Zhiwen Zheng’s Peer Review

Suggestions

• Reducing learning outcomes
• Providing more effective ways to help colour-blind students

What we improved or MAY NOT improved

• There are four main essential questions in our project and each question contains 1-2 learning outcomes. In our opinion, all learning outcomes are important and necessary, so we do not reduce any of them finally.
• The main purpose of using different colours in our project is to highlight the key words or sentences. Therefore, in order to help colour-blind students, we also bold all highlighted words or sentences.

Alireza Tahmasebi’s Peer Review

Suggestions

• “Will there be deadlines for formative and summative assessments, or will students complete the activities and assessments at their own pace?”
• “On the pages for topic 2, topic 3, and topic 4, the outcomes differ from the ones that were written on the page for learning outcomes”
• “Make sure you cite any source(s) that you used in the first paragraph for describing experiential learning and list the references at the end of the page” and “ensure that you cite and reference the source(s) you used for describing cognitivism”
• “I recommend trying the Colourblind Web Page Filter, which lets you filter your webpages based on colour filters and helps you make sure that the best colours are chosen for the design of the website”
• The links of learning activities in topic 2, 3, and 4 have been invalid.

What we improved or MAY NOT improved

• Students will complete the learning activities and assessments at their own pace.
• The learning outcomes for topic 2, topic 3, and topic 4 are changed and align with the page for learning outcomes.
• The sources in experiential learning and cognitivism are cited.
• The links of learning activities in topic 2, topic 3, and topic 4 are improved.

Yisi Min’s Peer Review

Suggestions

• “There should have some content or link jump when I click Description & Rationale and Assessment. It looks a little empty now”

What we improved or MAY NOT improved

• We do not change this part because both the “Description & Rationale” and “Assessment” are our primary categories and there are a few secondary categories under the primary categories.

Killian Baron’s Peer Review

Suggestions

• “Topic 4 doesn’t have an assessment, though this may be to give students time for the summative assessment, you may want to consider adding another assessment for this topic”

What we improved or MAY NOT improved

• The assessment for topic 4 is included in the final summative assessment; therefore, we do not change this part.

Our group’s plan is inclusive of most learners to participate in the study, from the text, video and music in the video interpretation and action in the video demonstration of letters, either special or ordinary students we are all equally, try to meet our designers wish is that all students can learn knowledge from our interactive learning resource. Special learners, such as those who are colour blindness or have limited mobility, can still access more information through our project and learn knowledge from this topic. One is that the existence of text and video subtitles will not interfere with their learning progress, and the other is that the existence of the internet enables learners with mobility difficulties to study at home. Additionally, the main purpose of using different colours in our project is only to highlight the key words and sentences; therefore, for learners who are colour blindness, the use of different colours will not cause their failure of learning.

Also, no matter students are good at presentation or shy and introverted, they can express themselves freely through Google Group. Our group members all agreed that communicating with others after learning is more conducive to realizing what they have learned and listening to more opinions, because sometimes a person’s cognition is not as diverse as that of a group of people, and new sparks may be generated when talking with others. In particular, the after-class formative assessment and active designed by us can gather the minds of learners around the world, consolidate what they have learned, exchange their new findings and perhaps spark new thinking.

Additionally, our group made several online discussions with Google Groups and online quizzes with Google Forms in order to encourage learners to participate in after-class quizzes and express their opinions generously. No matter what you see in pictures, what you extract from words, or what you get from videos and music, all of them will become the learners’ own experience and knowledge, which is also the wish of our group when designing this interactive learning resource.

Brief Commentary

Tea has the same connotation for Chinese as coffee does for Westerners, according to new research. In China, however, tea is not simply a beverage, but also a symbol of energy, civilization, and art. (Tea Ceremony-Symbol of Chinese Tea Culture, n.d.-b). Tea has been a part of Chinese culture for centuries, and the Chinese believe that the tea ceremony promotes friendship, improves morality, and refreshes the mind. It has not only been woven into the daily lives of the Chinese people for thousands of years, but it was also invented by the Chinese people (Mayer et al., 2019).

The tea ceremony in China dates back to the Tang Dynasty and may be traced back to that time period (618-907). The bride’s family would carry tea as part of the bride’s dowry in ancient times to symbolise her devotion to her future spouse.

Learning Outcome(s):

After learning from this sub-topic, students will be able to…

• Comprehend cultural value of Chinese tea ceremony. 
• Evaluate what occasions people will use Chinese tea ceremony (e.g. formal and informal occasions) and apply it in real life. 

The New meaning of Chinese Tea Ceremony

However, in recent years, the tea ceremony, which is frequently held at weddings, has given tea a whole new meaning. On the wedding day, the tea ceremony is quite traditional. The groom and bride send tea to their parents and grandparents first, and then the elders would drink tea to represent their acceptance the new couples into their family (Everything you need to know about the Chinese tea Ceremony, 2021).

