REGULATIONS FOR THE BACHELOR OF EDUCATION HONOURS DEGREE IN AGRICULTURE AND ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT (EDU15)

Duration:     2 years

Actual Credit Load   300

Minimum Credit Load:    240

Maximum Credit Load: 300

Total MBKS Credit Load:     288

ZNQF Level: 8

 

1.0   PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAMME

To prepare pre- ‘A’ Level and produce highly qualified personnel for educational institutions, government departments and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs).

2.0   Entry Requirements

Normal Entry:

Diploma/Certificate in Agriculture Education.

3.0   PROGRAMME CHARACTERISTICS

Areas of Study: Agriculture

Specialist Focus: Training teachers in agricultural education

Orientation:

Research and innovation-oriented. Teaching and learning that enhance creativity and problem-solving techniques to address social and economic challenges.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AND FURTHER EDUCATION

Employability:

Graduates can be employed as teachers, lecturers, education inspectors, training officers, consultants, laboratory technicians in related agriculture industries, agriculture extension officers, agronomists, seed and feed services, sales-chemicals, equipment, etc.

Further Studies:

Master’s and Doctoral studies in Agriculture

PROGRAMME STRUCTURE

 

Level 1 Semester 1 

Code            Module Description                                                            Credits

BCHS131:    Cultural and Heritage Studies                                                            12

BED133:      Information Communication Technology in Education                       12

BED144:      Schools Curriculum Competencies and Innovation                             12

SEAG101:   Agricultural Practice                                                                         12 

SEAG102:   Horticulture Production (optional)                                                     12

SEAG103:   Principles of Soil Science                                                                  12

SEAG104:   Principles of Wildlife Management                                                    12

 

Level 1 Semester 2

Code            Module Description                                                                Credits

BED131:      Research Methods and Statistics                                                    12

BED231:      Assessment and Evaluation Techniques                                             12

SEAG105:   GIS and Remote Sensing                                                                  12

SEAG106:    Agricultural Economics and Farm Business Management                   12

SEAG107:   Agricultural Marketing and Trade                                                      12

SEAG108:   Pedagogics in Agriculture Education                                                 12

                    

Level 2 Semester 1

Code            Module Description                                                                        Credits

EDGS231:   Gender Studies for Educators                                                            12

BEIE501:     Entrepreneurship and Industrialisation in Education                            12

BEFM231:   School Administration and Financial Management in Education          12

SEAG201:   Crop Production and Physiology                                                        12

SEAG202:   Farm Mechanisation and Structures                                                   12

SEAG203:   Environmental Management                                                              12

Electives

EFS 131:      Sociological Issues in Education                                                        12

EFPS 131:    Psychological Issues in Education                                                     12

EFPH 131:   Philosophical Issues in Education                                                      12

 

Level 2 Semester 2

Code            Module Description                                                                        Credits

SEAG204:   Animal Health and Nutrition                                                             12

SEAG205:   Agricultural Biochemistry                                                                 12

BED232:      Research Project                                                                               24

BED135       Contemporary Issues in Education                                                     12

BED136       Educational Management                                                              12

 

Module Synopses

 

BCHS 131: Cultural and Heritage Studies

The module examines the concepts of culture and heritage as they relate to unhuism/ubuntuism, innovation and industrialisation. Emphasis is placed on the values of social, historical, architectural, scientific and cultural heritage that can be capitalised for socio-economic development. Exploration of landscapes that contain cultural heritage associated with knowledge, songs, stories, art objects and human remains.  

 

BED 133: Information Communication Technology in Education

This module employs a hands-on approach to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for the innovative use of information communication technology to enhance classroom teaching and learning. Topics covered include the role of ICT in education, software application in education, multimedia learning, the Internet of Things and emerging technologies and their application in classroom teaching.

 

BED 144: Schools Curriculum Competencies and Innovation

The module introduces students to the schools’ curriculum and basic theories of curriculum development. It explores the philosophy of the Zimbabwean competence-based curriculum and its implications for teaching. The specific competencies in the curriculum are analysed in relation to how they empower students with life-long competencies that prepare students for sustainable livelihoods inside and outside formal employment. Such competencies include but are not limited to, creativity, innovation, industrialisation, and entrepreneurship.

 

 SEAG 101: Agricultural Practice

To develop entrepreneurial skills in animal and plant production, financing, management and marketing. It also covers the processing of beef, dairy, cereal, fruit and vegetable products. Students shall be exposed to aspects of marketing, human resources, pricing, government policies and taxation.

 

SEAG 102: Horticulture Production

The module covers factors influencing horticulture in Zimbabwe; Plant growth regulators (PGRs), plant propagation technologies, soils and field management crop rotations, irrigation and drainage- hydrogeology, Integrated Pest Management (IPM), disease, moisture conservation, nutrition, harvesting/post-harvest handling, and storage marketing principles.

 

SEAG 103: Principles of Soil Science

The module focuses on soil formation, properties, structure, classification, management, land capability classification, soil profiling and soil testing. Basic Chemistry related to soil is also covered. Other aspects covered include soil fertility, plant mineral nutrition reclamation and pollution.

 

SEAG 104: Principles of Wildlife Management

The focus is on wildlife management, reproduction, conservation, game ranching, zoogeography and factors affecting animal distributions and wildlife values and perceptions.  The module also covers malnutrition, predation and disease, nutrition, nutritional strategy, feeding habits and preference, water requirements and environmental physiology.

