Agricultural Biodiversity and Coastal Food Systems: A Socio-ecological and Trans-ecosystem Case Study in Aurora Province, Philippines

This paper presents a ridge-to-reef case study on Philippine biodiversity conservation that focused on reducing agricultural chemicals as a contribution to development goals of optimized food security, improving water quality, and mitigating maternal malnutrition. Building upon an earlier study that engaged participants and jurisdictions, farmers were oriented on biodiversity considerations and engaged in ecologically-based rodent management that was extended across the province of Aurora through the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist. Subsequently, a Participatory Action Research and Learning (PARL) cycle was conducted among 14 farmer participants to support biodiversity-friendly agriculture. Developed with local farmers, a biodiversity assessment demonstrated that organic approaches in rice farms increased arthropod biodiversity and reduced the number of key insect pests. The organizational results from this biodiversity study further indicated that local government participation can promote positive change by helping overcome the disconnect between communities and sustainability research. The approach to biodiversity-friendly agriculture reached a milestone through the collaborative development of an agricultural protected area supported by drafting a municipal ordinance to encourage the continued expansion of biodiversity-friendly agriculture and reductions in the chemical load of a key Aurora watershed. This paper discusses the biodiversity analysis and organizational results within the context of trans-ecosystem knowledge management and the goal of improving chronic maternal malnutrition that has been identified in coastal settlements of Aurora.

Social and Organizational Development Through Action Research

To cause change at practice level people need to translate what they know into concrete instructional policies and practices to be more productive and ensure organizations, organizational and thereby social development. Development Studies reflect that there is disconnect between knowledge acquired especially in the area of management education. This disconnect creates a gap and lessens organizational and social development. Action research and learning can fill this gap. This article addresses a simple question: does action learning and research lead to development? If so, what is it that people need to know about action learning and action research that alludes well to this crucial aspect? Adopting a grounded theory approach and in-depth literature review, the core of the study is to promote understanding of action learning and research, connection between knowledge to practice and how this makes organizational and social development more possible. Further attempts are to provide a framework to adopt action research to enhance holistic development in these societal driven economies.

Participatory Action Research and Learning in Sustainable Local Economic Development

Participatory action learning and action research in sustainable local economic development strategies is not a common practice. In this chapter, the author firstly gives an introduction of the concept of sustainable local economic development; the importance of local economic development is outlined, as well as the aims. The author proceeds by discussing participatory action learning and action research as integrated empowering concepts. Lastly, the author describes how participatory action learning and action research were used by the Overstrand Local Economic Development Agency in partnership with the Hawston community to assist them to develop a sustainable neighbourhood development strategy. The steps of the participatory action learning and action research cycle are discussed coupled with the learning and actions taken, that emanated from the reflections during the research.

UPAYA MENINGKATKAN PROFESIONALISME GURU MELALUI METODE LATIHAN DI SD NEGERI 55 KECAMATAN RUMBAI PESISIR KOTA PEKANBARU

Based on the temporary observation in SD Negeri 55 Kecamatan Rumbai Pesisir Kota Pekanbaru, found thephenomenon, among others, teachers who have passed the certification and get a professional teacher degreehas not improved its performance and has not been able to realize the title. Teachers have not optimized IT tosupport learning activities and still use lecture and record methods. Lack of teachers in improving learningthrough classroom action research and learning tools that have not been well-structured. Teachers have notbeen able to apply new learning methods to improve children's achievement in learning. In accordance with theformulation of the problem then the purpose of this study is to determine whether the exercise method canimprove the professionalism of teachers in SD Negeri 55 Kecamatan Rumbai Pesisir Kota Pekanbaru. Thesample in this research is teacher in SD Negeri 55 Kecamatan Rumbai Pesisir Kota Pekanbaru with datacollection technique using observation. From the description of data processing and discussion it can beconcluded as follows: Aspects of school supervisor activity as facilitator get achievement with score 37 or withpercentage equal to 62% from all aspect of assessment or equal to 62% all activity achieved. Then on the secondcycle score obtained by 52 or with percentage achievement of 87% of all aspects achieved. In the aspect ofprofessionalism of teachers obtained in the first cycle of 59% with good enough category and on the secondcycle increased to 88% with very good category.

Child Welfare Design Teams: An Intervention to Improve Workforce Retention and Facilitate Organizational Development

Workforce turnover in public child welfare is a national problem. Individual, supervisory, and organizational factors, individually and in combination, account for some of the turnover. Complex, comprehensive interventions are needed to address these several factors and their interactions. A research and development team is field testing one such intervention. The three-component intervention encompasses management consultations, capacity building for supervisors, and a cross-role, intra-agency design team (DT). DTs consist of representative workers from pilot child welfare systems. A social worker from outside the agency facilitates team problem solving focused on retention of workers. DT problem solving combines action research and learning. DTs and their facilitators rely on specially designed tools, protocols, and social work research as they address retention-related priorities. Intervention research findings as well as successful examples of retention-related problem solving indicate the DT intervention's potential contributions to social work education, research, and practice.

Reflexionando sobre los proyectos de desarrollo comunitario en tiempos de crisis

Reflexionando sobre los proyectos de desarrollo comunitario en tiempos de crisisRESUMENEn el presente estudio pretendemos reflexionar sobre la situación de los proyectos de Desarrollo Comunitario en España y sobre la participación de la población escolar, fundamentalmente universitaria, en los mismos. Para ello, nos basaremos en la Educación Popular de Freire y las metodologías de Investigación Acción Participativa y Aprendizaje Servicio como fundamentación teórica a los proyectos analizados y las propuestas realizadas. Haremos especial hincapié en este tipo de proyectos en tiempos de crisis, pues es cuando la población se siente más desamparada y necesita sentirse más integrada en su entorno y arropada por sus semejantes. Todo ello, resaltando la importancia que tiene en la formación del ser humano no sólo el aspecto académico o técnico, sino también la perspectiva emocional y de pertenencia a la sociedad en la que vive.PALABRAS CLAVE: Proyectos de desarrollo comunitario. Educación Popular. Participación ciudadana. Refletindo sobre os projetos de desenvolvimento comunitário em tempos de criseRESUMONo presente estudo pretendemos refletir sobre a situação dos projetos de Desenvolvimento Comunitário na Espanha, e sobre a participação da população escolar, fundamentalmente universitária, nos mesmos. Para isso, nos basearemos na Educação Popular de Freire e nas metodologias de Investigação Ação Participativa e Aprendizagem em Serviço, como fundamentação teórica dos projetos analisados e as propostas realizadas. Faremos especial ênfase nesse tipo de projeto em tempos de crise, pois é quando a população se sente mais desamparada e necessita sentir-se mais integrada em seu entorno, e apoiada por seus semelhantes. Tudo isso, ressaltando a importância que tem na formação do ser humano não só o aspecto acadêmico ou técnico, mas também a perspectiva emocional e de pertencimento à sociedade em que se vive. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Projetos de desenvolvimento comunitário. Educação popular. Participação cidadã. Reflecting on community development projects in times of crisisABSTRACTIn the present study we intend to reflect on the situation of the Community Development projects in Spain, and on the participation of mainly university in the same school population. To do this, We will base on Popular Education Freire and methodologies Participatory Action Research and Learning Service, theoretic basis of the analyzed projects and proposals made. We will make special emphasis on this type of project in times of crisis, it is when the population feels more helpless and need to feel more integrated in its surroundings, and supported by his fellows. All this, emphasizing the importance of the formation of the human being not only the academic or technical aspect, but also the emotional perspective and of belonging to the society in which we live.KEYWORDS: Community development projects. Popular education. Citizen participation.