The tea ceremony has been practiced in China since the Tang Dynasty, and its origins may be traced back to that time period (618-907). Tea from the bride’s family was once given in her dowry as a symbol of the woman’s (Everything) devotion to her future husband.

The benefits when you drink Tea

There are so many benefits to drinking tea. For example, tea can refresh your mind, remove heat from your body, reduce calories and clear your stomach (Jiang, 2021).

When you incorporate drinking tea into your daily routine, it has huge health benefits:

1. Drink it hot. Tea oxidizes quickly after brewing, and its nutrients diminish overtime. It is suggested that you drink it hot to get the best out of tea.
2. Do not drink too much strong tea. It is likely to upset your stomach and cause insomnia if you make the tea too strong.
3. The best time to drink is in between meals. Do not drink tea soon after or before meals. Otherwise it may quench appetite when your stomach is empty, or cause indigestion when your stomach is full.
4. Do not drink with medication. Tea contains large amount of Tannin, which will react with certain elements in the medicine, thus reduce medical effects. You can drink tea a couple of hours after you take medicine.
5. Green tea is the best option for office workers. Green tea contains catechins that help prevent computer radiation and supplement moisture content of the human body.

Learn the Youtube video about “how to play Chinese Tea Ceremony with Oolong tea”.

Interactive Activities 

Online Discussion

References 

Everything You Need to Know About the Chinese Tea Ceremony. (2021, July 24). Brides.https://www.brides.com/chinese-tea-ceremony-5078037#the-history-and-meaning-of-the-tea-ceremony.

How to play Chinese Tea Ceremony with Oolong tea? 乌龙茶道英文演示. (2013, October 30). [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DYx20BkcGo

Jiang, F. (2021, October 2). Chinese Tea, Discover Chinese Tea Culture and History. China Highlights – Since 1998! https://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/chinese-tea/

Tea Ceremony-Symbol of Chinese Tea Culture. (n.d.). Chinese Tea Culture—Tea Ceremony. Retrieved October 10, 2021, from http://www.ichineselearning.com/chinese-culture/chinese-tea-culture.html.

Chinese Tea House. (n.d.). Chinese Tea House. https://www.chinatravel.com/culture/chinese-tea/tea-house

Cognitivism evolved from behaviorist learning theory, which refers to the processing of information received from the outside, knowledge into one’s own knowledge (Ertmer & Newby, 2013). Learning Chinese tea culture is built on the basis of cognitivism, which stands for the learner reprocessing and reorganizing the knowledge being taught for the purpose of learning.

Chinese tea culture is a very broad subject of knowledge, which contains a lot of historical and geographical information. Students being taught this course need to have their own knowledge of the subject matter, to understand and rework the knowledge being taught in order to truly understand and absorb Chinese tea culture. According to the meaning of cognitivism, it is the most suitable for the construction of learning Chinese tea culture. Cognitivism will help students better understand and appreciate the significance of learning about Chinese tea culture.

Reference

Ertmer, P. A., & Newby, T. J. (2013). Behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism: Comparing critical features from an instructional design perspective. Performance Improvement Quarterly, 26(2), 43-71.

Experiential learning is the most powerful and natural form of learning. You will gain reflection on experience. For example, age one baby learn many new skills through painful experiential learning, they tried to walk and fail, and when they tried to stand up again, the young baby finally learns how to walk through a repeated way to doing. The benefit of experiential learning is people will learn more quickly and retain more information when they are doing something. As Sir Richard Branson says, “You don’t learn to walk by following rules. You learn by doing, and by fall over.”(Richard Branson 26 October2014)

Experiential learning is the major type of learning design we use. Our students are introduced to Chinese tea culture through many fun paragraphs or videos. Students are also given some discussion questions to discuss with friends or family. This engages their individual thinking skills, and we also want to see the students’ writing skills. Therefore, we need students to write a blog page on Chinese tea. This gives us insight into how many students learned after watching the video.

References

Why is experiential learning important?

https://www.easchooltours.com/blog/experiential-learning-learn-through-experience

Experiential learning: learning by doing (2)

3.6 Experiential learning: learning by doing (2) – Teaching in a Digital Age (opentextbc.ca)

What Is Experiential Learning?

What Is Experiential Learning? – Institute for Experiential Learning (experientiallearninginstitute.org)

Brief Commentary

The common tea plant, Camellia Sinensis, produces a beverage called tea by steeping its leaves, twigs, or buds in hot water for 1 to 5 minutes.

Tea’s color is determined by its fermentation. White tea has the least fermentation. Black tea has the most fermentation. The fermentation process stops once the tea leaves have been fully dried. This is how the tea leaves retain their color (white, green, black) after drying.

Many people are aware today that tea has many health benefits (especially green tea). It is true that green tea was hardly available in grocery stores, convenience stores, and restaurants two years ago. Today, you can find it everywhere. Fast food restaurants serve it as well.

