TRENDS,

NETWORKS,
AND CRITICAL
THINKING

NAME :
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GRADE AND SECTION: GRADE 12 HUMSS
TEACHER: LAUREANO R. FERANIL LPT
WEEK: 3 AND 4
 WEEK 3
Relationships with Local Networks
Lesson Objectives:
1. Define what a local network is;
2. Identify the importance of a local network
3. To know the relationship between the local network and certain individual
INTRODUCTION
A network is often likened to a spider web. A spider produces its own silk
threads and weaves them into a web to protect its body and its eggs, also
to trap its meal like insects and small animals, It is amazing how a spider
creates its web. The spider climbs up a tree and tosses a length of thread into the
wind until the other end lands and sticks to a branch. The spider carefully crawls
along the first strand and attach additional threads until it becomes strong enough
to be the main base support of the whole web. The spider produces a looser strand
that sags downward. The spider proceeds to make a Y-shaped netting to form the
frame. Radials are connected from the center of the web to the corner. And finally.
the spider lays out sticky threads in specific places. The spider stays in the middle
of its web, waiting for the radius threads to vibrate. The spider can tell if the vibration is due to
an insect or other things like a falling leaf. If it is a bug, it will make
its way to the source of movement for its meal. The spider can momentarily leave
its web but it can still monitor movement via a connected signal thread.
The spider's web can be a representation of the nature of network of relationships
that a person builds. The network of relationships has its base support, a center
and some strategic places. It also serves the needs and purposes of the network
holder.

One's network becomes useful in certain situations. Like when you are aspiring to
be a barangay chairman, you need to utilize your social connections in your network
to secure enough votes. These connections extend from family and kin, friends,
former classmates and co-workers in the village. It can further expand to include the
friends of your friends. A network is made up of interacting groups of people. It has
many layers. These layers of interactions start from household to village (barangay),
to national and global communities. The space can also include the virtual world.
Shown in the diagram are the four levels of social system: households/family
barangay/village, country, and global networks. Local network subsumes social
interaction within family and barangay. Although, the illustration suggests that
country and global networks are found outside local network, it is important to note
that national or global issues affect the community. However, it is important to note
that the starting point of a local network is the relationship between two individuals
which is the fundamental support base of any society (Eriksen, 2010). The goal of every
individual participating is to enrich his or her web of relationships. Strong relationship
among people creates a sense of community. The community is further strengthened
as it develops its own norms and local knowledge to guide its decision-making.

HOUSEHOLDS
A dyadic relationship is the smallest unit of a social relationship. This commonly
starts in the household which usually consists of members of a nuclear or extended
family (which is common in the Philippines). In an extended family, a household
is usually composed of two or more families that share the same roof. Others build
houses within a compound. Unmarried adults generally remain in their parents'
home and contribute to the family budget. Extended family members and relatives
(i.e. grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and grandchildren) may also live in the
same house and play important roles. The elders are usually cared for at home with
younger family members assuming care giving roles.

BARANGAY

A local network is made up of interdependent household relationships within a village

known as the barangay. In the Philippines, a barangay is a Filipino native term for
a village formerly known as barrio. It is the smallest administrative unit in the
Philippines. Each barangay is comprised of groups of households or neighborhoods
that is considered a building block of society outside the family. Basically, no
household within a barangay is completely self-sufficient. Households come together
for economic, religious, social, and political activities
In a barangay, you can usually find an elementary school, stores, health center,
and a barangay office. In the urban areas, there are more commercial establishments
and market places, banks, cinemas, churches, private schools, and hospitals. As a
political unit, the barangay council exerts political authority over problems involving
barangay members. The interdependence of community life within the barangay
implies that many political, social, cultural, and religious issues can be solved within
the household or barangay or barangay, usually involving communal response.

