FICS Theses and Dissertations

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https://repository.upou.edu.ph/handle/20.500.13073/2
Theses and dissertations by graduate students from the Faculty of Information and Communication Studies.

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    Understanding Dedma or Feigned Unawareness: Exploring the Interpretation of Volunteerism Communication Among Students in a Private School
    ( 2026) Gasta, Lorenza Liz O.
    Volunteering is an important factor in youth development and civic duty, but many educational institutions face challenges in encouraging students to volunteer. To address the problem of declining student participation and communication gaps in the outreach program of the school, this study aims to explore the communication challenges surrounding volunteerism in a private basic education school in Luzon. Specifically, the study seeks to examine how the phenomenon of feigned unawareness or deadma in understanding student disengagement in volunteerism communication rather than solely attributing this behavior to non-participation. This qualitative study used Hall’s Encoding/Decoding Model of Communication and the Communication and Mobilization Theory for guidance. Using an interpretive-exploratory case study approach, data were collected through face-to-face, semi-structured interviews involving fourteen (14) students enrolled in Grades 8 to 12. Purposive sampling was used to select students who were both active and inactive in volunteerism activities. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyze students' views on volunteerism communication. Results showed that students’ responses may be interpreted as negotiated or oppositional readings of volunteerism messages, which are not aligned with reality and are inconvenient in the students' eyes. Major hindrances to student participation in volunteer activities were conflicting academic demands, other extracurricularcommitments, and logistical issues such as cost and distance. On the other hand, student motivation was highest for voluntary tasks that matched their interests, career goals, and core values. One of the major contributions of this study is that it demonstrates that deadma is not mere indifference but rather a mode of culturally informed communication that relies heavily on framing the message in light of the school's culture. These findings will provide the basis for school administrators and communications officers to design a more inclusive, relevant, and culturally responsive communication strategies that foster a sustainable culture of service.
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    Communicative Practices of an Educator in Integrating Broadcasting Experience in Teaching Documentary Filmmaking to Amplify Marginalized Voices
    ( 2026) Abellera, Joseph M.
    Despite the growing recognition of documentary filmmaking as a pedagogical tool for amplifying marginalized voices, the communicative practices through which practitioner-educators translate professional media experience into documentary instruction remain underexamined in the literature. This study investigates how my professional broadcasting experience, accumulated through more than a decade of work in radio, news writing, and digital production, is enacted as a structured set of communicative practices within documentary filmmaking pedagogy in a Bachelor of Arts in Communication program at Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Colleges in General Santos City, Philippines. Using auto-ethnomethodology, I analyzed instructional artifacts from my own courses, including course syllabi, documentary proposal guidelines, and consultation and feedback texts. The analysis revealed six broadcast-informed communicative practices: structuring, institutionalizing, and monitoring an accountable documentary production workflow; critiquing, mentoring, and refining through dialogic and iterative processes; constructing, structuring, and diagnosing audience-centered narrative coherence; designing and making visual meaning in documentary storytelling; representing and probing context-sensitive and inclusive documentary subjects; and applying and enforcing professional broadcasting standards in documentary outputs. Each practice is underpinned by a corresponding development communication perspective, positioning documentary pedagogy as participatory, ethically grounded, and socially responsive. The findings demonstrate that the amplification of marginalized voices is not a single act but a cumulative communicative outcome built progressively across all six practices, each functioning as a distinct mechanism through which marginalized communities are represented deliberately, refined iteratively, and carried into public discourse with credibility. This study contributes to film education and development communication scholarship by demonstrating how broadcasting-derived communicative practices constitute a coherent pedagogical infrastructure for amplifying marginalized voices, with particular relevance for practitioner-educators and regional higher education institutions in the Global South.
