SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

Learning Module in

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT,
SOLIDARITY AND
CITIZENSHIP

(Weeks 1 & 2)

Prepared by:
RALEIGH J. OJANOLA
Name:_______________________________________ Grade Level: _____

(Week No. __)

LESSON 1
IMPORTANCE OF UNDERSTANDING
COMMUNITY DYNAMICS AND
COMMUNITY ACTION
Learning competency/ies:

The learner is able to explain the importance of studying community

dynamics and community action in relation to applied social sciences and
the learners’ future career options (HUMSS_CSC12-IIIa-c-1).

Objectives
This lesson aims to:

a. define community; and

b. relate the importance of studying community dynamics and
community action.

Review
Share your Experiences!
Directions: Answer the following questions based on your experiences in
the past. Write your answers on the blank provided.

1. Where do you live? Describe the community where you live in.
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2. What problems do you think your community has?
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3. Based on your experience/s, do you think your purok/barangay

leaders are doing something to aid those problems? If yes, what actions
do they take?
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Pre-assessment
Multiple Choice. Encircle the letter of the correct answer.

1. Community situations vary and each community has its own context
and realities. In order to understand these context and realities, one
should:
a. propose plan and programs for the benefit of the community.
b. provide strategies meant to enhance the quality of life in a community.
c. conduct benchmarking to have a clear picture of the community.
d. implement plan of actions to address the needs of the community.

2. Understanding Community Dynamics makes networking favorable.

This can be done through:
a. understanding the attitude of the people living in the community.
b. strong partnership with schools, institutions, groups or other local
organizations.
c. strict implementation of the community’s rules and norms.
d. in-depth analysis of the community’s strengths and challenges.

3. Which of the following should an outsider do in order to fully

understand the context of a community and to provide necessary help?
a. Undertake a dialogue with the community.
b. Implement actions to address the problems.
c. Provide preliminary project planning.
d. Establish networking and partnership.

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6. It is referred to as the process of understanding the communities’
problems and struggles in order to provide solutions to these through
community action and project implementation.
a. Community Action c. Community Engagement
b. Socialization d. Community Dynamism

5. Which among the following is NOT an importance of understanding a

community?
a. Provides an opportunity to understand the community’s dominant
rules and norms
b. Provides an occasion to gauge the attitude and behavior of the
community
c. Provides an avenue to understand the community context even if it
does not provide any solutions to the problems.
d. Provides a way for a more directed and well-informed dialogue with the
community

Introduction
Community situations vary from one context to another. Those
persons who have the passion to work with the community must have
first a clear picture and grasp to what their community is.
Lesson 1 introduces the key concepts of community dynamics and
actions in relation to applied social sciences and the learners’ future
career options. Moreover, the lesson allows the learners to understand
the importance of understanding the community first before doing some
actions.

Content

Definition of Community

Communities are generally defined by their common cultural heritage,

language, beliefs and shared interests. They may be classified as small
such as the small place-based community of a barangay or coastal
village, or large such as region, state or nation (Murphy & Cunningham,
2003). This section focuses on small communities. It is derived from the
Latin word communitas meaning “fellowship”. Its Latin roots, communis,
means “common.” Com translates to “with” or “together”; whereas munire
translates to “to strengthen”, “to fortify”, or “to defend.”

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 According to Murphy and Cunningham (2003), small communities
have “defined territories and are given life by three interacting people
processes: a) an underlying web of human relationships called as social
fabric, b) a unique community power structure, and c) a set of resource
flows that constitute a local economy.”

Small communities are powerful producers of relationships which

include kinship, friendship, neighbors, local institutions, and
communication mechanisms that connect people to people (Murphy &
Cunningham, 2003).

Go to the people.
Live with them, learn from them, love from them.
Start with what they know;
build with what they have.

Importance of Understanding a
Community and its Gains
1. Provides benchmarking data
Before having community actions and/or interventions, it is
important to have preliminary pictures of the situation of the
community.
2. Provides preliminary project planning information
It includes strategies and actions to enhance the quality of life in a
community.
3. Provides an idea of the community’s strengths and challenges
It gives the Community-based Project Development Team (CPDT)
ideas to make the panned project more feasible and realistic.
4. Provides an opportunity to understand the community’s dominant
rules and norms
It increases the intensity or degree of reaction and sensitivity
towards the members of the community.
5. Provides an occasion to gauge the attitude and behavior of the
community
If attitudes and behaviour are understood, the CPDT is given ideas
whether the project is acceptable to the community or not.
6. Provides a way for a more directed and well-informed dialogue with
the community
It allows the community to be informed of the project and
encourages them to participate in the decision making.
7. Makes networking and partnership building more favorable
It builds connections and linkages to other stakeholders in
supporting the project.

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8. Gets project implementation less complicated
Since the method is done in a systematic way, problems,
misunderstandings and misinformation are avoided.

Self-Check Activities
Activity 1: Let’s Discuss!
A. Directions: Answer the following questions based on what you have
understood in the above article.

1. Aside from the definitions above, give at least three (3) more definitions
of community. Cite your references.

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2. Differentiate small communities from large communities.

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3. The mission and vision of this course is stated below. Explain it

substantially. How does it help you as a HUMSS student and as a
professional someday?

Go to the people.
Live with them, learn from them, love from them.
Start with what they know;
build with what they have.
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Activity 2: Fill Me In!
Directions: Provide the information needed. Fill your answers on the
space provided.

A.

Define Community
Engagement
Give three (3) definitions

1.______________________________________________________________________
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2.______________________________________________________________________
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3.______________________________________________________________________
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B.

Define Solidarity.
Give three (3) definitions

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3.______________________________________________________________________
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C.

Define Citizenship
Give three (3) definitions

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2.______________________________________________________________________
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3.______________________________________________________________________
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Activity 3: Let’s Sum It Up!

Directions: Answer the following questions. Provide your answers on the
space provided.

1. Based on your definitions of the important terms in this course, define

Community Engagement, Solidarity and Citizenship as a subject.

Definition of Community
Definition of Solidarity
Engagement

Definition of Citizenship

Definition of Community Engagement, Solidarity and Citizenship

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2. What are your expectations in this subject? Give at least five (5)
expectations.

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Key Concepts
Communities are generally defined by their common cultural heritage,
language, beliefs and shared interests. They may be classified as small such as the
small place-based community of a barangay or coastal village, or large such as
region, state or nation (Murphy & Cunningham, 2003).

Enrichment Activities
Activity 4: Relate Me In!
Directions: Give what is asked. Write your answers on the space
provided.

1. What course are you aspiring to get in college? How does it help you in
your profession someday?
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2. As a future HUMSS professional someday, how does this subject help

you in your college and your future career?
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Bibliography
Melegrito, M. & Mendoza, D. (2016). Zeal for action: community engagement,
solidarity and citizenship. Quezon City: Phoenix Publishing House, Inc.

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