Nov 25, 2025 Simon Zhang Throughout this course, my learning shifted from being a student who usually receives information to someone who designs learning experiences for others. As a Health Information Science student, most of my academic work focuses on understanding systems and concepts, not creating educational materials. This course was the first time I…
“Your Data, Your Control” Understanding and Protecting Your Digital Privacy Nov 20, 2025 Pod #5: Simon Zhang Nico Cai We chose the topic of digital privacy because technology is rapidly changing the way we live, learn, and communicate. The internet has become deeply integrated into our daily lives, whether we like or not. As students…
As digital tools become a bigger part of everyday life, I have started to see accessibility less as a technical requirement and more as a way of designing for real people with different needs. For me, accessibility means thinking about these differences from the very beginning, instead of treating them as “special cases”. This idea…
Understanding and Protecting Your Digital Privacy Nov 5, 2025 Pod #5: Simon Zhang Nico Cai We chose the topic of digital privacy because technology is rapidly changing the way we live, learn, and communicate. The internet has become deeply integrated into our daily lives, whether we like or not. As students in Health Information Science,…
One open educational resource I find especially meaningful is Privacy Guides. I first discovered it a few years ago, and it has become even more relevant since the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war. When people began to recognize the growing risks of online surveillance and information control. Privacy Guides is a community-run website that…
“Winter Care: Skin, Eyes, and Comfort” Oct 23, 2025 Pod #5: Simon Zhang Nico Cai Winter Care: Skin, Eyes, and Comfort is a short educational video series created by Simon Zhang and Nico Cai. The project aims to help newcomers adapt to Canada’s cold and dry winters through simple self-care tips for skin and eye…
Version 2 The design process is a way to bring ideas to life through steps like understanding, planning, trying, and reflecting. It helps you stay organized and creative at the same time. I’ve learned that design is not something you finish in one go; it’s about testing, making changes, and learning from mistakes. Each time…
Pod #5: Simon Zhang Nico Cai Understand Phase The Challenge: While many people prepare for the cold when moving to northern Canadian cities like Edmonton, few truly understand the impact of extreme dryness on their health. The combination of low humidity and cold air can cause cracked skin, eye irritation, and overall discomfort. This video…
The educational video “How to Win an Interstellar War” by Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell imagines how interstellar civilizations might battle across light-years using vastly scaled-up versions of today’s technologies. Although speculative, the video is impactful because it blends scientific reasoning with creative storytelling, encouraging viewers to think critically about technological progress, war, and maybe…
“Hack-Proof in 18 Panels” Sep 25, 2025 Simon Zhang Understand Phase The challenge: While people freely enjoy using the internet, most overlook the importance of cybersecurity, leading to increasingly severe issues of identity theft and hacking. This comic aims to educate about the importance of cybersecurity. Context and Audience: Typical cases: Young people who frequently…