BEYOND THE LOCAL NETWORK

It is easier to mobilize a whole village than a whole municipality or city because
the networks within a local unit is denser than the latter. This means that in small
communities, relationships are tighter-people speak common language, share the
same cultural norms, and demonstrate collective understanding of physical environment
and natural resources. Thus, to deepen our understanding and response to a
social issue, one needs to understand the resources and opportunities within a local
network which can inform and support our collective decision and action. Resources
can be knowledge, skills, and expertise within the community. Constraints are to be
determined in order to identify the limits and practicality of response to the problem.
Although the focus of the discussion is the local network, this chapter argues that
members of a household and village which comprise a local network are affected by
issues and policies within the larger social system (ie. state and global networks). In
the community, there are many ways to mobilize people so many people will respond
These responses involve utilizing local knowledge and collective strategies
in addressing social problems. Since local networks do not work independently from
the wider social networks, the community's knowledge and experience can inform
policy makers and state leaders on what policies need to be created and how these policies
should be implemented.
Name:_____________________________________________________________
Date:______________
Teacher: LAUREANO R. FERANIL

TASK 1 ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES

Answer the following questions briefly but deliberately

1. What factors shape local networks? How do people within local networks responds to these
factors?
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2. What funds of knowledge do people in your community have? How can these funds of
knowledge contribute to the development of your local network?
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3. What are the prevailing issues in your community? How are these issues related to national
and global issues?
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4. How do internal politics within the barangay support or constrain the dynamics of
relationships among community members?
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5. What are the challenges and opportunities encountered by local networks in the
contemporary times?
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 Week 4
INTUITIVE THINKING AND STRATEGIC ANALYSIS
LESSONS OBJECTIVES:
1. Explain intuitive thinking and strategic analysis;
2. Differentiate key components of intuitive thinking and strategic analysis

THE SOCIAL MEANINGs OF DECISION-MAKING

In the previous lesson, we read about the story of a candidate aiming to win in the
elections. Getting support from one's community requires him to plan and mobilize his
connections and other resources. Planning involves an exercise of judgment. In order
to win, planning has to be done strategically and not haphazardly. Strategic planning
requires processes that includes accurate gathering of information and deliberate analysis
to come up with an informed decision. However, some situations, like in emergencies,
do not allow adequate time for planning and demand immediate decision-making.
One of the most important considerations in making decision is the possible
consequences of our decision to our own well- being and relationship with others. Since
the decisions we make will affect our future experiences, it is necessary to understand
the processes and elements involved in decision-making. There are two systems one
can employ in making decisions: strategic analysis and intuitive thinking.
The social environment affects and influences decision-making processes and
outcomes. Understanding local networks involves dealing with our physical and social
environment where experiences are created.

STRATEGIC ANALYSIS

Strategic analysis refers to a system or method that requires deliberate, abstract,

and effortful thinking that breaks down a complex problem into parts. Deliberate
thinking employs a detailed examination of a problem to come up with a solution.
This involves looking at the context of the problem. Generally, strategic analysis
deals with problems that are especially big and complex and require paring down
into several components to facilitate focused analysis of the problem. The amount
of time and resources are the primary factors in strategic analysis. The most
common strategic analysis model used in decision-making follows five steps as illustrated in the
diagram below:

1. identify
the
problem

5. reflect 2. analyze
on the the
outcomes problem

4.
implement 3. generate
the a solution
solution
In an organization, the most common strategic analysis tool being used in addressing
a complex issue is the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT)
analysis. For example, a school wants to look into the causes of declining student
enrollment. To understand this phenomenon, one needs to assess the current situation
(e-g. course preferences and trends, economic capacities) and school processes
(e.g. instruction and services). This may also involve analyzing the strengths and
weaknesses of the school. Thus, deliberate analysis in this context implies a thorough
examination of different factors that contribute to the decline of the school enrollment.
This cannot be executed through a fast and immediate decision. Often, it requires
standardized procedures, criteria, formulas, and protocols

SWOT Analysis Diagram

STRENGTH WEAKNESSES

These are unique, competitive, and good These are the areas that need improvement.
qualities of an organization.

OPPORTUNITIES THREATS

These are the external factors that support and These are the external factors that can hinder
facilitate the operations and processes of an the operations and processes of an organization
organization.

STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS OF STRATEGIC ANALYSIS

Strategic analysis is effectively used in dealing with complex problems. By breaking
a problem down into fragments, one can examine an issue in a more detailed fashion.
By doing this, an abstract can be concretized and dealt with logically. This process
engages a person to observe rational thought processes. Rational thinking skills are
often taught and learned through formal means. Akin to learning how to solve a
mathematical problem, one has to use certain formulas and procedures to arrive to the
solution.