 

SEAG 105: GIS and Remote Sensing

The module explores how scientific and historical views of maps, and general school map work practices are traced back to Cartography. GIS, Global Positioning System (GPS) and Remote Sensing are introduced and applied to mapping systems. This module has practical and field components.

SEAG 106: Agricultural Economics and Farm Business Management

The module gives students an understanding of farm business management principles, and forms of business organisation that include records, accounting, auditing, information systems, labour, planning and budgeting. Students shall be exposed to various agricultural support schemes, cooperate governance, risk management and business ethics.

 

SEAG 107: Agricultural Marketing and Trade

The module focuses on developing students’ knowledge of principles of agricultural marketing, laws governing local, regional and international marketing, the role of consumer behaviour, marketing models and product pricing.

 

BED 131: Research Methods and Statistics

The module introduces students to the basic principles of research. It develops the students’ knowledge and skills in the following areas: identification of research problems in education; selection of appropriate research designs and data collection tools; data analysis techniques; research findings and conclusions; and research report writing. The module also introduces students to educational research that is aligned with sustainable development issues such as environmental conservation and poverty eradication.

 

 BED 231: Assessment and Evaluation Techniques

The module covers assessment and evaluation issues in education across all subject areas. The content of the module includes an analysis of the concepts of evaluation, assessment and measurement in education; contemporary ideas on how to improve assessment and evaluation in schools; test designing; analysis of test results; national examinations and grading.

 

EDGS 231: Gender Studies for Educators

The module exposes students to the concept of gender and its significance to education. It also exposes students to how education spaces construct gender differences and the implications of these differences on learners and staff, and how schools can close the gender gap by studying theoretical perspectives on gender, cultural dimensions and their implications to education. It also exposes students to different empowerment frameworks and legislation.

 

BEIE 501: Entrepreneurship and Industrialisation in Agriculture

The module equips the students with entrepreneurial skills on how to set up and successfully operate business/production units within and outside educational environments. Students are expected to develop a conceptual framework for entrepreneurship and distinguish between wage employment, self-employment and entrepreneurship. Familiarisation with the incubation hub and the transformation of education into an industry are considered.

 

BEFM 231: School Administration and Financial Management in Education

The module introduces students to sound administration and financial management practices followed in schools and other educational institutions. It tackles the basic tenets of the nature and purpose of administration and familiarizes students with skills in budgeting and budgetary control. Students are further introduced to the accounting systems in schools and the interpretation of policies and statutes that govern financial and asset management in educational institutions.

 

EFS 131/EFPS 131/EFPH 131: Applied Educational Foundations

This module enhances students with basic philosophical, psychological and sociological theories that are central to the learning and development of children from diverse backgrounds. The module also interrogates the interconnection between educational foundations and innovation, thereby further equipping students with vibrant critical thinking skills to awaken creative capabilities inherent in them

 

SEAG 201: Crop Production and Physiology

The module gives students a general understanding of the anatomy and morphology of plants, factors affecting crop production, domestication and classification of cultivated plants, land use evaluation, crop farming technologies, plant growth analysis, plant nutrition and crop disease control and prevention.

 

SEAG 108: Pedagogics in Agriculture Education

The module is intended to develop students’ knowledge and skills in syllabus interpretation, scheming and lesson planning in Agriculture. It also seeks to enhance the pedagogical skills of Agriculture pre-service teachers. It covers theoretical and practical approaches to the teaching of Agriculture and assessment issues and practices in Agriculture education.

 

SEAG 202: Farm Mechanisation and Structures

The module focuses on concepts of Mechanisation; Operational principles of two-stroke and four-stroke cycle engines, the fuel systems of petrol and diesel engines, cooling and lubrication systems of petrol and diesel engines. Knowledge of the above enables students to be efficient managers of farm machinery and equipment. Animal and tractor power – types, potential, selection, determination of draught force requirements for mouldboard ploughs, and angles of attack of a mouldboard plough are covered.

 

SEAG 204: Animal Health and Nutrition

The module deals with nutritional descriptions of the components of feedstuffs, feed evaluation methods. Description of nutritive value and utilisation of feedstuffs including a comprehensive analysis of anti-nutritive factors; classification into cereal grains and processing by-products, protein-rich grains and oilseed cakes, animal by-products, grasslands and other forages, conserved forages, miscellaneous feedstuffs empower learners with the knowledge to manufacture their feedstuffs.

 

BED 232: Research Project

In this final year, two-semester module each student carries out a research project in an area of his/her choice under the guidance of a supervisor. Through the study, students are expected to apply their knowledge and skills in research in the resolution of an identified research problem, as well as show their appreciation of research as a viable process of addressing contemporary challenges and issues in education and their local environments.

 

BED 136: Educational Management

The module introduces students to the basics of education management that speak to issues of sustainable development, innovation and industrialisation through effective and efficient management of school organisations.  Students are familiarised to basic theories of educational management and the foundational building blocks of educational management namely, planning, organising, control, commanding and coordinating.

 

SEAG 205: Agricultural Biochemistry

Agricultural biochemistry combines the study of both chemistry and biology and how they are important in agricultural production, the processing of agricultural products into foods, feeds and beverages, whilst emphasising environmental monitoring and evaluation.

 

SEAG 203: Environmental Management

The module focuses on practices and processes that enable society, to reduce environmental impact without compromising agricultural productivity. The aim is to manage the interaction and impact of human activities on the natural environment with special reference to agricultural production and businesses.