Written by Sanjay Pottinger & Susan Nassiripour

For this activity, we partnered with a colleague with the goal of exploring the implications of abundant content for lifelong learning. Our task was to identify a topic that we were both unfamiliar with and wanted to know more about. We initiated communication through e-mail, then moved on to WhatsApp, using what Anderson identifies as near-synchronous communication (2016). Both of us share a passion for lifelong learning whether academic in nature, job-related, or that is applicable to our every day lives. We decided to select a topic that we could later try for ourselves in our free time.

Have you ever baked a homemade pie from scratch? Neither of us have, so we therefore thought it would be an interesting activity to research, and what better filling to choose than the classic; apple. Most people associate apple pie with the United States, however both apples and pie did not originate in America. Alexander the Great spoke of Kazakhstan’s apples in the 4th century BC when he transported them to Europe, England was enjoying both sweet and savoury pies already in the 14th century, and it was the Dutch who first made the type of pie we know and love today with its pastry crust in the 15th century. Apple pie didn’t make its way to America until late in the 17th century when it was brought over by the Swedish, the Dutch and the British. It seems its origins were quickly forgotten, as apple pie soon became known as American cuisine as evident throughout our internet searches.

While searching for how to make an apple pie from scratch, the abundance of information found seemed like the perfect example of how the internet has changed how information is accessed, as well as how learning takes place. Weller (2011) highlighted that traditionally, information for learners was scarce and that a learner would have to seek out an expert to gain knowledge about a specific topic. In this case, learning to make an apple pie from scratch in the past may have required one to buy a recipe book, seek out an expert, or take a cooking class. Perhaps, small local groups could have come together to learn from one another but accessing diverse apple pie recipes would have been scarce. Now, with the advent of the internet especially, there has been an explosion of content that is generated by user-experts and amateur, free, easy to share content that comes in a variety of forms (Weller, 2011). This is exemplified by how readily available apple pie recipes are on the internet in varying forms.

When investigating apple pie recipes from scratch, we used internet searches, as well as the search function on individual social media sites. With such a popular topic, the searches yielded an abundance of diverse recipes and instructions. A general search on search engines, such as Google and Bing, generated popular food company websites with a plethora of apple pie recipes. These websites generally solicited reviews and rating systems for the recipes, with some feedback from the community of users. Reviewing web 2.0 content, such as social media sites like Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Pinterest and various blogs, revealed even stronger communities of sharing, learning and experimentation. With such a variety of content, coupled with feedbacks and reviews, it made learning how to make an apple from scratch relatively easy, as well as, providing a variety of considerations and perspectives.

Assessing the many resources for apple pie making, especially on social media, showed that there were types of learning happening that cross three theories of learning-constructivism, connectivism and heutagogy. On many social media websites, a post may start with one recipe being highlighted, individuals try the recipe, provide feedback, make their own alterations to the recipe and then report back. Some individuals in the community may focus on a low sugar version, providing a link to a new recipe. They may have a separate conversation thread or a whole new conversation on the new recipe. These are great examples of the aforementioned learning theories in practice. Where the constructivism stresses the importance of active engagement and “that multiple perspectives and sustained dialogue lead to effective learning” (Anderson, 2016, p. 38), connectivism underlines the importance of building new connections “to expand upon and build learning networks” (Anderson, 2016, p. 43). Furthermore, heutagogy “emphasizes self-direction and focuses on the development of efficacy in utilizing the online tools and information available” (Anderson, 2016, p. 42). Participants learning to bake an apple pie from scratch on the internet must navigate each online space to find one perfect apple pie recipe or to learn many recipes. Whatever their goal, elements of constructivism, connectivism and heutagogy are present.

