Ministry of Education

Test Blueprint for National Exit Examination to be held in 2015 E.C

Band: 4 (Agriculture & Veterinary Medicine)

Program: -

Bachelor of Science Degree in Wildlife and Ecotourism Management

Prepared By: Dr. Mezgebu Ashagrie (Assistant Professor at Bahir Dar University)

Mr. Dereje Chukala (Lecturer at Wolkite University)

January, 2023
Debre Markos
Ethiopia
Table of Contents
1. Introduction.................................................................................................................................................1
2. Objective of test blueprint/ Significance of Test Blueprint Preparation.....................................................1
3. Expected profile of the Graduates...............................................................................................................2
Knowledge..................................................................................................................................................2
Skill.............................................................................................................................................................2
Attitude........................................................................................................................................................3
4. General objective/Competency...................................................................................................................3
5. Themes and list of courses with credit hour................................................................................................3
6. Test Items Share of Themes/Courses/ learning domains............................................................................4
7. Conclusion.................................................................................................................................................18
 1. Introduction

Education is one of the key determinant features to guarantee development and improvements in human
wellbeing. It is also an instrument for sustainable development. Therefore, educating people to ensure a
country’s continuous competitiveness and sustainable development is unquestionable. Quality is a key
concern of academia across the globe and several efforts in multiple directions are made by the
administrators and academicians. An effective and quality higher education system is vital for sustainable
economic development in developing countries like Ethiopia. Such a system, among others, improves the
education quality and competencies of future employees, harnesses future leaders, and enrich the academic
and intellectual landscape. The focus on higher education in developing nations such as Ethiopia enables
to meet the expected learning outcomes if education is delivered by emphasizing on quality over quantity.

Ethiopia is one of the biodiversity rich countries in the world, and its wildlife resources are much higher as
compared to other African countries. These valuable resources should have to be conserved and
sustainably utilized in a manner that can provide ecological, biological, socio-economic and cultural
benefits for the society and contribute to national development plan. In this regard, knowledge, skill and
attitude in wildlife and ecotourism are important to develop and sustainably use these potential resources.
Educating qualified and competent professionals who are responsible for development, conservation and
promotion of the wildlife resources for ecotourism development in the country is the mission of our
program. To satisfy the demand of competent graduates in this field, it is important to maintain high-
quality education by delivering necessary leaning imputes, implementing effective learning strategies and
developing standard assessment tools. Therefore, the main purpose of this document is developing an
exam blueprint for the national exit exam that can evaluate the knowledge, skill and attitude of
undergraduate students who will be certified in the BSc degree in wildlife and ecotourism management.

2. Objective of test blueprint/ Significance of Test Blueprint Preparation

This test blueprint generally aimed to assist the preparation of a test that is representative, broadly
sampled, and consisting of complete learning domains expected in the Ethiopian higher education
students on the completion of their study program. The specific objectives of this test blueprint are to:
 Facilitate the construction of a representative and balanced test items for the selected courses
in accordance with the competencies identified.
 Guide test developers or writers to write or set appropriate test items.

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 3. Expected profile of the Graduates
Knowledge
 Understand key ecological principles that apply to biodiversity and ecosystem management at the
organism, population, community, and ecosystem levels, with an understanding of their relevance to
wildlife management practices.

 Comprehend the principles, concepts and techniques of wildlife ecology for conservation and
management of wildlife resources
 Understand principles, concepts, and protocols helpful in protected area planning, design and
management
 Understand the policy framework, ethical issues, and social considerations that influence decisions in
wildlife management.

 Comprehend knowledge of endangered species regulation, wildlife captive care, enclosure

enrichment in zoos
 Understand causes and consequences of Human-wildlife conflict management/ mitigation strategies
to promote human-wildlife coexistence in and outside protected area in human dominated landscape
 Understand principles and techniques of museum and herbarium management for sustainable wildlife
utilization in ecotourism and documenting wildlife resources
 Understand principles, concepts and approaches for ecotourism planning, destination development,
marketing promotion, and management

Skill
 Identify, prioritize, analyze problems and propose solutions for effective wildlife management
 Evaluate and provide alternative solutions for problems in protected areas planning and management
 Apply new technologies in Wildlife conservation and management.
 Apply a wean-wean human-wildlife conflict mitigation, resolution and control measures
 Identify, prioritize and analyze problems related to ecotourism and heritage management
 Extrapolate situations to evaluate and provide alternative solutions for problems related to
ecotourism development and management
 Improvise ecotourism tour guide techniques in line with local situations

Attitude
 Recognize the importance of Wildlife for healthy ecosystem functions
 Value Wildlife management in an industrial, economic, environmental and social context.

