Category: Reflections

Today, I wrote an entire post, about all the loose ends in my learning project that I may have left everyone hanging with. Classically, I had not saved and my daughter was making an automatic cat feeder out of cardboard. She unplugged the computer to plug in her glue gun and alas! everything was lost. I could cry. (Why is there not an autosave version history to go back on like I have to utilize for my Grade 5 students when they accidentally erase their entire assignment.) So here is the Coles Notes version.

1. What happened to the SCOBY I was growing?
2. Did I ever hear back from the woman on Facebook who was going to offer me a SCOBY?
3. What did you think of the course I paid for versus open education?
4. Did I ever receive the Hoochy Booch Kombucha Kit?
5. How did the Kiwi and Lime second ferment trial turn out?

Trial, Error, and a Little Research

As you may recall I watched a TikTok video that was shared to YouTube. This video in a few short moments gave me the inspiration that I could grow my own SCOBY. What I failed to account for was that she set up the initial steps but did not provide the process or results. As a result I questioned whether my SCOBY was viable. It looked terrible, smelled and tasted like apple cider vinegar. After watching another TikTok, that unfortunately I can no longer locate, I decided to compost my SCOBY. This week, I went on a quest to learn what I had done wrong, and this video linked below actually confirmed that I was going in the right direction. Do you want to see me grow another SCOBY from scratch?

Community, Curiosity, and Kombucha Connections

Initially I set out with the intent to find a SCOBY by reaching out on Facebook to find one locally. I was able to connect with a colleague, Madison who generously shared her knowledge with me. The SCOBY she shared looks the healthiest. This week I went over to her house to return a flip top bottle she had loaned me when I tried the second ferment that she had prepared. She also shared some tips this week that if I wanted to increase fermentation I could also decrease the amount of space in the top of the flip top bottle. I was curious if she burped her kombucha and she said that initially she had but did not anymore. Pictured here are two bottles I brewed of the second ferment last week from her starter tea/SCOBY. I was a little concerned that a new SCOBY was forming on the top of my second ferment, however an email newsletter from Revolution Fermentation link to this post confirmed that in fact that means that the brew is strong and healthy. You may have recalled that another woman, a registered nurse, in the city was referred to me on Facebook; her SCOBY had not been ready at the time. I followed up with her this week to acknowledge her offer of a SCOBY and to let her know that I would no longer need one. I also inquired whether she would be willing to share the health benefits of kombucha and how drinking kombucha has improved her health. I am waiting to hear. If any readers have experienced health benefits do share in there comments, as I am curious to learn more about how probiotics and fermentation affect our health.

Paywalls, Podcasts, and Paths to Learning

From the Revolution Fermentation website, I paid for an online class with Sebastien Bureau. This week I rewatched it to see if perhaps I had missed some content. I am proud to report that I better understand the process more and am able to take the content and see how I might be able to refine my process from ratios of sugar to water, to grams of loose leaf tea to water. Previously I had been using tea bags so I want to try loose leaf teas. A take away from rewatching this course was that green tea pairs better with herbs and black tea pairs better with fruit. In reflecting on this course, shared as a video on Vimeo that is less than 12 minutes long, I feel as though the content is readily available online. The video is professionally filmed and edited and is an enjoyable view however I feel as though there are many content creators that share similar content for free. For instance, here is a video series from Bon Appetite featuring Brad Leone that is fun to watch and you can easily spend an entire evening as I have watching him chop fruit and brew up some interesting concoctions. I would have liked to have seen a second video in the course from Revolution Fermentation that takes us beyond ground zero of start-up and offers what comes next. That is where my questions really began. If you enjoy podcasts here is a podcast I listened to this week, featuring Sebastien Bureau, from Montreal, who takes some wonderful tangents including picking mushrooms.

When Learning Arrives By Mail

I had almost given up on ever receiving the Hoochy Booch kit. With the postal strike I had not been regularly checking my mail. But then why would I when I had confirmed that I paid $17.15 for express shipping  on  September 21st. On October 19th after visiting the mail a few times in the days before I found a parcel key in my mail box and there was the Hoochy Booch Kit. I brewed it up and today marks 14 days since I made the first brew so I should actually start the second ferment. The pH strip also says 3.0 so it is ready. The kit is cute. A final criticism I have of this company however is that there are several mentions to remember to open my follow up emails. There are none.

