The struggle of data collection

By now, I would have considered myself to be a Pinterest wiz. That is why I did not expect the process of researching gluten-free cooking to be so challenging; I felt extremely overwhelmed and frustrated when beginning my research. There were SO many great resources on Pinterest, but I didn't know where to begin. I felt especially anxious about how many sources contradicted the information provided by others. For instance, some of the “essentials” that were discussed in one link, were not even mentioned as staple ingredients in others.

As a result, I decided to invest in a few cookbooks – and not just any cookbooks but ones that also highlighted the “tricks of the trade” when cooking gluten-free. After reading several reviews, there were two cookbooks that stood out to me and that were relatively affordable.

1. Artisanal Gluten-Free Cooking by Kelli and Peter Bronski (Walmart - $17 CAN)

2. Deliciously Ella Every Day by Ella Woodward (Indigo - $20 CAN)

Photographed on January 29/17

These two cookbooks included rich introductions to leading a healthy, gluten-free lifestyle and how to make it more feasible in your every day life. This included information about how to upkeep appropriate kitchen space, tips for where to start, and ideas for staple ingredients that can be used for a variety of purposes.

Ultimately, I found these cookbooks helpful because they are providing me with a starting point – by using these cookbooks as a foundation, I can now sift through the millions of Pinterest resources more confidently and expand on the recipes these books supply with more unique (possibly more affordable) ones I find on the Internet. Thus, over the next week I plan to finish reading these books. This way I can beginning searching Pinterest and other websites again, but this time with a more informed idea of what I am looking for. Wish me luck!

What's Next

As stated in my previous post, my potential timeline to reach my goal is 6 weeks. This is based on the research I have already done on learning how to cook gluten-free and the typical length of classes that are offered. I also mentioned a few goals, but the one I have chosen to target first is:

How to cook gluten-free meals that are practical, easy, and cost-efficient.

There are a couple ways I can measure my progress in reaching this goal. First, I plan to record and keep track of each new gluten-free dish I make. This includes expanding on the few simple dishes I usually make (e.g., gluten-free pasta with marinara sauce, sandwich with a gluten-free bun) to ensure I incorporate more of a variety of foods into my diet. I will record information about the ingredients I used, how complex it was to make, how long it took to make, and how successful the final product was. I will also capture the process of cooking through pictures and videos. 

In order to evaluate the cost-efficient aspect of my goal, I plan to keep track of how much I spend on each meal in its entirety, and the individual ingredients used. This will help me compare which materials are more costly and which are more practical to use in everyday meals. This will most likely be done in an Excel spreadsheet, to best organize the data. This data will also help identify any modifications I might be able to make to the recipe, in regards to possibly substituting expensive ingredients for more reasonably priced items. 

Based on what I know about Genius hour so far, one of the initial components of this project should be based around research, data collection, and brainstorming ideas for a potential action plan. This is explained in more detail in this blog Teaching with Technology, which explores what Genius Hour looks like in the classroom. 

Therefore, I plan to spend most of my time during the initial few weeks on research. This leaves less time for experimenting and putting my plan into action, so for week 1 my goal is to create only 1 new meal. The success of this first meal will determine how many I plan to make the following week, but generally I hope to increase by 1-2 additional meals each week. That way, by week 6 I should be able to cook a feasible, cost-efficient, gluten-free meal each day of the week. 

James, Victoria. (2009, September 18). Gluten free shopping list. Retrieved from https://www.pinterest.com/pin/70016969187029562/

As of right now, I wanted to leave off with one of my favourite research finds - this guide to foods that are naturally gluten-free, which are categorized by food groups and types of beverages. Check out more helpful links and resources on my Pinterest, which I have attached to my blog on the right-hand side. 

Getting the ball rolling...

I've heard a lot of positive talk in the education world regarding passion projects and "Genius Hour" in the classroom, but I never knew how hard it would be to get started. As a University student who works two jobs, I never thought about having a passion because I didn't think I had the time or money to pursue one. After much thought, I realized that my passion project could involve creating a solution to one of my biggest daily struggles - cooking. Not just any cooking, but learning how to cook GLUTEN-FREE.