The biggest challenges in using strategic analysis as an approach to decision

making is the availability of resources and time constraint. The thought process is
slow since it requires a thorough and careful investigation of factors that will help the
investigator to analyze the problem. External and internal factors have to be considered.
After all, one does not always have the luxury of time when making decisions
especially when pertaining to matters that are of immediate concern.

INTUITIVE THINKING

Another approach to decision-making is intuitive thinking. This is the ability

to understand something instinctively (gut feel), without the need for conscious
reasoning. Understanding the social environment allows the person to develop sensitivity,
awareness of the surrounding, and pattern recognition all of which enable an
automatic response to like events and occurrences. Intuitive thinking is also affected
by how one feels and define a thing or event. Particular norms and value systems
within a community are considered when making decisions. For example, among
some indigenous people, their farmers would not touch certain places in the field
like an anthill. When asked why they do avoid such places, they cannot cite any
pragmatic reason. It was just intuition. Maybe they will say that nuno sa punso (a
mythical dwarf-like creature), lives in those places. Soil scientist said that such is a
sound practice because anthills are necessary to maintain the physical, chemical, and
biological health of the soil.
In dealing with everyday life issues and situations, we are called to make immediate
decisions based on our 'gut' feelings and prior knowledge and experiences. This type
of decision-making is evident in various situations: a doctor assessing an emergency
case; a teacher determining the reason for a child's inattentiveness in class; a buyer
examining which vegetable to buy; and a firefighter trying to rescue a fire victim. In
these cases, one would not hesitate or delay making decision because these situations need
immediate action.

STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS OF INTUITIVE THINKING

Intuitive thinking is best used when a person is immersed in his or her field of expertise. This
way, the individual can easily generate information from personal and social
experiences. Intuitive thinking is learned through grounded social interactions, which
usually occur in informal encounters. These encounters are unstructured and take
place outside classroom settings.

On the one hand, when a person has limited experience and knowledge in the area
where he or she needs to make a decision, there is a tendency to make mistakes and
errors. On the other hand, when an individual is overfamiliar with his or her own
field, he or she may end up ignoring new information that may still be relevant to
decision-making.

COMPARISON BETWEEN STRATEGIC ANALYSIS AND INTUITIVE THINKING

Both systems are relevant in dealing with life issues. However, we need to determine when and
how to use these decision-making methods in particular situation. Below are the comparisons of
both methods according to psychologist Daniel Kahneman.

ANALYTICAL INTUITIVE
Slow thinking Quick thinking
Effortful Automatic and always ON
Follow certain procedure and models Dynamic
Mathematical, relies on facts Poor in statistics and probability
Linear Non-linear
Detailed Whole
Focused and deliberate Big picture
Abstract Experience based
Rational Gut feel
Usually taught in school Usually learned outside classroom settings
Inductive Deductive
Future-oriented Stored Knowledge
Pattern Matching
TASK 2 : USING YOUR UNDERSTANDING ABOUT STRATEGIC ANALYSIS AND INTUITIVE THINKING,
DECIDE WHETHER EACH SITUATION REQUIRES INTUITIVE THINKING OR STRATEGIC ANALYSIS.
PROVIDE A SHORT EXPLANATION OF YOUR ANSWER.

1. A doctor attending a patients in the emergency room

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2. A scientist finding a cure for an infectious disease

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3. A group of researcher solving a climate change

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4. A firefighter rescuing victims from a burning house.

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5. A lawyer solving a case

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6. A street vendor trying to sell and generate good profit within a day
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7. A teacher wanting to solve poor motivation among his students.

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8. A couple wanting to buy a house in a subdivision

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 9. A lady trying to figure out whether to bring or not an umbrella in anticipation of rain.
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10. A mother attending to the whining of her child

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SOURCE:
TRENDS, NETWORKS, AND CRITICAL THINKING -Vibal Publishing House

Prepared and Compiled by:

LAUREANO R. FERANIL
Teacher

Approved by:

ROMALYN V. CABABAT Noted

SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
LEA S. LONTOC
Ed.D
President/Director