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 Perceive the importance of Ecotourism management for the wellbeing of the society
 Appraise conservation principles, legal frameworks, and ethical issues to determine sustainable
wildlife resource utilizations
 Appreciate the importance of human-wildlife conflict resolution in ago-pastoral communities
 Develop sense of enthusiasm to work with local community in Wildlife and Ecotourism management

4. General objective/Competency
 assess biophysical features, carry out resources inventory, monitoring and socio-economic aspects of
protected areas
 initiate and develop private wildlife and ecotourism business as self-employment
 solve societal problem with effective wildlife and ecotourism projects
 communication and analytical skills for graduates who will promote wildlife and ecotourism values,
laws and policies
 engaged and promote involvement of local stakeholder in the development of community based
Wildlife and Ecotourism Management
 identify museum and herbarium management problems and bring solution for problems
 work in development activities and technology transfer in Wildlife and Ecotourism Management
 assess and identify wildlife resources for sustainable utilization in a protected areas and zoo
 effectively manage issues of human- wildlife conflicts management

5. Themes and list of courses with credit hour

No Themes Course title Cr. Hrs.

Biodiversity Conservation and Ecosystem Biodiversity conservation and
1 3(3+0)
management management
Wildlife Ecology and Management Protected area planning and management 3(2+3)
2 Wildlife ecology and management 4(3+3)
Human-Wildlife conflict Management 3(3+0)

3 Wildlife Sciences Ornithology 3(2+3)

Mammalogy 3(2+3)
4 Sustainable wildlife resource utilization Zoo and aquarium management 3(2+2)
Museum and herbarium techniques and 3(2+2)

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 management
Wildlife utilization and trafficking 3(3+0)
Ecotourism development Ecotourism principles and approaches 3(3+0)
5 and promotion Ecotourism planning and management 3(3+0)
Ecotourism tour guide techniques 2(1+3)
Total 36

6. Test Items Share of Themes/Courses/ learning domains

The share of themes, courses and learning domains that are expected to guide the
item writes to write or set appropriate test items are summarized in table 1 and
table 2.

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 Ministry of Education
Higher Education Sub-sector
Table 1.Test Blueprint (Table Specification) for BSC in Wildlife and Ecotourism Management
Learning outcomes
Cognitive

Themes Name of Courses Credit

Understanding
hour General Specific objectives/ Learning

Remembering

Psychomotor

No. of items
Application
objective/ outcome

Evaluation

Synthesis
Affective
Creation/
Competency

Analysis
Biodiversity Biodiversity 3 Differentiate the levels of
1 1
Conservation conservation biodiversity
and and Valuing the benefits of 1
1
Ecosystem management biodiversity conservation
management (8.33%) Identify the causes and impacts of
(8.33%) the loss of biodiversity 1

Describe techniques that apply to

biodiversity conservation and 1
management
Evaluate the components of
Conventions on biological diversity 0.33 1

Apply the basic techniques of

biodiversity inventory and
1
monitoring

Wildlife Differentiate the IUCN 0.3 1

Ecology and Protected area 3 categories of protected areas 3
Management planning and
(27.78%) management Identify the criteria for 1
(8.33%) measuring conservation value
of protected areas

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 Comprehend the considerations 1
in practical approaches to
protected area designation
Identifying conservation threats 1
of protected areas
Describe the protected area 1
management approaches

State the protected area 1

management aims and objectives

Explain the important of 1

protected area monitoring
Apply the criteria considered to 1
assessing the conservation threat
status of a species

Wildlife 4 Describe ecological factors 1

ecology and affecting wildlife distribution,
management abundance & diversity
(11.12%)
Explain the basic concepts of 1
Biogeography and biome

summarize Wildlife adaptation 1

to tropical ecosystems

Discuss the criteria to assess 1

success & failures of Wildlife
translocation

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 Judge the values of Wildlife 1 1
conservation and management

Describe the Principles of wildlife 1

management

Apply the wildlife population estimation 1

methods in a given species or habitat
Describe the habitat quality evaluation 1
methods

Analyze the determinants of habitat 0.1 1

preferences of wild animals 2
Apply wild animals Trapping 1
techniques to a particular taxonomic
groups

Human- Describe the types, major causes, 2.3

Wildlife 3 and consequences of human- 3
conflict wildlife conflicts
Management
(8.33%) Characterize the necessity of 1 1
engaging all stakeholders
involved in human-wildlife
conflicts management
Analyze the principles and the 1
dimensions of the conflict
resolution

Develop and implement 1

strategies to resolve human-
wildlife conflicts

Valuing the factors that 1 1

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 determine the co-existence of
People and wildlife

Wildlife Ornithology 3 Use bird anatomy, including 1 1

Sciences (8.34%) feather types and structures, bill
(16.67%) types, leg/foot types, skeletal
anatomy, and plumage patterns
for bird identification

Valuing how birds are important 1 1

in maintaining the ecological
function of the environment and
entities of the biome if we
conserve them and their habitats
as well.
Comprhend the nest types and 1
communication of birds