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    Communication Strategies and Adoption of Urban Gardening Among Tricycle Drivers
    ( 2025) Villapando, Cheryl Anne De Vera
    This study, titled “Communication Strategies and the Adoption of Urban Gardening Among Tricycle Drivers,” explores how communication influences the awareness, adoption, and continued practice of urban farming among tricycle drivers in Manggahan, Pasig City during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conducted as a qualitative case study, the research gathered insights through in-depth interviews with tricycle drivers who sustained urban gardening practices amid mobility restrictions and economic challenges brought by the health crisis. Using the Social Cultural Tradition theory as a guiding lens, the study examines how everyday communication—rooted in family interactions, peer networks, social media and community exchanges—shaped the respondents’ understanding, motivation, and persistence in urban farming. While the theory is not tested, it offers a framework to understand how meanings and behaviors are shaped within social and cultural contexts. Findings reveal that communication played a critical role not only in the initial adoption of urban gardening but also in its continuity during the pandemic, as respondents relied on conversations with family, spouses, and social networks for encouragement, knowledge sharing, and emotional support. The practice of urban gardening became both a coping mechanism and a sustainable response to food insecurity. The study suggests that community-centered communication strategies grounded in shared traditions and everyday relationships can support long-term engagement in grassroots environmental initiatives, particularly in times of crisis.
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    Unfolding Development Communication Values for Agricultural Development in Western Visayas, Philippines
    ( 2025) Panes, Bengie A.
    Narrative inquiry enables the gathering of in-depth, detailed stories that capture the authentic experiences of individuals and communities. This study is anchored using a qualitative research method using narrative inquiry in understanding the stories, experiences, and journey of agri-information officers and extension workers. Development Communication’s pivotal role in its academic and professional landscape, with numerous institutions dedicated to its study and graduates contributing to various developmental sectors. While some perspectives, such as 'archaic' and 'cute', might suggest obsolescence or outdatedness, this view is strongly contradicted by a significant body of research and the continued impact observed by practitioners who recognize the practice as an indispensable force for transformative social change. The purpose of this study is to identify the emerging Devcom values of agri-information officers and extension workers in Western Visayas: 1) Narrate their individual stories; 2) Analyze their individual stories; and 3) Identify the emerging Devcom Values. There were three (3) participants who served as the sources of the data using local research methodology: pakikipagkwentuhan (storytelling), pagtatanong (asking questions), pagpapakuwento (narrative interviewing). The experiences of Syd, Heart, and August result to the emerging Devcom values: resilient, dynamic, and people-oriented. Syd's proactive and determined acquisition of new skillsets, driven by a commitment to social change within the agricultural sector, exemplifies resilience as a form of adaptive capacity. This transcends mere persistence, highlighting a purposeful engagement with challenges aimed at enhancing their abilities through communication for development.
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    Digital Engagement: Use of Mobile Smart Phones and Social Engagement Among Low-Income Rural Families in a barangay in Ramon, Isabela, Philippines
    ( 2026) Pagulayan, Patricia U.
    The study examined the relationship between digital access and social engagement among low-income rural community household heads in a barangay in Ramon, Isabela. Underpinned by the Digital Divide theory, the study used a survey design with 184 low-income rural family heads triangulated by Key Informant Interviews of two participants and Focus Group Discussions among 16 participants. The quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation. The survey respondents were predominantly middle-aged, male, high school graduates, and earning below ₱10,000 monthly from farming or informal labor. A rather counterintuitive finding is that despite belonging to low-income households, the participants demonstrated regular engagement with digital technologies. This is because they used free data services to obtain access to information online. Such a strategy highlights how economically disadvantaged individuals actively seek alternative means of maintaining digital connectivity. The KII and FGD showed that they frequently utilized digital resources for online communication, information retrieval, and access to online educational resources and livelihood opportunities. Further, digital access enhanced their social engagement at the personal, family, institution, and community levels. However, with the growing challenges of misinformation and cybersecurity risks, sustained efforts are needed to enhance digital literacy and cybersecurity awareness. Recommendations include a multi-sectoral approach to community-based digital literacy programs to ensure digital inclusion for personal and community development.