I'm taking my first bbka module exam.

[janetbee]

Well done Curly Green Fingers. You will learn a lot on your way through the modules- stuff that you don't come across in your everyday beekeeping.
Self-help groups are great as they help you to get through the studying in an enjoyable way. Check if your BKA has one. They will be online in these times so you might be able to join one that isn't local to you. Ask around the associations.
I think Module 1 is a good place to start as it will have lots of stuff in it that you will have come across in your day to day beekeeping. There is always something about swarming for instance. It is an extension of the Basic really.
The advice above about timing is very important. Don't write all you know just what the question asks. It is a good idea to reread the question when you are answering just to make sure you answer the question- no marks for answering the question you would prefer! Although the last question is "an essay" question it is acceptable to write bullet points and if time is short then just use bullet points, you don't actually get any marks for grammar, spelling, essay writing etc. You only get marks for facts. Look at the number of marks allocated for each question- it is roughly one mark per fact.
Definitely go through the past papers- just jot down the points for quickness- don't spend the full 1.5 hours on each, although doing one under exam conditions can be helpful. Check out the model answer paper, as mentioned above.
The Bucks notes are very useful. I used Yates and Yates, Module notes, but some parts are out of date and his writing style makes you feel you have had your knuckles rapped!
Lastly, if you are dyslexic you are entitled to extra time, Little Bees has given you a link to the relevant BBKA page. You will have to have some evidence to support this. One of our members took advantage of this and she said she really did need the extra time- even though she was experienced in taking exams.
Sorry this is long and repeats much of what has been said. You have been given lots of good advice.
Good luck!

 

[Curly green finger's]

Well done Curly Green Fingers. You will learn a lot on your way through the modules- stuff that you don't come across in your everyday beekeeping.
Self-help groups are great as they help you to get through the studying in an enjoyable way. Check if your BKA has one. They will be online in these times so you might be able to join one that isn't local to you. Ask around the associations.
I think Module 1 is a good place to start as it will have lots of stuff in it that you will have come across in your day to day beekeeping. There is always something about swarming for instance. It is an extension of the Basic really.
The advice above about timing is very important. Don't write all you know just what the question asks. It is a good idea to reread the question when you are answering just to make sure you answer the question- no marks for answering the question you would prefer! Although the last question is "an essay" question it is acceptable to write bullet points and if time is short then just use bullet points, you don't actually get any marks for grammar, spelling, essay writing etc. You only get marks for facts. Look at the number of marks allocated for each question- it is roughly one mark per fact.
Definitely go through the past papers- just jot down the points for quickness- don't spend the full 1.5 hours on each, although doing one under exam conditions can be helpful. Check out the model answer paper, as mentioned above.
The Bucks notes are very useful. I used Yates and Yates, Module notes, but some parts are out of date and his writing style makes you feel you have had your knuckles rapped!
Lastly, if you are dyslexic you are entitled to extra time, Little Bees has given you a link to the relevant BBKA page. You will have to have some evidence to support this. One of our members took advantage of this and she said she really did need the extra time- even though she was experienced in taking exams.
Sorry this is long and repeats much of what has been said. You have been given lots of good advice.
Good luck!

Thanks for that, the support on here is absolutely brilliant.
Im with my two local associations so I'm hopping that I also will get lots of information.

I have a very busy life between farm family and landscaping, and beekeeping but want to do the exams as the people I know that have done them have said they will benefit me.
I don't want to leave it for another few years as I had planned.

My last exams were in 2002 when I was at harpers Adams studying for a hnd in agricultural mechanics and stockman ship so its been a while.
Cheers
Mark

 

[janetbee]

Just to let you know that the module exams are to be online in the Spring, 24th/25th April- probably 24th. Closing date for applications is January 31st. For those who aren't happy with online there may be some written exams in November.

 

[plain_hunt]

Hi, I've booked my first module exam for next spring but it's going to be on line by the looks.

If I get through the first one I plan to take more.
So far I've only put my name down and the emails I've received aren't very informative.

To those of you that have taken the first module, can you give me any advice and words of wisdom.
Many thanks

Mark.

