About the Unit: A Cup of 'Zhou
The Chinese coffee and tea market is experiencing an impressive surge in growth and innovation, with many new brands developing exciting new products to meet the needs of evolving consumer preferences. What can our interactions with consumers and those involved in the industry reveal about a country open to change, yet deeply rooted in tradition? This is the question that inspired our unit, A Cup of ‘Zhou.
Developing a Research Question
Students began the unit by going through a question discovery process inspired by the Question Formulation Technique from RQI. What knowledge did they already have about the coffee and tea market in China, and what were they inspired to learn?
After coming up with their priority questions, students walked around the classroom to learn what others were curious about.
Conducting Initial Research
Once students had narrowed their focus to a particular research question, they formed teams of similar interests. They shared what they had initially learned, and assigned roles for future research.
Surveying our Community
Students realized that they had a rich pool of potential data right under their noses, so to better understand changing consumer preferences, they developed and conducted a survey of our CIS community. They sorted the results by demographic categories and drew conclusions about how factors such as age, gender, cultural background, and lifestyle choices may impact your preference for coffee or tea, your desired sweetness level, and your willingness to try new flavors and styles.
Fieldwork
Experiential learning is an important component of the CIS learning philosophy, so to discover answers for themselves students conducted fieldwork in one of two groups. Some students visited Longjing village, where they enjoyed a delicious tea-themed lunch, then conducted interviews with locals in small groups in order to learn more about traditional tea in Hangzhou. For example, some students interviewed tea farmers in their homes to discover new insights about the esteemed Longjing tea, such as how it is graded and how the industry was impacted by Covid-19. Later, the group went to a nearby mall to learn more about modern bubble tea–a favorite of CIS students!
Others took part in a 2-hour workshop hosted by Uncle Shu Cafe, where they learned about the rapidly evolving Chinese coffee scene, before learning various barista skills like how to use an espresso machine to pour the perfect latte. Students loved the hands-on workshop that allowed them to operate professional equipment and smell the aroma of different varieties. Later, they explored the neighborhood in groups, finding cafes to compare popular drinks and discuss modern coffee trends with local customers.
Planning our Exhibit
After analyzing survey data and compiling responses to their research questions from various sources, the next challenge was to design an interactive exhibit that would both inform and engage the audience. Groups sketched out some initial ideas and then refined them over the next few class periods. Students were encouraged to dream big and get creative.
Sharing our Findings - The CISHZ Community Tea & Coffee Culture Fair
On Wednesday, September 13, 2023 students showcased their learning in one of our biggest events of the year, the CIS Hangzhou Community Tea & Coffee Culture Fair. Sounds of excitement and laughter filled our campus and were mixed with with scents of freshly-brewed coffee and tea as students eagerly displayed their meticulously planned and engaging exhibits. Notable guests included previous Head of School Dr. Ted Faunce, as well as Emma Liu from Uncle Shu Cafe, where aspiring baristas come from all over China to learn and train.