Learning Outcomes

After learning from this sub-topic, students will be able to…

• Discuss how tea works in the body specifically. 
• List and describe the benefits of regular tea consumption.

Regular tea consumption has many benefits

The effects of tea on body composition

• The consumption of green tea increases 24-hour energy expenditure and fat oxidation
• 3-months of tea consumption decreased waist circumference by 4.5%

Tea and cardiovascular health

• Tea increased lipid oxidation
• Tea improved blood vessel function
• Those who consumed 3 or more cups of black tea per day had a reduced risk of heart disease and stroke
• Drinking 6 or more cups of black tea per day was associated with decreased serum cholesterol and triglycerides
• Those who drank a cup or more of black tea daily had a 44% reduction in the risk of heart attack compared to non-tea drinkers
• Those who consumed tea during the year prior to a heart attack were up to 44% more likely to survive following the cardiac event
• Japanese men and women who consumed just over 2 cups of green tea per day reduced their risk of death from cardiovascular disease by 22 – 33%
• 5 cups of black tea per day reduced LDL cholesterol by 11% and total cholesterol by 6.5% compared to placebo beverages

Tea and cancer

• Tea inhibited oxidative damage
• Tea decreased the growth of abnormal cells and inhibited uncontrolled cell growth
• Drinking tea combated free radical damage
• Tea boosted the immune system
• Tea helped prevent prostate cancer
• Those who drank tea had a reduced risk of skin cancer
• Tea assisted in the regression of oral cancer
• Tea drinkers had decreased ovarian cancer risk

Understanding Tea-Video

Interactive Activities 

Online Discussion

1. A short summary phrase will be written by the student after viewing a video and reading a blog about why drinking tea is good for our health.
2. Their task would be to sum up, the number of people who drink tea in their family or friends’ lives according to the question list.

Website: https://groups.google.com/g/topic-2-teas-nutritional-value/c/BIyXHFNA6Is

Formative Assessment

Blog

1. Are you aware that tea is beneficial to human health?

Blog on Google Doc

This assignment requires the student to write a blog on tea and body health based on a video and some blogs. This blog needs to be 300 words long in order to assess your knowledge of tea and what you believe about tea and coffee.

Website: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xN4w2RUpc6hKVgnt7Ap1M3_281hWf6jFeFQSEXVbLdQ/edit

References

What you should know about tea

By Ryan Andrews, MS, MA, RD, RYT, CSCS

https://www.precisionnutrition.com/what-you-should-know-about-tea

The Hidden Health Benefits of Tea

https://www.pennmedicine.org/updates/blogs/health-and-wellness/2019/december/health-benefits-of-tea

According to the web article, “Insect Tea, A Wonderful Work in the Chinese Tea Culture”, the authors described “insect tea, listed in the ‘Compendium of Materia Medica’ by Li Shizhen, is not only a traditional drink for the ethnic minority in the southwest China, but also one of China’s traditional export commodities. Insect tea is made of the feces of insects that feed on plants, and characterized by minimal dose, enjoyable tea flavour, few tea residues, and superb transparency” (Li, Pan, et. al., 2013).

For your summative assessment, work in a small group (3-5 people ideally), explore sources from the web about this special type of Chinese tea, and use what you have learned from this online project to answer the following questions:

• What are the main characteristics of insect tea? Why is it so popular in China?
• What are the medical and nutritional values of insect tea? How does it affect Chinese tea culture?
• What are the differences in Chinese tea ceremony between insect tea and other types of Chinese tea? (Choosing one type of Chinese tea as an example to compare with insect tea)

This assignment is worth 50% of your final grade. In the following is the requirements of the assignment:

• All questions above are included
• Academic sources or references from other web are included
• Minimum 600 words

There are multiple online tools you might want to use and organize your group project. Options include Google Docs, Google Slides, or another medium that you find more appropriate. The important thing is that this assignment is easy to access and use for a group work and every person in your group can edit together. After completing this assignment, please reply to this post to share the link or email me your link.

Reference

XU, L., PAN, H., LEI, Q., XIAO, W., PENG, Y., & XIAO, P. (2013). Insect tea, a wonderful work in the chinese tea culture: TEA – FROM BUSHES TO MUGS:COMPOSITION, STABILITY AND HEALTH ASPECTS. Food Research International, 53(2), 629-635.

Individuals will be able to expand their knowledge of Chinese tea culture. 

After participating in and learning from this project, students will be able to…

• Identify the origins, history, and evolution of Chinese tea clearly.
• Explain the importance of tea-drinking in Chinese culture. 
• Discuss how tea works in the body specifically. 
• List and describe the benefits of regular tea consumption.
• Illustrate the main types of tea originated from China. 
• Analyze the technological process of tea producing. 
• Comprehend cultural value of Chinese tea ceremony. 
• Evaluate what occasions people will use Chinese tea ceremony (e.g. formal and informal occasions) and apply it in real life.