Yes, definitely practice using the past papers, they are all on the Facebook Bbka module 1 group page, or send me a pm and I’ll send the recent ones to you You’ll get 1.5 hours to write, or may get extra time if you submit the necessary evidence of medical/disability. Make sure you can answer all the questions in 90 minutes. You get 5 minutes reading time before you start, so you can decide which are the best questions to answer. Read the instructions at the top properly!
As they are online only this year, and this time it’s in April, you will also need a camera on your computer. Most of all, remember you’re doing this for fun! Yes, I’ve done them all, and enjoyed doing them, although by the time I got to no.8 I was pleased to finish them!

 

[The Poot]

I take my hat off to you Curly. I really couldn’t be bothered with it all, especially if the “facts” you learn and write about are not necessarily facts at all. It’s wrong of me to say that without looking into it, but going off what others say on here there may not be a lot of benefit in it.
Anyway it would probably take me the hour and a half just to read the question these days....
I wish you the very best of luck with it and will be interested in your experience as you progress.

 

[Curly green finger's]

I take my hat off to you Curly. I really couldn’t be bothered with it all, especially if the “facts” you learn and write about are not necessarily facts at all. It’s wrong of me to say that without looking into it, but going off what others say on here there may not be a lot of benefit in it.
Anyway it would probably take me the hour and a half just to read the question these days....
I wish you the very best of luck with it and will be interested in your experience as you progress.

Thanks Mr Poot, I will keep the thread updated as I go forward, we will see how I get on.
Might find its above and beyond me.

 

[North End Bees]

I take my hat off to you Curly. I really couldn’t be bothered with it all, especially if the “facts” you learn and write about are not necessarily facts at all. It’s wrong of me to say that without looking into it, but going off what others say on here there may not be a lot of benefit in it.

That's not really true. The modules cover a wide variety of topics regarding honeybees and you can choose to take only certain ones if that's where your interests lie.

Learning about pests & diseases (mod 3) will help you enormously in looking after your bees, not just in spotting disease early but also in understanding how the environment affects disease mechanisms and what you can do about it.
A good grounding in bee biology and behaviour (mods 5&6) will also be invaluable in understanding why bees do certain things.

The one which some people find contentious is mod 1 (HB management) but even then, the majority of the syllabus is common ground amongst all beekeepers, e.g knowing different types of hives/frames available, siting hives in secure areas, minimising robbing, etc.etc.

For completeness the modules are
Module 1 - Honey Bee Management

Module 2 - Honey Bee Products and Forage

Module 3 - Honey Bee Pests, Diseases and Poisoning
Module 5 - Honey Bee Biology

Module 6 - Honey Bee Behaviour

Module 7 - Selection & Breeding of Honey Bees

Module 8 - Honey Bee Management, Health and History

 

[The Poot]

That's not really true. The modules cover a wide variety of topics regarding honeybees and you can choose to take only certain ones if that's where your interests lie.

Learning about pests & diseases (mod 3) will help you enormously in looking after your bees, not just in spotting disease early but also in understanding how the environment affects disease mechanisms and what you can do about it.
A good grounding in bee biology and behaviour (mods 5&6) will also be invaluable in understanding why bees do certain things.

The one which some people find contentious is mod 1 (HB management) but even then, the majority of the syllabus is common ground amongst all beekeepers, e.g knowing different types of hives/frames available, siting hives in secure areas, minimising robbing, etc.etc.

For completeness the modules are
Module 1 - Honey Bee Management

Module 2 - Honey Bee Products and Forage

Module 3 - Honey Bee Pests, Diseases and Poisoning
Module 5 - Honey Bee Biology

Module 6 - Honey Bee Behaviour

Module 7 - Selection & Breeding of Honey Bees

Module 8 - Honey Bee Management, Health and History

Hi Little Bees,
I said I hadn’t looked into it and I take your point.
Certainly, the bee diseases aspects would be useful.

 

[North End Bees]

we will see how I get on.
Might find its above and beyond me.

You'll do fine. Once you start looking into them, the modules aren't anywhere near as daunting as you might think.
In reality, you'll probably be pleasantly surprised at how much you already know.

Take a look at the mid-Bucks mod 1 notes .
There will be lots on there that you are already doing in your everyday beekeeping. (If there are certain things that you disagree with, you'll just have to remember to answer according to the BBKA syllabus!)

 

[Erichalfbee]

Hi Little Bees,

Certainly, the bee diseases aspects would be useful.

