Some stories begin with a interest and gradually grow into a hobby. My journey with growing blueberries began years ago from a very practical desire: to grow something healthy and tasty in my own garden. Growing blueberries at home is not complicated, but it does require knowledge, consistency, and the creation of the right conditions. Trial and error, personal experience, and years of learning have been my greatest teachers.
A training within a university microdegree program
When, as part of the microdegree program, we were tasked with delivering a 15-minute micro-training session, I saw it as a good opportunity to step outside my usual professional field and experiment with teaching a completely different topic — delivering a training session titled ‘The Basics of Growing Blueberries at Home.’ This confirmed that knowledge developed from a practical hobby can also be valuable and relevant in an academic environment.
During the training, I shared practical knowledge on selecting blueberry plants, suitable growing conditions, and proper care techniques. A short quiz conducted via the Slido platform helped reinforce the learning, bringing a pleasant sense of excitement among participants and clearly demonstrating that learning does not have to be a one-way lecture — the best learning experiences emerge when ideas can flow freely. This mutual learning made the training lively and meaningful and also enriched me greatly as a trainer.
An extra touch of excitement was added by the quiz prize — jam made from blueberries grown by me.
A sense of gratitude and feedback
It was especially heartwarming to receive encouraging and constructive feedback — feedback that moves you forward, offers new ideas and points for reflection, and brings joy. Several participants noted that the training sparked their interest in trying to grow blueberries themselves. This sense of gratitude — knowing that my experience genuinely inspired interest — is the clearest indicator that the training was successful.
As training materials, I prepared a compact sheet on blueberries, allowing each learner to revisit the basics and try them out if they wished. From the feedback, I gathered that the material was well received :).
Encouraging and empowering feedback…
MI would like to thank my classmates and lecturers, whose support and encouragement were the greatest compliment, enriching the training and providing me with valuable feedback. With your support, my hobby truly became a wonderful training experience.