Amenity Horticulture - Turf Management Return to Series 4 Toolbox Tour Centre
 

The Setting A Learning Scenario Flexible Use Collaboration Customisation More Examples

The Setting

The Turf Management Toolbox provides realistic workplace scenarios and problems for students studying for the Certificate I, II or III in Amenity Horticulture - Turf Management.

The learner approaches tasks and solves problems as they would in real life. At work if you didn't know how to tackle a problem you would:

  1. check a procedures manual, textbook, etc., or
  2. ask your supervisor or a peer for advice.

Resources to help you solve problems and undertake tasks are located where they would be in a real life workplace. For example, if you need to send an email you'd go to the Office, if you need to check a tractor's Operating Manual you'd look for it in the Machinery Shed, if you need information on fertilisers you'd go to the Fertiliser Store.

You can choose units of competency to study or take the tour.
A Learning Scenario

This toolbox supports Certificate I, II and III courses in Amenity Horticulture - Turf Management.

Certificate I and II units are straight-forward and procedural.

An example is the Certificate II unit Assist with Turf Construction. The blackboard on the right of the welcome page lists the jobs to be completed. Each job comes with instructions and suggestions for the information you may need.

Units at the Certificate III level, however, feature more open-ended tasks that require analytical skills and enable students to work collaboratively.

An example is the Certificate III unit Implement a Plant Nutrition Program. This unit features a number of situations which require research and decision-making.

Teacher's GuideThe Teacher Guide describes the toolbox and its contents in detail. This extract provides a good general overview of the toolbox and the ways in which it can be used.
Collaboration

Collaborative activities are offered in the Teacher's Guide as alternatives to existing activities, or as tasks that supplement an activity.

For the Certificate II Unit Assist with Turf Construction students may use the Noticeboard to compare their workplace's clean site policies.

For the Certificate III Unit Implement a Plant Nutrition Program the possibilities are more numerous and students may tackle a range of scenarios and discuss their ideas about the most suitable fertiliser/ameliorant and the most appropriate application rate for each situation.
Flexible Use

The Work Area is divided into several rooms which correspond to locations in the real world. These rooms are:

Each area contains information resources related to their function - eg. the Fertiliser Shed has information about fertilizers, and how to apply them safely. (These resources can be accessed independently of the lessons and are suitable for reuse elsewhere.)

Information Resources

Read the Rhizome Rag!

Find out about Weeds.

Read a Cautionary Tale.

Separating the information resources from the learning activities (rather than embedding them in a sequence)  provides flexible access for learners.  It also allows teachers to use resources individually.

Try the links on the left to access the resources independently of the Toolbox navigation.
Customisation

This extract from the Teacher Guide describes the components of the toolbox and describes how you can change resources and webpages in the toolbox to suit your own teaching needs.
More Examples

Access Site Safety
Check out the task further down this page where you wander around the park looking for hazards.

Digital Camera - Setting Up an Automatic Level
The digital camera shows you step-by-step how to do this task!

Equipment & Machinery
Find out about the different kinds of machinery & equipment used in turf management.