Agricultural and Horticultural Science

What is Agricultural and Horticultural Science about?

[ Video Resource ]

Title:

Agricultural and Horticulture

Description:

Agricultural and Horticultural Subject Expert Group members discuss their experiences in the Review of Achievement Standards

Video Duration:

Vimeo ID:

571862330

Video URL:

https://player.vimeo.com/video/571862330

Transcript:

In conversation with

Ross Redpath
Nane Ivetu Kaye
Kerry Allen

Transcript below:

Hopefully a refocus on learning. The assessment falls organically or naturally out of that learning, as opposed to having a situation at the moment where pretty much everything, from the student's perspective, is about credits. I think they'll notice that they will have a presence in there with their own cultures. With the experiences, and being able to contribute from their own perspectives. I think it's also connecting with your community, and who's in your community, and ensuring that you're meeting their needs.

I think it's really important for our whanau to actually have a voice in what is happening in the classrooms, in our Kura. Because their contribution is really important, and it makes it more valuable to our students. The change package, sadly, with events in the last year, has sometimes been forgotten. When the wider community, education community, is looking at these changes. But the principles of the changes in terms of less assessments, having mātauranga to the forefront, strengthening numeracy and literacy. Whilst that is not directly Ag-Hort's responsibility, there is probably a role there in terms of building on those numeracy and literacy aspirations. Mana ōrite mō te mātauranga is a huge change for our Māori and Pasifika people in regards to the fact that our mātauranga is actually going to be recognised. To our knowledge. That's a huge game changer for us as people, for our students. What's really exciting about that is that our Māori methodologies and epistemologies are also going to be recognised in how we actually teach our tamariki. Also getting them to value their own cultures. So that's really exciting.

It's had some challenges in terms of interpreting and working with the parameters that we've been given. I guess there's a real responsibility there in terms of we are carrying our subject's future, our subject's aspirations, yeah, all those things. Not on our shoulders, but there's a responsibility there that we're trying to do the absolute best for our teachers, for our students, for our subject.

It is hard work. Trying to ensure that you represent the whole of your sector. That is Ag and Hort, because both those subjects are either taught together or separately. And taught in different manners all throughout the country. It's trying to make sure that we are representative of everybody and we're able to bring everybody's needs, wants and aspirations through to the subject. It is able to be used appropriately in every school in the country. Aligning te ao Māori and te ao Pākehā kaupapa into our forum as SEGs has been very interesting and also at the same time challenging. That's going to take Aotearoa a bit of time. Certainly engage with the process. By stepping back or putting your head in the sand is not going to make it go away. It's happening, so embrace it, engage with it, actively, positively.

Give feedback where you like something, give feedback when you don't like something. Working with others, seeing what other people are doing, kōrero with other schools, other people, other teachers across the country, see what they're doing. Also looking at what the subject association is offering, or is there other things that we can do to upskill. Or help out in the areas to meet all teachers' and students' needs.

Kaiako need to be open to change, need to be agile about what is actually in front of us. So that we can get the best results, and everybody gets to benefit. And embracing both kaupapa, te ao Māori me te ao Pākehā. That's really important for us to go forward into the future. Because it is about our tamariki. It is about growing them, and ensuring that they are culturally aware of who they are, so that they can actually go forward into the future.

Subject-specific terms can be found in the glossary.

Learning in Agricultural and Horticultural Science develops students' understanding of the interconnectedness of all aspects of the taiao: people, soils, water, climate, plants, and animals.

This subject focuses on primary production and predominately stops at the site gate, excluding businesses that support the primary industry. Students will learn about on-site decisions as well as the off-site considerations that influence the production of primary products. There is a strong emphasis on environmental, economic, social, and cultural sustainability, and a focus on innovation in response to economic and environmental challenges.

Primary production is of national significance as it provides significant export earnings, self-sufficiency and employment opportunities. The knowledge and skills that students develop through their learning in Agricultural and Horticultural Science therefore open pathways to a wide range of career opportunities, both in Aotearoa New Zealand and elsewhere. The subject also provides valuable opportunities for hand-on practical work that will help establish students' appreciation for the taiao.

Big Ideas and Significant Learning

This section outlines the meaning of, and connection between, the Big Ideas and Significant Learning, which together form the Learning Matrix. It then explains each Agricultural and Horticultural Science Big Idea.

The Science Learning Area curriculum, including its Whakataukī, informs this subject's Significant Learning – learning that is critical for students to know, understand, and do in relation to a subject by the end of each Curriculum Level. This covers knowledge, skills, competencies, and attitudes. It also includes level-appropriate contexts students should encounter in their education. The Learning Area's Whakataukī is:

Mā te whakaaro nui e hanga te whare; mā te mātauranga e whakaū.

Big Ideas create the house; knowledge maintains it.

The subject's Big Ideas and Significant Learning are collated into a Learning Matrix for Curriculum Level 6. Teachers can use the Learning Matrix as a tool to construct learning programmes that cover all the ‘not to be missed’ learning in a subject. There is no prescribed order to the Learning Matrix within each level. A programme of learning might begin with a context that is relevant to the local area of the school or an idea that students are particularly interested in. This context or topic must relate to at least one Big Idea and may also link to other Big Ideas.

There are three Big Ideas in Agricultural and Horticultural Science. The nature of this subject as a discipline means aspects of Significant Learning often cross over multiple Big Ideas, and vice versa.

Big

Idea

Agriculture and horticulture connect places of purposeful production with people's wellbeing

Agricultural and horticultural production has a purposeful nature. Every product is grown in a particular place to be used for a particular purpose; this is the pūtake of the production system. This purpose may be, for example, providing for future generations, making a profit, or providing food for a community.

The use should improve wellbeing for individuals, communities, and wider collectives, which can include economic, social, cultural, legal, technological, and environmental outcomes. For whānau, hapū and iwi, improvement of wellbeing may be described as maintaining mana.

Big

Idea

Primary producers engage in manaakitanga as they manage life processes and the growing environment

Primary producers should understand the whakapapa of the primary product, to gain optimal conditions and output. Whakapapa includes the interconnections plants and livestock have with the growing environment and other living things. They relate this to knowledge of life processes and natural cycles in order to manage plants and livestock to gain particular product outcomes.

Manaakitanga must be shown through respect and care of the growing environment, so that it can provide the food. Producers should understand that if they care for the whenua and animals in the taiao as kaitiaki, then the land will reward them.

Big

Idea

Primary production systems must be sustainable

Production systems are connected to Papatūānuku and are affected by changing environments, seasonal and climate changes, cultural practices, markets, and ethical considerations. Primary producers take into account all these factors as they consider sustainability of their production system over the short-term and the long-term. They have a responsibility to support kaitiakitanga, as their everyday decisions will impact the sustainability of resources, ecosystems, and enterprises.

This knowledge is important for Aotearoa New Zealand and Pacific countries as we make our production systems resilient in order to manage limited resources and the needs of growing populations.

Key Competencies in Agricultural and Horticultural Science

Learning in Agricultural and Horticultural Science provides meaningful contexts for developing Key Competencies from the New Zealand Curriculum. These Key Competencies are woven through, and embedded in, the Big Ideas and Significant Learning. Students will develop their critical thinking, explore different perspectives on agricultural and horticultural issues, and develop their understanding of the role of agriculture and horticulture in society.