Organizing Project Method of Teaching for Effective Agricultural Knowledge and Skills Acquisition: Comparison of Individual and Group Student Projects

Agricultural science curricula for Senior High Schools (SHSs) in Ghana is expected to be taught as both science and vocation in order to produce agricultural graduates with the requisite competency and skills to practice agriculture as a vocation or further their education in agricultural related programmes. In achieving this broad objective, several teaching methodologies have been tested and deployed in teaching agricultural science in Ghanaian SHSs. This paper report findings of an action research conducted in Awe Senior High School in the Navrongo Municipality of the Upper East Region of Ghana investigating the best way of deploying project teaching method for effective result. Through simple random sampling, 100 students were sampled and randomly assigned a project of raising tomatoes seedlings in a group of five or individually. Observations, personal interviews, focus group discussion and key informant interviews were employed in gathering data for the study.  Discourse analysis, descriptive and inferential statistics were employed in analysing the data gathered. Findings of the study showed that assigning agricultural practical project to students, either individually or in a group of not more than five students, generally contribute significantly in students’ knowledge and skills acquisition. However, the group method of organizing student’s project was found as most effective in improving students’ knowledge and skills. The group method was found to be cost effective and efficient in improving students’ knowledge and skills in nursery practices. It is recommended that the school authority and Ghana Education Service (GES) should equipped and encouraged SHSs to deploy project method of teaching in teaching agricultural skills.  Also to ensure cost effectiveness and effective knowledge and skills acquisition, project method of teaching should be organized in a group of not more than five students. Keywords: Project teaching method, agricultural skills, knowledge, Individual projects and Group Project

Human-cat relationship in an oceanic biosphere reserve: the case of La Palma Island, Canary archipelago

Removal of feral cats from island environments is a useful mechanism by which their ecological impact on endangered species can be reduced or ended. Nevertheless, because cats are anthropogenic in their origins, social perceptions of management practices play a large role in their implementation. Four-hundred questionnaires were delivered (386 were returned) with 100 going to each of the following: local residents; environmental workers; tourists; and, hunters. Questions explored respondents’ knowledge about island biodiversity and invasive species as well as attitudes towards cat population management methods. Habitat destruction and introduction of invasive species were considered the main threats for the conservation of island biodiversity. Most respondents considered cats to have a negative impact on biodiversity and sterilization campaigns were considered most appropriate for cat population control. Several free sterilization campaigns have been conducted in La Palma Island Biosphere Reserve in order to reduce free-ranging cats and were well received by local people. This research, which combined concepts of management, ecology and social sciences, provides valuable insights which may to be applicable on several other islands where cats and people are present and in conflict with conservation priorities

The challenges of long-term invasive mammal management: lessons from the UK

We consider the motivations, strategies, and costs involved in invasive mammal management undertaken in the UK. Widespread established invasive mammals require long‐term management to limit damage or spread, but ongoing management is costly and complex. Long‐term management is most effective where it is applied at a landscape scale, but this requires overarching co‐ordination between multiple stakeholders. Five challenges for successful long‐term management of invasive mammal species are identified as follows: defining landscape‐scale strategies, management co‐ordination, stakeholder and community engagement, sustainable funding, and evidence requirements. We make recommendations on the supportive infrastructure needed for effective landscape‐scale management of invasive mammals to fulfil long‐term conservation aims, as follows. 1. There is a need for evidence‐based Invasive Species Action Plans to provide strategy for the long‐term ongoing management of prioritised species at appropriate scales. 2. Where possible, multispecies approaches to invasive species management should be adopted. 3. Trusted leadership should be identified to take ownership of Action Plans and provide an overarching co‐ordination to bring individuals, organisations, and funders together. 4. Support for a centralised hub for training, data, and knowledge flows will greatly improve scientific outcomes through a searchable evidence base, and via best practice and knowledge sharing

Genomics detects population structure within and between ocean basins in a circumpolar seabird: the white‐chinned petrel

The Southern Ocean represents a continuous stretch of circumpolar marine habitat, but the potential physical and ecological drivers of evolutionary genetic differentiation across this vast ecosystem remain unclear. We tested for genetic structure across the full circumpolar range of the white‐chinned petrel (Procellaria aequinoctialis) to unravel the potential drivers of population differentiation and test alternative population differentiation hypotheses. Following range‐wide comprehensive sampling, we applied genomic (genotyping‐by‐sequencing or GBS; 60,709 loci) and standard mitochondrial‐marker approaches (cytochrome b and 1st domain of control region) to quantify genetic diversity within and among island populations, test for isolation by distance, and quantify the number of genetic clusters using neutral and outlier (non‐neutral) loci. Our results supported the multi‐region hypothesis, with a range of analyses showing clear three‐region genetic population structure, split by ocean basin, within two evolutionary units. The most significant differentiation between these regions confirmed previous work distinguishing New Zealand and nominate subspecies. Although there was little evidence of structure within the island groups of the Indian or Atlantic oceans, a small set of highly‐discriminatory outlier loci could assign petrels to ocean basin and potentially to island group, though the latter needs further verification. Genomic data hold the key to revealing substantial regional genetic structure within wide‐ranging circumpolar species previously assumed to be panmictic

Reclaiming the educative power of vocational placements: Experiences from agriculture education practice in Uganda

Amidst the global pressure on education systems to harness youth employability and transition to the world of work, there is increased interest in vocational placements. It is evident that Uganda's tertiary education sector, like others in similar context, is struggling to optimise vocational placements for better students’ learning and labour market outcomes. This article explores the “educative” potential of vocational placements offered as a component of study programmes by a public tertiary agricultural training institution in Uganda. It draws on data generated from a qualitative case study that engaged 70 stakeholders namely students, graduates, lecturers, administrators and workplace supervisors. Undertaken between 2016 and 2019, the study reveals the complexities and prospects associated with the design and delivery of vocational placements in stressed education and labour market contexts. From a social constructivist perspective, we make contextual pedagogical propositions for unleashing the educative power of vocational placements in Uganda and similar contexts

Factors leading to successful island rodent eradications following initial failure

Island rodent eradications are increasingly conducted to eliminate the negative impacts of invasive rodents. The success rate in the tropics has been lower than in temperate regions, triggering research and reviews. Environmental factors unique to the tropics (e.g., land crabs and year-round rodent breeding) have been associated with eradication failure. Operational factors have also been important, but these have not been comprehensively assessed. The environmental and operational factors using global cases where rodent eradication initially failed and subsequent attempts occurred were compared. It was determined whether operational factors explained the initial failures, whether operational improvements explained subsequent successes, and whether reattempting eradication after failure was worthwhile. About 35 eradication attempts on 17 islands, each with 1–2 species from a total of 5 species (Mus musculus and 4 Rattus spp.) were identified. On 14 islands (82%), eradication was achieved on the second (86%) or third attempt (14%). On the remaining 3 islands, eradication was not achieved. Evidence of operational faults for all failed attempts was found (e.g., poor planning, low quality bait, and gaps during bait application). In some cases, operational faults were unequivocally the cause of failure, but in others, it was impossible to discriminate from confounding, environmental factors. Nonetheless, failures appeared to be mainly the result of not exposing all rodents to a lethal dose of toxin, violating a crucial eradication principle. This can cause operational failure on any temperate or tropical island. However, there may be less tolerance for errors such as gaps in bait coverage on tropical islands, mainly due to bait consumption by land crabs. The findings on factors leading to eradication success (e.g., expert reviewed plans, realistic funding and permits, high standard baiting operations) reflect current best practice recommendations. Strict adherence to best practice is expected to increase overall rates of eradication success