The practice of urban gardening involves planting food and non-food crops in urban settings, such as in community gardens, rooftop gardens, and indoor gardens (Akers, 2023). Urban gardening aims to solve food insecurity, promote environmental stewardship, encourage socialization, and improve the overall quality of life, particularly in marginalized communities where fresh produce remains inaccessible to the masses (Appetite for Change, 2022).
"Seeds of Change" is an urban gardening program intended for underprivileged residents of Barangay Batong Malake, Los Banos, Laguna. Despite its proximity to the University of the Philippines Los Banos, a "Center of Excellence" in agriculture education, many residents do not have sufficient resources for urban, nor do they have the finances to acquire such resources, despite several of them having interest in urban gardening.
A needs assessment in the form of pre-survey forms was distributed to determine the which urban gardening topics were deemed either "familiar" or "interesting". Ultimately, eight topics were selected: (1) basic plant biology, (2) crop selection, (3) vertical and container gardening, (4) pest and disease management, (5) proper watering, (6) organic concoctions and fertilizers, (7) hydroponics, and (8) harvesting and marketing.
Initially, a series of seminars on urban gardening was planned, leveraging the hands-on nature of most of the topics covered in urban gardening. However, due to time constraints, only a booklet was developed, consisting of 28 pages beginner-friendly urban gardening information and learning activities. The booklet was printed in English, raising a limitation in which not all readers or learners from the targeted learning audience - low- to middle-income residents - can understand the language, manifested on the day of evaluation. According to most participants on evaluation day, which also served as the implementation of the Seeds of Change booklets, the most "well-liked" topic was Basic Plant Biology, with 11 participants considering it as one of their most well-liked topics. Their least "well-liked" topic, on the other hand, was Pest and Disease Management, with four respondents appreciating it the least. However, no comments or suggestions were given as to why these topics were either "most liked" or "least liked".
In spite of all challenges and limitations faced in the topic, the Seeds of Change program was generally successful, in achieving most, if not all, of the learning objectives, particularly in recalling basic urban gardening knowledge and skills, acknowledging the role of urban gardening in sustainable development, and identifying urban gardening methods.
A media expert who thoroughly reviewed the Seeds of Change booklet advised translating the outputs to Filipino or Tagalog as some learners are not proficient in, let alone read or write, the English language. Hence, it is imperative to translate instructional materials to the language/s that the intended learning audience are already fluent in, in this case, Filipino or Tagalog, to ensure that learners can better acquire urban gardening knowledge as well as better relate to the material. Likewise, the assessment tools used by the target learners to evaluate the effectiveness of the instructional should have also been translated to Filipino or Tagalog; this action would help learners give suggestions to the instructional materials more effectively. Benefits of translating instructional or learning materials include catering to the specific needs of target learners, improving communication among stakeholders, and increased likelihood of participating in learning activities (Dynamic Language, 2024).
The constructivist theory of learning posits that learners build new ideas or concepts upon previous experiences, and views learning as an active process that can involve collaboration with peers (Kurt, 2021). Moreover, a result from the media review phase of evaluation detailed that it was necessary to incorporate concrete, doable instructional activities that align with selected learning objectives, particularly to appraise urban gardening methods based on their viability in various settings in an urban community and to create an urban gardening plan with appropriate methods to enhance food security and protect the environment. For instance, a possible learning activity that may encourage collaborative learning would be starting a garden with family members and friends, regularly tending to the crops grown and documenting experiences in urban gardening. Additionally, some additional approaches to urban gardening such as Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) in hydroponics, could also be incorporated to the learning content of the booklets, allowing learners to determine which urban gardening methods and types are suitable to their needs and their environment.
Initially, a seminar series with projected slides and a resource speaker was initially planned for the implementation of this project to leverage the "hands-on" nature of the subject matter as learners are expected to grow their own gardens; however, time constraints prevented its realization, as it would already take months to search for an available resource speaker, preferably an expert in urban gardening. This highlights the importance of time management through the process of instructional design.
Dar et al. (2022) stated that audio-visual aids, which are used to initiate, stimulate, and reinforce learning, must be designed to align with appropriate learning outcomes, promote effective communication, and enhance students' retention of the teaching and learning materials in their minds. The use of audio-visual materials, whether projected or non-projected, may help cater to learners' different learning styles; Neil Fleming conceptualized learning styles - visual, auditory, reading-and-writing learning, and kinesthetic learning - in his VARK Theory in 1987, highlighting the importance for learners how to understand and be comfortable with differently learning styles (Western Governors University, 2022). For instance, projected slides or videos onto a screen helps accommodate the needs of visual learners, while auditory learners learn best from hearing sounds, such as music, discussions, and spoken lectures (Dar et al., 2022; Western Governors University, 2022).
Throughout my instructional design project, I felt the need to put to heart the learning objectives that I have set for this program. This way, it enables my instructional materials to meet the needs of the target learners, especially those who are not "functionally literate" or not fluent or proficient in the English language. I have also unearthed the principles of instructional design, particularly how design informs evaluation and how evaluation allows for instructional materials to adapt to the evolving needs of learners.
While the results from the evaluation show otherwise, I felt that the learners found value in the instructional materials provided to them, thanks to their motivation, which is manifested by the constructivist learning theory. My selection of target participants reflected this theory, as I wanted to make sure they already have some previous experiences or interest in gardening, aligning with the main aspect of constructivism, in which learners build new learnings from prior knowledge or experiences. Moreover, I had learned to work under pressure and be more proactive, while I awaited responses from the organizations and institutions that lent a helping hand as I progressed through my project.
As I culminated the project, the products of my instructional design have significantly evolved from my proposal due to unforeseen circumstances. For instance, while I had originally planned more learning activities, including a seminar series with a resource speaker, these plans did not come into fruition due to time constraints and roadblocks encountered throughout my instructional design process; hence, this was reduced to a one-day pilot test that involved the distribution of booklets to a group of 15 learners. To better reinforce constructivism in the implementation, I could have also incorporated more "hands-on" learning activities that encourage collaboration with others, particularly family members and friends, wherein learners help each other, exchange good gardening practices, and build and establish healthy relationships.
If I were to repeat this instructional design project, or continuously evolve this project beyond this course, here's what I would do to achieve a "Vision 2.0":
Enlist a translator, particularly an educator who specializes in teaching Filipino, to translate the instructional design materials to Filipino or Tagalog for maximum impact. Additionally, I can also appoint other translators to translate the materials to other regional languages such as Cebuano, Hiligaynon, Ilocano, and Kapampangan, if the project were to be implemented nationwide.
Incorporate collaborative activities into the Seeds of Change program, reinforcing the constructivist theory of learning and leveraging the "hands-on", social nature of gardening. A gardening diary may also be incorporated as a summative assessment, allowing learners to reflect on their gardening experiences as they tend to their very own urban gardens.
I could also turn this instructional design project to a research paper, eventually having it published in an academic journal. This would allow wider access to and increased appreciation like-minded instructional designers and researchers, especially those with an interest in urban gardening or wish to implement urban gardening programs in their respective communities.