PRACTICAL SKILLS

NATURE OF THE FIELD ASSESSMENT

Beginning from the month of November, practical exercises are conducted within the limits prescribed by the syllabus. Of these, the required number of practical skills will form the complement on which the candidates will be assessed.

The teacher must allow all students to acquire the necessary competence in each skill before individually observing a few predetermined candidates in the field/farm, through physical and practical exercises. Oral or written question and answer examinations are disallowed.

Both students and teachers should be familiar with the criteria to be used in the assessment of practical skills well in advance, having been introduced to them when the skills are being taught.

The teacher observes::

• • the level of the candidate’s skills (dexterity) in performing the task,

  • the time taken for completion,

  • the confidence exhibited, and

  • the resourcefulness shown in handling any problems which may arise.

Marks are thus awarded for technique and competency.

Technique: the extent to which the candidate has the ability to select and the capacity to use, the most appropriate and acceptable methods and procedures for the effective performance of the particular skill.

Competency: The level of mastery with which the candidate is able to carry out the performance. It is developed through the regular usage of the correct technique taught.

The following rating scale may be used for assessing technique and competency.

Technique

0 - Unsatisfactory

1 - Satisfactory

2 - Excellent

Competency

0 - Non-mastery

1 - Limited competence

2 - Mastery

These are added to produce a score from 0 - 4 with each score indicating a performance that demonstrates

0 - incompetence, carelessness, neglect or forgetfulness.

1 - some of the basic mechanics and is uncertain, clumsy or imprecise.

2 - all of the basic mechanics of a skill, but is either slow or clumsy.

3 - all of the mechanics of a skill with an acceptable degree of competence.

4 -no flaws and more than acceptable competence in all aspects of the skill.

In cases where scores of two or less are attained, the assessment procedure permits a re-evaluation of performance.

SKILL SELECTION

SINGLE AWARD (SA)

The ten practical exercises must consist of FIVE skills from Section B: Crop Production and FIVE skills from Section C: Animal Production. These skills may be chosen from ANY of those listed below.

Click on any of the Section headings to be taken to a page where the links to further information on each skill are listed.

SECTION B: CROP PRODUCTION

1. Identify the textural classes of soil by:

2. Determine the pH of soil.

3. Use techniques of fertilizer application appropriate to type of crop, cropping system, climate and topography.

4. Use appropriate techniques in applying soil amendments.

5. Use an ‘A’ frame (level) to establish contour lines.

6. Demonstrate land preparation techniques:

(a) land clearing;

(b) primary and secondary tillage;

(c) drain formation; and,

(d) ridges and furrows.

7. Clean and maintain simple tools and the knapsack sprayer.

8. Demonstrate plant propagation techniques;

(a) budding;

(b) grafting;

(c) layering; and,

(d) cuttings.

9. Prepare seed boxes/beds and sow of seeds.

10. Thinning out seedlings.

11. Transplanting and proper spacing.

12. Demonstrate cultural practices associated with crop production:

(a) moulding;

(b) mulching;

(c) staking;

(d) pruning;

(e) irrigating;

(f) weed control; and,

(g) pests and diseases control.

13. Use appropriate harvest and post-harvest techniques.

14. Propagate ornamental plants.

15. Establish a fruit orchard.

16. Select and establish planting materials for banana production.

17. Prune horticultural plants.

18. Harvest flowers of ornamental plants.

SECTION C: ANIMAL PRODUCTION

1. Use food tests to identify carbohydrates, fats and proteins in feeds.

2. Identify, collect and mount forage plants.

3. Determine the space requirements for different batches of broilers, layers.

4. Prepare a brooder for baby chicks.

5. Clean and disinfect pens/poultry house.

6. Prepare eggs for incubation in a small-scale incubator.

7. Slaughter and dress broilers.

8. Collection, cleaning and grading of eggs.

9. Attend to young animals:

(a) inoculate;

(b) treat navel against flies;

(c) clip teeth in piglets; and,

(d) administer iron injection.

10. Apply first aid procedures in animals.

11. Maintain animals and surroundings in a hygienic condition.

12. Administer control measures against internal and external parasites.

DOUBLE AWARD (DA)

For the DA, assessment follows that outlined for the SA along with skills also being drawn from Section E and F of the syllabus as listed below:

SECTION D: CROP PRODUCTION AND MANAGEMENT

(a) Collect data on weather, soil water content and soil nutrient content using appropriate equipment.

(b) Enter data to a computer using a suitable format for analysis, or otherwise organizing data for analysis.

(c) Analyse data using descriptive statistics, graphs, trend lines.

(d) Calculate rates and quantities of water and nutrients required for crops.

(e) Design simple research activities.

(f) Prepare a plan for the sustainable production of a crop.

(g) Design a simple rain water harvesting system.

(h) Prepare a compost heap.

(i) Prepare propagation media.

(j) Sterilize media.

(k) Design simple non-conventional crop production systems.

(l) Design simple farm structures.

(m) Use and maintain tools and small equipment.

(n) Demonstrate the use of maturity indices for harvesting crops.

(o) Demonstrate the use of proper post-harvest management techniques.

(p) Prepare a value added crop product.

(q) Demonstrate safe use of tools and equipment.

(r) Dispose of agricultural chemicals and containers safely.

SECTION E: LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION AND MANAGEMENT

(a) Demonstrate good agricultural practices in the rearing of livestock.

(b) Identify principal cuts of meat.

(c) Apply HACCP in all production and post-production activities.

(d) Preserve meat or fish using simple post-production technologies.

(e) Prepare a value added livestock product.

SECTION F: ENTREPENEURSHIP AND COMMUNICATION IN AGRICULTURE

These skills may be drawn from the suggested practical activities and the learning objectives and may include:

• • Prepare a business and marketing plan.

  • Make oral presentations, utilizing relevant communication tools on potential new business.

  • Develop a SWOT analysis with students based on current trends.

  • Provide examples of different financial statements.

  • Create blogs, posters, jingles for ’local eat what you grow’ campaign.

  • Create five-minute PowerPoint presentations to ’potential investors’ or bankers of business idea using graphics.

  • Create one-minute advertisement to promote products produced by agricultural enterprise.

  • Create labels for products or produce.

  • Use social media to promote products produced by enterprise.

  • Create a logo and slogan for a product from an agricultural enterprise

  • Use local situations to depict these barriers to communication to students.

NON-FULFILMENT OF SBA REQUIREMENTS

Candidates who are absent when a practical skill is being assessed must be given the opportunity on subsequent occasions to demonstrate the skill. Candidates, who fail to be assessed in at least two-thirds of the complement of the practical skills (that is, seven skills) of the syllabus, may not qualify to have their SBA considered for the examination except a valid explanation from the Principal supported by the CXC® Moderator is submitted to CXC®.