The moment we began our searches on the internet to learn how to bake an apple pie from scratch, we garnered millions of search results within seconds, which signified that we were in a time of abundant information. We were able to discern the history of the apple and find a solid recipe very quickly. Moreover, becoming part of a community learning to bake various apple pies would have been similarly simple with so much choice. Generally speaking, apple pie recipes were shared and used as a starting point for interested sets of individuals to engage and experience in their own way. Resurging in new versions of recipes for more sharing, commenting and suggestions. It also seems apparent that regardless of engagement level, each participant engages in the elements of constructivism, connectivism and heutagogy as they take the time to navigate these choices of content desire.

 

What better way to end this post than how to make an apple pie?

Of course, due to the abundance of recipes found on the internet, there are many variations. For instance, some sites advise to use Granny Smith apples as they’re best for baking, whereas other sites claim that for the most delicious pies, we should mix in two to three different types together. Some sites include lemon juice in their filling, while others suggest vinegar in the crust. All of them include a list of ingredients for each the pie’s crust and filling, as well as directions, and sometimes tips too. We have synthesized information from a few sources.

Crust Ingredients:

  • 2 cups of plain flour
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • 1 cup vegetable shortening, pastry lard, or butter
  • 5 tablespoons of cold water

Filling Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup of white sugar
  • 1/3 cup of brown sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon of salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • 3 tablespoons of flour
  • 6-8 medium-sized apples

Directions:

  • Preparing the dough in a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
  • Cut the butter or shortening into ½ inch cubes and put them into the bowl. Use your fingers to toss the butter and smash each cube until it’s flat.
  • Pour the cold water into the bowl and use your hands to mix the dough until it comes away from the sides of the bowl. The dough should be rough and shaggy instead of a smooth ball.
  • Sprinkle a large work surface with flour and scoop the dough onto it. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough.
  • Fold the dough over twice, then roll it out again (to make the crust flakey).
  • Cut the dough in two halves (one for the bottom and the other for the top).

Preparing the filling

  • Put all of the dry ingredients into a large plastic bag and shake them up.
  • Peel, core, and cut the apples into ½ inch slices or wedges.
  • Add the apple slices to the bag and shake it up again until the apples are coated in the dry mixture.

Assembling the pie

  • Roll half the dough into a 14-inch circle and lay it in a pie dish.
  • Lay the pastry in a 9-inch pie plate and trim the edges of the dough. Press the dough down so it fits into the corners and sides of the pan. Cut the edge of the dough so it hangs over by one inch.
  • Roll the remaining half of the dough into a 14-inch circle.
  • Spread the apple filling into the pastry-lined shell.
  • Lay the top pie crust over the filling and trim the edges.
  • Seal the edges (you may choose to pinch the edges with your fingers or by using the tines of a fork).

Baking the pie 

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  • Bake the pie for 75 minutes.
  • Cool the pie for at least one hour before serving.
  • Garnish each slice as you wish (most people prefer whip cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream).

Tips:

  • For extra flavour, roll the crust in cinnamon and sugar, or sprinkle them on top before baking
  • Make sure your hands are floured when handling the dough
  • Put tin foil at the bottom of your oven in case the filling overflows while baking
  • Refrigerate your crust for 30 minutes before putting the filling in for flaky crust
  • If you’re going to make pies regularly, invest in the right tools
  • For the best tasting apples, buy heirlooms at a farmers’ market

 

References

Anderson, T. (2016). Chapter 3: Theories for Learning with Emerging Technologies. InVeletsianos, G. (Ed). Emergence and Innovation in Digital Learning: Foundations and Applications. Edmonton, AB: Athabasca University Press.

Flay, B. (2019). Apple Pie. Retrieved from https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/apple-pie-recipe-1951711

Karnasiewicz, S. (2015). Homemade Apple Pie Secrets From the Pros. Retrieved from https://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/cooking tipstechniques/baking/homemadeapple-pie

Weller, M. (2011). A pedagogy of abundance. Spanish Journal of Pedagogy, 249, 223–236.

Wullf, A. (2016). A Brief History of Apple Pie in America. Retrieved from Retrieved from https://theculturetrip.com/north-america/usa/articles/a-brief-history-of-apple-pie-in-america/