The NBU do an annual road show on diseases. There will usually be one at a BKA within striking distance Covid allowing. That is the single most useful thing you can do. You can look at actual diseased frames which is better than any module.

 

[Murox]

You'll do fine. Once you start looking into them, the modules aren't anywhere near as daunting as you might think.
In reality, you'll probably be pleasantly surprised at how much you already know.

Take a look at the mid-Bucks mod 1 notes .
There will be lots on there that you are already doing in your everyday beekeeping. (If there are certain things that you disagree with, you'll just have to remember to answer according to the BBKA syllabus!)

That suggests a singularly narrow or proscriptive stance from the BBKA – is that really still the case ??

 

[North End Bees]

The NBU do an annual road show on diseases. There will usually be one at a BKA within striking distance Covid allowing. That is the single most useful thing you can do. You can look at actual diseased frames which is better than any module.

I've been to a couple of our BKA's Health & Disease days. They're really useful, esp in terms of seeing frames of e.g AFB irl as well as being able to have a go with lateral flow devices, etc.

But the theory of the Disease module gives you so much more than you can learn in a single day (a day being actually about 4 hours).

The learning for the module is quite a few more hours than that, but once you've learned it, you've learned it.

The solution is probably to do both the theoretical and the practical sessions.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

But the theory of the Disease module gives you so much more than you can learn in a single day

I
Yes, it gives you a pretty piece of paper to hang on your wall!

I'm sorry, but when it comes to disease, holding the diseased frames and seeing it close up and speaking to people who see it in the flesh on a yearly basis beats reading about the theory of it and giving the answers required (please note I didn't use the word 'correct') by the BBKA

 

[North End Bees]

That suggests a singularly narrow or proscriptive stance from the BBKA – is that really still the case ??

Certain areas can be proscriptive. But overall a lot of it is common ground.

E.g your description of a dadant hive will be the same as the BBKA's. Your opinion on leaving wet frames out for cleaning will hopefully be the same as the BBKA's. Your views on siting hives facing public paths are probably going to be the same as the BBKA's. Etc etc. All questions in mod 1.

 

[North End Bees]

I
Yes, it gives you a pretty piece of paper to hang on your wall!

I'm sorry, but when it comes to disease, holding the diseased frames and seeing it close up and speaking to people who see it in the flesh on a yearly basis beats reading about the theory of it and giving the answers required (please note I didn't use the word 'correct') by the BBKA

Attending the days in person are invaluable, as I replied earlier, but you can only learn so much in one day.

Or perhaps you could get the NBU inspectors who are doing the talks to come and stay for with you for a week or two. After a few in-depth discussions every evening you'll soon have a good grounding.

Btw, those NBU guys giving the talks have all done all the BBKA modules!

 

[The Poot]

The NBU do an annual road show on diseases. There will usually be one at a BKA within striking distance Covid allowing. That is the single most useful thing you can do. You can look at actual diseased frames which is better than any module.

That was my thought too about the biggest benefit. I hope I can join a road show next year.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Attending the days in person are invaluable, as I replied earlier, but you can only learn so much in one day.

Or perhaps you could get the NBU inspectors who are doing the talks to come

Btw, those NBU guys giving the talks have all done all the BBKA modules!

So attend two
As for the inspectors having done the modules that has absolutely nothing to do with handling frames.
Is this the same NBU that puts out starvation warnings a good month or so after everybody else has cottoned on, teaches that it’s good practice to sterilise hives every year? I could go on.
Take the modules by all means if that’s what you want but please don’t push the BBKA agenda here. The BBKA has its own forum.
This is my view not a moderator’s by the way

 

[North End Bees]

That was my thought too about the biggest benefit. I hope I can join a road show next year.

Definitely worth attending. And then go a second year to recap maybe.

But there's only so much they can cover. They can't make it too in-depth, not just because of time constraints but also because there are always a lot of new beekeepers there.

Back up the practical with the theoretical (and vice versa).

 

[North End Bees]

Is this the same NBU that puts out starvation warnings a good month or so after everybody else has cottoned on

Yes, because surprisingly there are plenty of beekeepers who aren't that great at actually remembering to feed their bees

 

[North End Bees]

Take the modules by all means if that’s what you want but please don’t push the BBKA agenda here.

I wasn't pushing the agenda. The thread started with Mark saying he'd already decided to do the modules and was asking people's opinions.