Tasting What I’ve Learned

Last week, we scaled back flavours to the kiwi and lime after watching a YouTube video where the creator tested various variables in an attempt to increase carbonation. I used the lime recipe from this video, waited the seven days to ferment. I also did some calculations last week to control the amount of sugar in the kiwi kombucha to match the sugar grams in the lime. While I tried to reduce the amount of pulp in the kiwi by straining it I still managed to include some pulp. Watch the video vlog below, we made this morning, to see how this second ferment went.

This past week we looked at OERs or Open Education Resources. I selected Ted Ed to review this week looking at the user-experience, organization, quality of resources, value to educators and value as an Open Education Resource. While I have accessed a few TED-Ed videos in my classroom I had not really explored the website fully before.

User Experience

The logo TED Ed on the left hand side functions intuitively as Home in the Menu bar.

It is easy to search. The top menu includes Discover, Create, Get Involved, Support, Search and icons for personalizing one’s experience. Users intuitively associate discovery with the pull down options of learning or browsing new ideas whether they were lessons, or collections (thematic or topic based), explorations that might be a more interactive learning opportunity and Blog being a more in-depth view of content. Users do not have to guess where to click.

Visually the webpage is not cluttered. It is clean, the font and colour choices are intentional. If I hover over one of the subjects it turns red. Each of the thumbnails for videos clearly communicate the main idea, theme, with short readable titles. This consistent format across all videos is optimized for accessibility, ease of navigation, to be informative at a glance and to be aesthetically engaging. Below the thumbnail two icons a heart (add favourite) and three lines with a plus (add to collection) enhance the user experience by allowing users to revisit content, personalize their experience, and turn browsing into an active curation of content.

Organization (and my search for Kombucha)

On the main home page users can search by subject. Each subject (Arts) further has a sub menu (Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Value of the Arts, Back). Subjects can be filtered by level (elementary/primary, middle school/lower secondary, high school/upper secondary, college/university), content type  (animation, lesson, best of web) , video duration and subtitles (language). Subjects can also be sorted by options like featured, popular, newest, oldest etc. This makes content easy to find, narrow what viewers need, and help them locate relevant materials. It allows for flexibility and a the ability to control content. It can also support different learning goals and increase accessibility for multilingual learners.

As I am interested in kombucha I had to use the search function to see if I could find a video or lesson about kombucha. Surprisingly a video/lesson came up instantly, Are Food Preservatives Bad For You, and while not directly mentioning kombucha in the video I did see the word kombucha mentioned in the dig deeper section of the lesson. This suggests to me that the video search function is effective in using tag-based organization to link ideas that belong to the same category.

Each lesson is structured to follow the same format. Below the title is a short two to three sentence overview of the video. The side menu to the left of the video has the following options Watch (the video), Think (multiple choice or short answer questions), Dig Deeper  (links to resources) and Discuss (questions to extend thinking). This is followed by a red box Customize this Lesson. When clicked the options laid out for customizing follow the same structure. This consistency or pattern in layout aids users in navigation and sets them up for success in customizing their own lessons.

Quality of Resources

Under the Menu Get Involved there are two selections that speak to how TEDEd videos are created, Educator Talks and Nominate. “Ted-Ed videos are collaborations between the TED-Ed team and at least one of the following: a curious learner, an exceptional educator, or a talented visualization artist.” The TED-Ed Educator Talks program is a 4-6 month program where educators create an approved talk alongside TED-Ed coaches and staff. The videos and content is curated and approved by the TED-Ed team ensuring they meet quality standards, and have a consistent style.

TED-Ed Videos having been subject to this rigorous selection and production are of high quality and feature engaging content, animations that are captivating and clear narration. The content is meant to encourage critical thinking, and is often presented in a creative way.

Value to Educators

I have accessed TED-Ed somewhat in my teaching practice, especially for Health lessons and occasionally for Art. I think it is useful to have a library of videos that you have used to refer back to on a website. I search my history on YouTube on a regular basis to recall resources I use with lessons at particular times of the year. I like that the videos are short, the narration is clear, often complex topics are presented in an engaging way. Students generally are interested in the content. Having the ability to search and filter content and the ability to access ready made lessons is a time saving value to educators. While I have not yet used the customization feature I like the ability to adapt lessons that might fit your classroom. I also like the idea of the extra resource links that are curated for various subjects. Several of the links I clicked led me to interesting articles . I think TED-Ed could be especially useful in remote learning contexts.

