persistent immersive worlds like Second Life are being adopted for use as virtual learning environments. The flexibility of these spaces, however, offers little innate direction for educators in terms of design and pedagogy considerations, creating a space for research, shared experience, and possibly the development of “best practices” literature. This multiple-case study explores the unique affordances of immersive environments for distance education with reference to the design, pedagogy, and student experience of two university-accredited courses taught entirely “in-world” on the Second Life platform.

Awards

Ontario Graduate Scholarship ($15,000) from The Province of Ontario

A merit-based scholarship for students in graduate studies in Ontario.

Ontario Graduate Scholarship ($15,000) from The Province of Ontario

A merit-based scholarship for students in graduate studies in Ontario.

Academic Excellence Award ($2000) from The Ontario Institute for Studies in Education

An internal merit-based scholarship.

Academic Excellence Award ($2000) from The Ontario Institute for Studies in Education

An internal merit-based scholarship.

Skills

Programming Languages
Keywords:
  • Ruby
  • JavaScript/TypeScript
  • GameMakerLanguage (GML)
Full-Stack Web Development
Keywords:
  • Rails 7
  • GraphQL
  • React.js
  • HTML5
  • CSS3 (+Sass/SCSS)
  • Bootstrap
  • jQuery
  • PostgreSQL
  • Sinatra
  • Bundler (and Ruby Gem Development)
  • Slack (Slackbot Development)
  • Node.js
  • Express.js
  • ws (WebSockets)
  • HAML
  • YAML
Media and Interface Design
Keywords:
  • Adobe Photoshop (Image Editing)
  • Adobe Audition (Audio Editing)
  • Kdenlive (Video Editing)
  • Aseprite (Pixel Art)
  • Microsoft Office

Interests

Science and Nature
Keywords:
  • Walking Too Much
  • Astronomy
  • Natural History
Culture and Design
Keywords:
  • Digital/Physical Game Design
  • Game Theory
  • Philosophy of Science
  • Metrical Poetry
  • Fountain Pens
  • Headphone Audiophilia