Implementation

Implementation

Prior to the pilot test of the Seeds of Change project, 15 copies of the booklets were printed after they have been thoroughly revised. Afterwards, 15 participants of the pilot test were identified, all of them who resided in "Riverside", a low-income community by Molawin Creek, as it best represented the following characteristics of the target participants: low- to middle-income earners, or more specifically, those who earn less than ₱50,000 every year; permanent residents of Brgy. Batong Malake for at least 3 years; and have an interest in urban gardening, as well as access to a small space to grow their own gardens.

The pilot test of the Seeds of Change project was implemented on one day, August 24, 2024, which also served as an evaluation day for learners. Copies of the developed booklet were delivered to the 15 participants. The participants gathered in one place, under a simple, tent-like structure outside their neighborhood, which was enclosed by a fence. These participants read the booklets in less than one hour, wherein they acquired useful information on urban gardening, aligning with the principles of the constructivist learning theory, which assumes that learning is an active process of constructing new knowledge from previous experiences, driven by social interaction and motivation.

While the implementation took place for only one day, the implementation of this project's pilot test was still momentous and insightful, with the participants finding value in the booklets distributed to them. Afterwards, the respondents each received a small envelope filled with three types of seeds: okra, pechay, and mustasa; these incentives motivated participants to start their own urban gardens to grow their own food, reinforcing a principle of the constructivist learning theory, thereby saving money, promoting environmental stewardship, and alleviating food insecurity.

Struggles

While the implementation phase was generally successful, there have been roadblocks throughout. One of them was the delayed responses of the institutions and/or organizations that contributed to the instructional design project. Another one was a limitation faced by the instructional materials; the booklets were printed entirely in English, a language not understood by most of the initiative's target learners. A faculty member of the UPLB College of Agriculture and Food Sciences (UPLB-CAFS) who reviewed the booklet suggested having it translated to Filipino; another content expert, particularly an educator who specializes in teaching Filipino courses or UP Diliman's Sentro ng Wikang Filipino, may be enlisted to translated the materials to ensure improved accessibility. Yet another obstacle in the implementation of the project was time constraints, which prevented a planned seminar from pushing through, as searching for an available resource speaker with an expertise in urban gardening may take months. Moreover, I have had occasional miscommunication with content experts.