How often do we go where our curiosity invites us?
I like to think of myself as a lifelong learner and yet sometimes I stall when it comes to taking the initiative, choosing what to explore, engaging with what I am really curious about. Self-directed learning or SDL involves choice, personal relevance, flexibility, motivation, problem-solving and reflection. In the article, Self-Directed Learning and Student-Centred Learning: A Conceptual Comparison Morris, Bremner and Sakata reference SDL as the fundamental competence for a lifelong learner.
More recently, perhaps in accordance with rapidly changing conditions, driven in part by digitisation, COVID-19, and times of conflict, SDL has been highlighted as a fundamental meta-competence for living and working in our increasingly complex and unpredictable world: because it empowers a person to upskill – and be therefore adaptable to change
Why procrastinate then? Perhaps it is because we wonder if taking that initiative is worthwhile. For instance, I am mildly obsessed with Kombucha. Is it worthwhile for me to learn how to make Kombucha when I can purchase Kombucha at the grocery store near my house? Oh! you will save so much money making it yourself. I thought this myself when I taught myself how to sew. I thought if I make my own clothes I will save so much money. In reality I spent a great deal of money purchasing equipment, tools, supplies, and for every item that was wearable I made many other versions that were not. And yet, while others may have done it before or your first attempts might be a disaster, following curiosity is worthwhile.
One of the major components of EC&I831 is a personal learning project that is process based. I find this process based approach fascinating as a learning and teaching strategy and hope to learn more about this learning and teaching strategy through experiencing it. AI for instance, has entered the scene, even in my grade 5 classroom. And where students who just learned how to login to a computer in September, by October can generate and turn in products that exceed the model. In my own teaching practice I am trying to incorporate more triangulation of assessment as traditionally the end product was what we entered into grade book. Process based learning involves goal setting, making connections, planning, research, inquiry, experimentation, risk-taking, problem-solving, adapting, reflecting or metacognition, and documenting the journey.
I included the video linked above because I liked the idea of setting a fixed study time of perhaps 25 minutes a day where you focus on the material. The reasoning the video shared was not that you meet your goal of finishing rather the very act of being interrupted in process keeps interest and motivation.
Initially I struggled with what to choose for my learning project. I wondered if making kombucha would be complex enough. Would it be as simple as brewing a sweet tea, adding in a SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast), and letting it ferment 1-2 weeks? In my initial searches I realized learning anything can be as simple or complex depending on how in depth or detailed you want to go. For instance, Revolution Fermentation offers a number of topics to learn about kombucha on their site. Digging deeper, I followed a link on their website to a kombucha masterclass and realized my initial concerns of whether kombucha was complex enough could be put to rest.
Where to start? My first initial impulse was to order a SCOBY off of Amazon, and just get started, however after in the spirit of EC&I831 being a course on Social Media & Open Education I put a call out on Facebook to see if any of my friends also make kombucha and may be willing to share a SCOBY, apparently SCOBYS have babies (more on that later)!
I thought of how I could incorporate Social Media into learning about Kombucha. Some of the ideas I had included online tutorials and watching topical videos on Youtube. Further I could read blogs. I could follow links on Pinterest to save recipes and brewing guides. I could perhaps join online communities such as Facebook groups or Reddit communities where enthusiasts share their advice, successes and failures. I could listen to Podcasts where fermentation experts share their research and insights.
What I think will actually be complex will be the process of using social media to inform, to make connections, and to share this process.
Embarking on this personal learning project, this video is inspiring, Danny Gevirtz encourages making what you want to make and sharing your work. At one point in the video he says, “if I listened to my dumb brain, and didn’t share what I wanted to share, we wouldn’t be right here right now.” Learning to make kombucha, sew, knit, edit videos, or play the guitar is worthwhile because the process of doing it, connecting with others, and basically getting out of our heads is worthwhile.
“Following curiosity is worthwhile.” Truer words have never been spoken. I believe people hold themselves back by making ‘pros and cons’ lists and overthinking too much when it comes to trying new things.
As a chemistry teacher, I’d love to know the science behind Kombucha and go beyond my initial thought that it’s just fermented tea.
Also, thanks for the paper on SDL which was a fantastic read.
It’s not a real dilemma until there’s a pros and cons list on a napkin somewhere. Chemistry would be an interesting angle to take with fermentation. I have yet to learn about the science behind fermentation, but if I do come across something interesting and chemistry related I will share.
Haha, you’re so right. No decision is truly official until the pros and cons list makes it onto a napkin somewhere! 😅 I’d love to geek out on the chemistry of fermentation too. It feels like such a cool overlap between everyday life and science. Please do share if you stumble across something interesting, I’d be super curious to read it. In the meantime, I might do a bit of digging into “kombucha chemistry” myself!
Hey Rhonda,
I really enjoyed reading your post—it was so engaging and reflective! I love how you connected your curiosity about kombucha to the bigger picture of self-directed learning and lifelong growth. The way you highlighted the importance of process over product really stood out to me, and it’s inspiring how you’ve framed this as not just about making kombucha, but about embracing curiosity, risk-taking, and connection. I can already tell this journey will be both fun and transformative, and I’m excited to follow along as you share your progress!
Thank you! I’m realizing being a self-directed learner is not just about finishing a product, it’s about leaning into curiosity, navigating uncertainty without derailing, and being willing to take risks. Reflecting on this process, and reading others shared learning projects, makes me more aware of how trial and error builds confidence and fuels lifelong growth. I can see how connecting with others, through sharing ideas, gaining feedback, or even being inspired by other people’s learning keeps growth alive and going beyond a single project.