Value as an Open Education Resource

TED-Ed videos are free to access. However, the site generates revenue from YouTube ads. TED-Ed also works with partner organizations to sponsor videos. This may challenge the definition of an OER being neutral or without commercial interest. As a repository of videos the site supports customizing lessons. However users are not able to legally remix the videos without permission. I think of the podcast we listened to this week hosted by Alan Levine and how openness is not just about access but being able to adapt, remix and localize materials to reflect local voices and experiences including indigenous perspectives. Does curation restrict community contribution and local perspectives or can the customization of the lessons provide enough adaptability for educators to remix open content?

Digital tools and technologies shape the way we teach and the way we learn. During the Pandemic we became adept at communicating, and collaborating online. From joining Zoom or Google Meet classrooms we learned how to join breakout rooms, chat, and learn online. Today there is an increase in online courses and virtual or hybrid classrooms. Digital tools encourage collaboration and students are able to co-create, or collaboratively brainstorm, share ideas, and images through shared Google Docs, Slides or Jamboard. Technology allows students to create podcasts, videos, or digital texts/art. Technology automates tasks. Google Forms grade quizzes. AI can be used to personalize learning and adapt resources. While I am building my skill set in this area some of the teachers at my school adjust texts with AI to match reading levels. AI can also be used to generate rubrics, or even lesson ideas. Lesson delivery can be made interactive with live polling and quizzing using digital tools like kahoot, Wayground (formerly Quizizz), Mentimeter, or Blooket. Technology expands access to resources from joining virtual field trips, to accessing online libraries. Digital tools also help organize and online calendars like Google Calendar or Edsby allow students to plan ahead, while also allowing teachers to coordinate and communicate expectations. In the article, Understanding the role of digital technologies in education: A review the authors detail 34 applications of technology in education. In summary the authors argue that instructors must incorporate technology or face marginalization.  At first I thought that was a bit extreme having survived an old school education, but I can see how if you were not using digital tools and technology to communicate with parents, to enter grades, submit data, and complete report cards you may be made redundant.

Digital technologies assist in developing abilities that will require students’ professional performance, such as problem-solving, thinking structure creation, and process comprehension. They are also preparing for a more unpredictable and changing future in which technology will play a critical role. Students’ acquired qualities and abilities will be essential to their professional success. Educational resources and digital tools help to improve the classroom atmosphere and make the teaching-learning process more compelling.

One way to make the teaching-learning process more engaging is through the use of memes. In the article, Enhancing the student learning experience through memes, the authors detail a project where students were asked to reflect on their learning and produce a meme. Participants used a Meme Generator and shared their Memes in real time through Padlet. Students reflected on the activity in a word cloud. Engaging, Interesting, Creative and Different stood out and validate that using/making memes was both positive and enjoyable as a learning experience. The authors conclude that meme-making is an engaging way to have students reflect. As it is both fun and relevant students will retain class content.

In an era where class participation can be difficult, this method demonstrates that as educators we need to innovate in our approaches and consider trying new methods for engagement, even when they are not within our own cultural experiences.

Occasionally I have used memes in the classroom to introduce humour into otherwise routine topics like classroom expectations. Memes can provide an entry point for discussion rather than just listing rules, and it can also make the expectations memorable, set a positive tone, and capture student’s attention. I think it would be interesting to have students in my class make memes to encourage engaging critically with content.

In a lecture given on October 6, 2025 Dr. Hildebrandt speaks of shifts in technology. One of these shifts she speaks of is access to content. Immediate access has changed how we engage with content. Another shift is the change in tools available. Now many of our students have access to their own personal devices and are actively posting on various social media platforms. These shifts have caused a change in relationships. Through sharing and creating Memes, TikTok‘s, SnapChats culture is being shaped. Henry Jenkins describes participatory culture where we have the capacity to produce and share media. By tapping into the desire to play with media and technology he encourages educators to see this as an opportunity to prepare students to recognize their role in contributing to and shaping culture. He provides an example of having students change a Wikipedia entry, to have their entries be tested and back their arguments up with evidence. These students were empowered by participating.

