Course Syllabus
Agriculture Associate AEST Certification Exam

Description

This enrollment registration allows students who are concurrently enrolled in Agriscience Foundations I to pay for the AEST Agriculture Associate online certification exam as well as receive support from Michigan Virtual in registering for an exam session that will be remotely proctored by an AEST staff member via Zoom or a similar video conferencing application. Note: Exam sessions should be registered shortly before the student’s semester end date to allow for adequate preparation for the exam topics. AEST remote proctoring exam sessions are limited to Mondays - Thursdays, 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM EST and must be coordinated by an approved Michigan Virtual staff member. To allow Michigan Virtual staff to assist in the obtaining an exam session, students must both register here in the SLP to pay for the exam AND also request a Candidate/Student account on the AEST Exam Delivery Platform.
Exams are delivered online and must be administered by an approved AEST proctor. Candidates have a two-hour window during a single session to complete the exam. Exams are 50 questions in length and include multiple choice options for all items. Candidates are required to achieve a passing score of 66% or higher on the exam to earn certification.
The certification was developed through comprehensive needs assessments and job analysis within the agriculture industry. AEST Certifications meet industry needs by identifying workers with specific, employer-demanded knowledge, skills and abilities to support hiring practices and fill the gap in employment needs. Prerequisites:  Concurrent enrollment in the Agriscience Foundations I course

Course Objectives: The Agriculture Associates certification exam validates skills and knowledge in the following areas:

• Development and Impact of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (AFNR) Production Systems
• Scientific Reasoning and Lab Skills in AFNR Systems
• Principles of Plant Science
• Principles of Animal Science
• Principles of Food Science
• Principles of Natural Resources
• Principles of Power, Structure and Technical Systems

Course Outline:

Agriculture encompasses the study of fundamental principles of agriscience safety, scientific and technical procedures, environmental science, food safety, plant and animal sciences applied to agriculture, and food and natural resource systems.

In addition to the lesson content studied in your Agriscience Foundations I course, students may wish to review the Agriculture Exam Study Guide and reference material outlined by AEST.

Resources Included: Exam registration support.

Additional Costs: None

Scoring System: Michigan Virtual does not assign letter grades, grant credit for courses, nor issue diplomas. A final exam score will be calculated by the AEST online exam platform. Students may look up and download a copy of their certification if they earn a minimum passing score of 66%.

Time Commitment: Students must be able to complete the online certification exam within a two-hour time limit unless approved for an extended time accommodation, supported by an individualized education plan (IEP) or 504 accommodation plan.

Technology Requirements: Students will require a computer device with headphones, a microphone, webcam, up-to-date Chrome Web Browser, and access to YouTube.

Ensure that your school or district network and device administrator establishes network access permissions or exceptions for online resources relevant to the course in which you are choosing to enroll. Ref., Michigan Virtual Course Allow List

Please review the Michigan Virtual Technology Requirements.

Instructor Support System: For technical issues within your course, contact the Customer Care Center by email at CustomerCare@michiganvirtual.org or by phone at (888) 889-2840.

Required Assessment: Online assessments consist of formative and summative assessments represented by computer-graded, multiple-choice exams.

Technical Skills Needed: Basic technology skills necessary to locate and share information and files as well as interact with others in a Learning Management System (LMS), include the ability to:

• Use a messaging service similar to email
• Activate a microphone or webcam on your device, and record and upload or link audio and/or video files
• Navigate an online website using a mouse or a keyboard
• Create and maintain usernames and passwords

Additional Information: None