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Is it worth looking at possibly starting an online beekeeping "College"

  • Let's do it!

    Votes: 67 51.1%
  • Worth invetigation

    Votes: 50 38.2%
  • Not a lot

    Votes: 14 10.7%

  • Total voters
    131
Computer generated question and answer sheets. Computer marked as well?

I wasn't thinking that far ahead, but I suppose exams must come into it somewhere.

Regards, RAB
 
well, lighting a smoker is the first part of the practical part of the 'basic' exam, after all
(took mine this year)
 
I have not used Moodle but used blackboard www.blackboard.com last year while studying online at Sheffield Hallam Uni.

The biggest problem I can see is getting any exams assessments or practicals marked by a trustworthy/independant source.

No sorry the biggest problem will be getting the beekeepers to agree on the content, or anything else for that matter ;)
 
That's why I think the only way is to make it a very "broad church" that welcomes ALL the disciplines and shades of opinion - just an online version of the outside world, accessible to all.........
In my area, there are now choices available - there are local associations who teach the "conventional" type of beekeeping, increasingly talks are being given on "top bar hives and beekeeping", and the Biodynamic brigade are very active, offering paid-for courses - some local government "evening class" type courses are held too - there's room for all of them online! People will vote with their feet - if they want an "intro" to beekeeping it could offer that, if people want to go the "exam route", that should be available too....
Truly "by, for, and of beekeepers" (of ALL persuasions)
 
Thought I would wait awhile before getting involved in this. We have been trying to set up a VLE (Virtual Learning Environment) at our school for some time. We have had one of the top companies in the education world, Capita, working on it. We are now going moodle as it didn't work.

The back ground or the pages that run it are fairly easy to use but the content is the main problem and needs to make sense without any hints tips or explanation. It also has to be right and didn't I hear somewhere, can't think where, that if you ask two beeks for what is best you get three opinions?

A VLE needs to be factual and informative, I might suggest that the first things on the site should be the learning box from the BBKA, not that I have seen it, but I am sure I would be shot down in flames as I am only new to this, and what do I know and what do they know?

There are many people on here that have good intentions and I love reading and trying to find my way through the different positions but this is not any good for a VLE.
 
I think it would be unrealistic to presume it would become the definitive learning resource overnight, but it could start by offering some good basic info - for instance, I'd be happy to put together a "build a Kenyan top bar hive" course as a freebie, someone else may choose to offer a course on "grafting", someone else on "99 ways to light a smoker" - "peer review" should sort out any mis/disinformation/bad grammar/spelling early on.
It could be a wonderful way for people to collaborate for a change, and help each other out (George, you're a whizz with a video camera, could you do me a bit on smoker lighting for Youtube for the module I'm building?)......
It's what people want to make it.........
 
online courses

The way at least one medical site offers CPD modules is to set an MCQ before the content, take you through the content and then test again. Works quite well.
 
I have now setup moodle on the forum server.
I am more than happy to look after the software side of things and help out when needed but dont have the time to work on the content.

Are their any takers to give this project legs ?
If you have used a cms before it may be helpful as it can be a steep learning curve at the begining.

Maybe more than one member would like to pool education/cms skills and work together on the project.

Dont be shy,even members with zero computer skills will be able to help out.

Please reply below stating uniform size or pm me.
 
Cold water.

I have slept on this, FWIW.

Validation is the issue here.

Yes we can between us organise course material, I see no issues with that.

However........ if the cert at the end of the day has no "value" in the eyes of "Authority" ie farmers markets, insurance companies, allotment committies then it is a bit pointless.

The question then is how do we create that required value?

PH
 
I have slept on this, FWIW.

Validation is the issue here.

Yes we can between us organise course material, I see no issues with that.

However........ if the cert at the end of the day has no "value" in the eyes of "Authority" ie farmers markets, insurance companies, allotment committies then it is a bit pointless.

The question then is how do we create that required value?

PH

can we get something off of 'City & Guilds' or some other recognised awarding body?
 
Good line of thought there but will it involve a cost?

I suspect for many cost is an issue which is why they are not using the BBKA methods. Though I have no idea if they charge or not.

PH
 
I think you also have a bit of a chicken and egg situation on that front.