Henry Jenkins also advocates for educators to equip students with the tools to engage with content and communities online.

Dr. Hildebrandt spoke of the challenge of digital and participatory culture being the lack of mediation. Participatory culture invites anyone to join the conversation. This can lead to challenges including misinformation, with bots automating harmful or misleading content. Echo chambers and algorithms can limit perspectives. Superficial participation of liking, commenting and sharing do not replace meaningful interactions. Remixing, reposting and sharing blur copyright and ownership. Other concerns might include privacy and curated online selves seeking validation in unhealthy ways.  How do we help our students critically navigate digital content?

I am reminded of a conversation I had with my class the other day where we discussed sources in their research. There were some gasps when I said google might not have the right answer and then showed them the google answer versus another response from the Canadian Encyclopedia online. Not everything on the internet is true. Recognizing that there is fake news, bias, questioning sources, thinking about what we are seeing and asking questions can be steps toward  building critical media awareness. Charlie Gedeon compares this experience of using Google to ChatGpt and the magical allure of the first result. He speaks to the importance of having students study myths and disinformation. While it may seem all doom and gloom that AI is making us dumber, as we offload our learning, perhaps by analyzing responses, comparing and verifying sources, uncovering bias and voice, assumptions, and asking better questions we can enable students to critically participate in this digital culture.

A Policy Designed to Refocus Learning

At the start of last school year a policy was introduced by the Saskatchewan government, restricting cell phone use in K-12 classrooms. Mick Panko, a principal with Regina Public Schools, in a text exchange, reflects on the policies intended purpose, and its positive impact on school culture. The policy was framed as a balanced and effective solution to managing device use in schools while still providing for exceptions. 

The provincial PED policy, as it is applied at Sheldon Williams Collegiate, offers a clear and structured approach to minimizing classroom disruptions while respecting student needs. The progressive discipline model ensures fairness and accountability, with thoughtful provisions for medical and instructional exceptions. Overall, the policy promotes a focused learning environment and encourages responsible device use through constant enforcement and family engagement.

From this perspective, the policy not only reduces classroom disruptions but also supports a learning environment where students can stay focused and engage more meaningfully with their work. Yet while the policy’s benefits for maintaining focus and minimizing disruptions are clear, it also prompts deeper questions about what students may lose when opportunities to guide their digital decision making are removed.

Preparing Students- and Teachers – for a Digital Future

In reflecting back on this move I thought​ initially of how cell phones impacted my classroom prior to the implemented policy. As I teach grade 5, I find this is a cusp year where students were starting to acquire cell phones. David Chorney, an Education researcher at the University of Alberta, found 54 per cent of grade 5 students have cell phones with many anticipating acquiring a cell phone within the next year.  In this survey Chorney surveyed their top reasons for having a cell phone.

And while the ostensible reason for having a cell phone was keeping in contact with their parents, using the phone to take and make calls was not among the top reasons students gave for having a cell phone, which centred on playing games and participating in social media.

Students in grade 5 are forming their identities in relation to their peers and what is socially acceptable. As Grade 5 is a pivotal year, I wonder if restricting use is teaching digital responsibility? A question that has been raised is, are we banning cell phones because we are not willing to equip teachers?  Professor Antero Garcia in the podcast below says the reason we are moving towards banning cell phones is because we have not thought about preparing the teaching profession around cell phones and not engaging in these conversations is short-sighted.

 

Students I found in the classroom who had cell phones often used them to share videos or simple games they had made in coding classes. I could see the value in having cell phones for students to capture their learning and post to their online portfolios. I recall seeing in the classes ahead of mine students create and present multi-media presentations, access QR codes for linked resources, and participate in gamified real-time quizzes, surveys, and discussions. Curtis Norman, a former junior high teacher at our school, and now administrator spoke to the usage of cell phones in schools in an interview from 2017 about the importance of developing responsible digital citizens. In a text exchange Jesse Bradley, Vice Principal at Harbour Landing School, shared, “It has limited, the flexibility of teachers to be able to access the technology. From my perspective, I’d prefer to teach students how to use their devices appropriately rather than banning their use.” Without opportunities to test and practice media literacy and responsible usage in a guided environment, students may miss the opportunity to develop critical thinking and responsible habits needed to navigate an increasingly digital world.