A year ago I was diagnosed with Celiac disease. Although this was a relief, after years of feeling sick and exhausted, I was also devastated - I was not only broke, busy, and in love with gluten-filled foods, but I had no idea how to cook. For the past year I have managed to follow a gluten-free diet, but it is time-consuming, costly, and lacks variety. Thus, my Genius Hour question is...

How do I make gluten-free cooking quicker, easier, and more cost-efficient?

In order to figure out where to start, I did what all good educators do and... went to Pinterest. After browsing a few posts, I started to outline some potential goals: 

• Learn how to cook gluten-free meals that are practical 
• Create dishes that are quick, easy, and affordable
• Find staple ingredients that can be used for a variety of meals
• Discover strategies for meal prepping

I was also able to get a broad idea of the materials that I may need to accomplish these goals:

1. Gluten-Free ingredients (e.g., rice flour, quinoa, and other common gluten-substitutes)
2. Other foods/ingredients (e.g., fresh fruit and vegetables, potatoes, spices, etc.)
3. Kitchen/Cooking space
4. Research tools (e.g., cookbooks, Pinterest, etc.)

I also began to look into gluten-free cooking classes, which typically span for 4 to 6 weeks. Thus, I am planning to give myself a 6-week timeframe to accomplish my goals. Wish me luck! I will leave you with these guidelines I found regarding "The 5 First Steps of Eating Gluten-Free", a blog which also includes links to online cooking classes and meal prep ideas. 

Digital Citizen Badge - Copyright

I would like to consider myself fairly tech-savvy, seeing as I have been using computers since my first Windows ’95 in 1997. However, the advancement of technology was just beginning at this time so I was never taught the importance of copyrighting or the proper steps to do so. Students today are surrounded by even more technology, so it is crucial for us to ensure they know what copyrighting is, why it is important to do, and how to go about doing it.

Ribeiro, Lucelia (2008, June 30). Children at school. Retrieved from

 https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7378/8720604364_85c5931a14_b.jpg 

Copyright essential means that all rights to a product are reserved; that individuals are not allowed to copy, distribute, perform, display, or alter the piece of information/media they find online. Unfortunately that means all individuals are limited on what they can do with the material they find online. This is especially difficult for teachers and students who want to take advantage of this quick, and easy way to access global information. There is a Canadian regulation that supports the notion of fair dealing, which allows the use of works for purposes of private study, research, criticism, review, or news reporting, without a violation of copyright. However, teaching is not incorporated in this fair dealing agreement. Even showing a simple YouTube video in the classroom is prohibited, without acquiring public performance rights. 

This can be done by obtaining a Creative Commons license.

Brown, Vincent. (2011, December 28). Child’s Play. Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/vintuitive/6585812185/in/photolist-99XZry-b2Y1vX-7DjEN-nE67a9-gaMzw-c58ZUY-6vMnrt-5dF7p7-7vxWbC-34NsKW-4TJDqn-bvGEtA-2S1mVP-avx382-4JCkoW-6aqEn2-wEvAG-bJNpoB-DkuKm-6wC5vT-2A439z-qo6XwJ-eTDMpK-4f2Cve-hWm6QG-48PrtF-4rXFBr-ap3xov-dNuXva-5jXnpB-9htaQe-4ejAvv-fogL5A-drF4dZ-dPnJj8-6FbKmv-665nXn-4tySyU-dVsrbJ-avx59c-4wSgy6-6XXouX-3CgiR-7Dqfjf-2iQKjy-cdu4f-2ymPku-4f6BMA-2iLsDH-v2Qhq    

Creative Commons (CC) is a network that helps individuals legally share their knowledge and access the work of others. It was created to address this issue of copyright and to promote the open, authorized sharing of work – especially within education. Teachers should teach students about this resource, so they can utilize it within their own work. They not only need to be aware of this website, but should become well-versed on how to use it. This is because the site offers 6 licenses that individuals select to determine how their products/creations can be shared and used by others. There are 4 types of copyright established by CC (Attribution, share alike, non-commercial, and non-derivative works), which are combined to form those 6 types of licenses. By knowing how to use this web page, students can not only enhance their own work but also contribute to the meaningful work of others.