I am a serial Googler. According to Urban Dictionary, that could mean a few different things, but in my case, it means I use Google anytime I have a question. I am comfortable with technology but did not grow up with a device in my hand, like most kids these days. For a project in my grad school program, I am using only networked resources such as social media, affinity spaces like Reddit, videos, and help forums to learn a new skill. I chose to learn how to cook a steak as I am an adult who is not proficient in the kitchen.
I had some preconceived notions that cooking a steak would be difficult. I had never done it myself and had no idea how to pick a good steak, what temperature constituted medium-rare, or what type of pan to use. Experts believe that learning is "new knowledge and understanding based on what they already know and believe" (Cobb, 1994; Piaget, 1952, 1973a, b, 1977, 1978; Vygotsky, 1962, 1968, as cited by Bransford et al., 19XX, p. 10). I believed I was a terrible cook and didn't know anything about cooking a steak.
In my first blog post about the challenge, I reviewed a few helpful resources, like videos by Chef Keoni and Gordon Ramsey on YouTube and an Instagram account called Steak Tips, where I failed to find any good tips about steak. In my second blog post about the project, I recapped the second time I cooked steak, which didn't go so well. It turned out a bit overdone. I also talked about the additional resources, a video by Adam Ragusea I found before attempting my third steak, which ended up medium rare, just as I intended.
Video about the Networked Learning process and my tips for cooking a steak
Throughout this project, the thought occurred to me, just how many resources are available digitally to learn almost anything. When I first searched YouTube for "cooking steak," I scrolled and scrolled and scrolled, and the videos kept coming. The vast amount of knowledge at my fingertips made me feel more ignorant, as Warren Berger discussed in his book A More Beautiful Question, because what I knew was minuscule compared to what I didn't (2014, p. 24).
Each time I attempted to cook a steak, I thought about what I had done well the last time and what hadn't gone well. I learned something new by asking questions each time I cooked a steak. "But the best coaches, consultants, and therapists all emphasize there is no substitute for self-questioning" (Berger, 2014, p. 184).
My first steak tasted pretty good but didn't have a good crust. I overcooked the second one because I tried to finish it in the oven instead of only cooking it on the stovetop. My third steak was cooked to medium-rare and was tasty but still didn't have the crust. My fourth was undercooked because it was a thicker steak, and I needed to flip it a few more times. Even though I only cooked two steaks the way I preferred, I still learned from each attempt.
Log of the resources I found during my Networked Learning Project.
At first, the challenge of using networked learning to figure out how to cook the steak was extremely overwhelming. I kept a log to keep track of the resources I used, and I found that videos were the most helpful. I liked seeing what someone was doing while they were explaining it. I could pause the video and go back as many times as needed. I found that written instruction, on social media, help forums, and affinity sites, was vague and open to interpretation. For someone feeling not confident in this process, they caused more confusion than clarity.
I used to avoid watching videos to find information before this project. I always thought that it was easier to process the information, for me, by reading it. From now on, I will use videos as a resource. I don't think I will use social media, affinity spaces, or help forums as much as videos, but it's good to know they are there.
After this project, I wouldn't say I am an expert at cooking a steak. Frankly, I'll continue to consider myself a beginner until I can consistently get the temperature right. I would love to become an adaptive expert (Hatano and Inagaki, 1986, as cited by Bransford et al., 2014, p. 48). I consider myself adaptive in that I ask questions so I can do things better, but I am not yet an expert in cooking a steak. I'll check out a few more videos and continue to reflect on my learning to get closer to expert-level.
Resources and Image Credits
Artabasy, K. (2022). Networked Learning Project Resources. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1s1ezSJjA95u-97ft5e7XkCbgpcBjK3vm7RnkqfqVAuA/edit?usp=sharing
Artabasy, K. (2022). How to Cook a Steak - Networked Learning Project. [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/WAYOqRWNpL4
Berger, W. (2014). A More Beautiful Question - The Power of Inquiry to Spark Breakthrough Ideas. Bloomsbury Publishing. https://amorebeautifulquestion.com/book-a-more-beautiful-question/
Bransford, J.D., Brown, A.L., Cocking, R.R., Donovan, M.S., Pellegrino, J.W. (2000). How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School: Expanded Edition. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/9853
Chang, K. [Foodland Hawaii]. How to Make Pan Seared Butter-Basted Steak. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbpIYAnt-7k
girlygirly1_9_9. (2008, February 11). Googler. https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Googlers
Ragusea, A. Steak 101: How to choose a steak and cook it in a pan (no thermometer). [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEa6WC_7eqE
Ramsey, G. [Hodder Books]. Gordon Ramsey's ULTIMATE COOKERY COURSE: How to Cook the Perfect Steak. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmC9SmCBUj4
Steak Tips [@steaktips_]. (n.d.). Feed [Instagram page]. Instagram. Retrieved July 14, 2022, from https://www.instagram.com/steaktips_/
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