Investing in Our Youth

Despite being a tool for digital literacy I would be remiss to not also acknowledge that many students struggle with appropriate usage. In a WHO study surveying 280, 000 youth ages 11, 13, and 15 from 44 countries, including Canada, an increase was found in problematic social media use. Implications included lower mental and social well being and increases in substance abuse. I often saw that students who were at risk may also have been those who struggled with appropriate use within the classroom. The studies recommendations were not to ban use, but to help young people develop digital literacy skills, promote healthy online behaviour, and provide support to those at risk.

Children and young people are an essential target group for health promotion because health behaviour learned early creates the basis for behaviour that supports well-being as an adult. The benefits of developing social media and digital gaming habits that are healthy, safe and responsible and that support one’s own and others’ well-being should therefore be emphasized to young people.

Calls to action included investing in education and mental health.

Where to Next, Looking Ahead to a Future Shaped by AI

While I feel that it is important to develop digital literacy in our youth within the classrooms, as a parent, I can also see when my daughter, who is 9, has had too much screen time. Her ability to make positive choices decreases. As a parent I think it is important to encourage play, being creative, reading a book, and dialoguing. As a teacher, I see students playing more and socializing with their peers on recess breaks.

In thinking about this topic, I came across a session AI and The Future of Education at the conference SXSW EDU. Sinead Bovell advocates for redesigning education for AI. Surprisingly Sinead Bovell also advocates for cell phone bans in schools. Technology for technology sake is not the answer.

Critical thinking is absolutely vital in the age of advanced technologies. Kids need to read more, read for the sake of reading, and read in a way that they come back to school or with their parents and discuss those ideas and have those ideas challenged. Kids need to play more in the age of advanced technologies. The future Steve Jobs are not going to come from the corporate cubicle. They are going to come from people who have imagination, that can play freely, experiment and work collaboratively.

I don’t have all the answers. Somedays I think the key is guiding responsible cellphone use, and promoting healthy online behaviour, but voices like Sinead Bovell remind me that fostering creativity, play, and curiosity might matter just as much. Perhaps preparing students for a digital future isn’t the devices at all, but nurturing the imagination and critical thinking they’ll need to shape whatever comes next.

Social media, has expanded over the last few decades, fermenting slowly at first, then growing and evolving into a global network impacting how we share, learn, and connect.

Growing up, my great uncle gifted us a computer. At the risk of aging myself, I will say that to operate this computer you needed to enter simple code. While it was initially exciting, I easily lost interest watching my eldest brother enter DOS commands. Later, we would have dial up internet and between navigating when one could use the computer and the slow connection I rarely used a computer until university.  As friendships developed, I experimented with Messenger, but often found online communication challenging. Even to this day, with the ease of apps like WhatsApp,TikTok and Snapchat to message I sometimes find it challenging to keep in touch with friends and family online, and probably have faded into obscurity. Initially, social media was not woven into my daily life, a computer or cell phone was useful, but not necessary, and most of my life and connections were still built offline.

Eventually as social media grew, my consumption also grew. Over time many of the platforms I accessed  increasingly became monetized, driven by influencers and often saturated with divisive and polarized viewpoints. I often feel frustrated, overwhelmed, and anxious after accessing social media sites such as Facebook, YouTube, Threads, Reddit, X (formerly Twitter), AppleNews Top Stories as a distraction or without intention.  I recognize that much of the time when I do access social media it is also when I am already taxed from day-to-day interactions. Doomscrolling, highlight reels, algorithms that amplify, notifications, likes, followers, and toxic comments can lead to information and emotional overload.

I’ve had phases of purposeful social media use that by contrast remind me that it is empowering to create, share and connect. When I worked in arts and culture, I was expected to use Twitter and LinkedIn to build identity and community. I contributed content and connected with others professionally online in my role at the arts and heritage centre. I was actively involved in a national network of art gallery educators that shared strategies, exchanged ideas, and collaborated online.

In my teaching career by contrast, I’ve rarely stepped into professional conversations online, partly because I’ve always felt cautious about what should or shouldn’t be shared about teaching in public spaces. I am excited about this course and diving into social medias place in education. I want to approach using social media with intention to cultivate meaningful connections. I would like to grow my ability to use social media as a tool for learning, teaching and networking.