What qualifies your tutors to be able to set a syllabus that is 'worthy' of accreditation? If your plan is to offer as many different philosophies as possible some of which are going to contradict each other, how do you reconcile having a BKF Husbandry and Natural Husbandry modules as a wild example plucked off the top of my head that offers contradictory advice yet potentially both offer some form of certificate or 'qualification'?

General husbandry says that it's acceptable to perform an artificial swarm, Natural husbandry says that's bad for the bees and you must wait for them to do it and chase them down the street with a skep. Which is right?

I can tell people on the courses that I'm part of that I don't personally clip my queens and give people the reasons why I don't do it. But for the most part that's my personal belief and opinion that clipping them is wrong. I've not seen any objective studies that demonstrate that clipping queens does them any long term harm, if you do it right.

Also, what qualifies me, for argument's sake, to write a module on general husbandry? Why should you pay any attention to my module and why should it give you any kind of recognised qualification? I *might* (I'm not) be the best beekeeper in the world and an excellent teacher to boot but I'm not a scientist, entomologist, published in any journals etc etc etc. I'm going to assume that the NBD is not even on the table here when the intent is to offer an alternative to the current recognised beekeeping certificates and qualifications.

Not trying to be obstructive, just putting forward some thoughts that came to mind once the idea morphed into looking at getting some kind of nationally recognised certificate out of it.
 
City & Guilds are not the easiest to work with, gain accreditation from etc. I am an accredited assessor/marker but the criteria to gain the accreditation etc is very strict, expensive to get and slightly anal in application.

The marking systems are confusing/excessive, marking is done 3 times - primary marker, secondary and accreditation meeting...could we cope with that management routine?

The other point is people would learn with us, because they didn't want/couldn't manage mainstream accredited courses and requirements. Our own BKF certificate should be all people would want.
 
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I have slept on this, FWIW.

Validation is the issue here.

Yes we can between us organise course material, I see no issues with that.

However........ if the cert at the end of the day has no "value" in the eyes of "Authority" ie farmers markets, insurance companies, allotment committies then it is a bit pointless.

The question then is how do we create that required value?

PH

Is this not shooting off at a bit of a tangent? I thought Brosville's original idea was to have some training materials available - getting some sort of accreditation I think (as you point out) would be problematic to say the least.

I can't agree that a central repository of good training material would be "a bit pointless".
 
General husbandry says that it's acceptable to perform an artificial swarm, Natural husbandry says that's bad for the bees

Really no different than religion. Catholic/Protestant, Christianity in all it's forms, Moslems, Hindus, Sikhs just to name a few variants, off shoots, etc - but all 'religion'.

The precedents are there.

RAB
 
I think you need to bear in mind that a qualification earns respect if it's good - if the course gives a broad depth of knowledge on a subject, it ensures that anyone who's got the "Beekeeping Online College Diploma" qualification has the respect due to the "value" of that qualification as perceived by "those who know" - this happens a lot in the old professions - if you have one of the top qualifications in a particular field, the professional bodies will often allow membership and use of "letters after the name" with essentially a bit of form filling for "other" qualifications.
There is no god-given right to award "qualifications" - essentially you "just do it" - it's value will be judged by their worth

Eg, in the estates business, FRICS is highly respected - takes yonks to get, very strict, in-depth knowledge required and tested, strict code of professional conduct - "MNAEA" - means clutter all, you've stumped up a membership fee and "promised to be good"

I'd like to see a very broad, "every sort of beekeeping, at every sort of level - beginners basic stuff, right through to "examined" qualifications, so that people choose what suits them! As for swarming being right or wrong, that's opinion, and can be dealt with in the relevant courses
 
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General husbandry says that it's acceptable to perform an artificial swarm, Natural husbandry says that's bad for the bees

Really no different than religion. Catholic/Protestant, Christianity in all it's forms, Moslems, Hindus, Sikhs just to name a few variants, off shoots, etc - but all 'religion'.

The precedents are there.

RAB

So you're fine with qualifying people in faith based beekeeping rather than one based on demonstrable technique or falsifiable "fact"?

If you want to go down that route then in my opinion you do go down the path that the BBKA on here are accused of, namely indoctrinating people into a style of beekeeping that you feel is the right one "just because". Granted you can be indoctrinated in a number of different ways, but you're offering to teach opinion rather than techniques based on proper study or "fact".
 

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