Describe causes of bird 1.3

migration, and navigation 4
strategy

Describe Bird Conservation 1

approaches and threats

Demonstrate how to handle and 1

use bird-watch equipment’s like
binoculars’, telescope, field
guide books and other
instruments

Mammalogy 3 Describe the Characteristic of 1

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 (8.34%) mammals

Describe the features of 1

subclasses of mammals

Differentiate the Social 1 1

Organization and Social System
in Mammals
Describe Mating Systems in 1.3
4
Mammals and Factors
Influencing Mate Choice

Use the diversity, distribution 1 1

and abundance assessment
techniques of mammals

Name large endemic mammals 1

of Ethiopia and their
conservation status
Sustainable Zoo and 3 Explain the purpose of Zoos and 1
wildlife aquarium aquarium establishment
resource management
utilization (8.33%) Describe factors to be considered 1
(25%) for designing a zoo enclosure

Comprehend the principles to be 1.3

considered in a zoo Animal 3
Acquisition and Disposition
Identify the five freedoms in 1
Animal Care and Management
Explain the principles to be 1
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 considered for captive animal
collection
Identify the types of 1
animal enrichment
Identify the components of 1
aquarium design
Differentiate the types/ 1
classifications of Aquarium
Museum and 3 Recognize the importance of 1
herbarium
herbarium and museum
techniques and
management Demonstrate the methods of 1
(8.33%)
preparing herbarium plant
specimens
Describe techniques of 1.3
3
herbarium specimen preservation
and storage
Distinguish herbarium 1
management problems

Describe the different Museum 1

type
Describe the considerations in 1
planning for museum specimen
collections
Differentiate the type specimens 1
and their management in a

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 museum collections
Describe the code of ethics and 1
techniques for herbarium and
museum specimen collection and
management
Wildlife 3 Identify types of wildlife 1
utilization and
resources utilization
trafficking
(8.33%) Identify techniques to manage 1
wildlife trafficking
Discuss wildlife resources 1.3
3
utilization & ways to manage
wildlife trafficking
Recognize the challenges in 1
wildlife utilization
Create the databases of wildlife 1
resources utilization
Examine laws and regulations to 1
control wildlife smugglers

Explain community based 1

wildlife utilization and
management
Identify wildlife utilization 1
systems, wildlife ranching and
farm

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 Ecotourism Ecotourism 3 Comprehend concepts & types of 1
development principles and tourism
and approaches Determine Impacts of tourism 0.3
promotion (8.33%) 3
(22.22%) Compare and contrast ecotourism 1
from other forms of tourism
Comprehend principles of 1
ecotourism,
Identify Potentials benefits and 1
Impacts of Ecotourism
Classify major attraction in 1
Ecotourism
Explain the relation of ecotourism 1
with the concepts of Carrying
Capacity
Identify the Opportunities and 1
limitations of Ecotourism
Development in Ethiopia

Valuing contributions of ecotourism 1

towards conservation of natural
resources and sustainable
development of local communities
Ecotourism 3 Describe the approaches in tourism 1
planning and planning
management Analyze the levels in the 1
(8.33%) processes of ecotourism
planning
Describe the fundamental 1,3
principles and practices of visitor 3
& visitation management
Comprehend the concepts of 1
human, operations and finance
management in ecotourism
examine elements of a strategic 1
plan in ecotourism planning
Identify monitoring of tourism in 1
national parks and protected
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 areas
Examine the structure, risk and 1
leadership in the ecotourism
planning design
Identify the criteria needed to 1
determine visitor management
actions
Ecotourism 2 Describe the basic concepts of 1
tour guide tour guiding and the role of a
techniques(5.5 tour guide
6%) Apply the basic tour guiding 1
approach/ techniques

Comprehend the fundamental 1

principles of customer and
hospitality management

Apply the basic skills and 0.56

quality in tour guiding

Valuing ethics and etiquette in 0.5

tour guiding
Describe the factors affecting 1
effective communication in tour
guiding
Develop tour activity planning 0.5
36 Total 2 65. 6.56 12 3 2.5 5.5 3 100
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Key: In the cells/boxes there are percentages that indicate the number of items that each theme and course share from the total number of test
items as well as the number of items to the corresponding levels of learning domains.

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 Table 2: Example for the calculation of share of themes, courses and items from a course from a total of 100% test items for one
program
Themes Course Name Credit Weight of course Number of test items Cognitive
hour or proportion from each course

Psychomotor
Understand
Remember
outcomes

Affective
Learning

Evaluate
Analyze

Create
Apply

Total
Theme one Biodiversity 3 3/3= 1 1*8.33= 8.33 4.33 1 1 1 1 8.33
conservation
Share = 8.833 and
management
Theme one total credit 3
Theme two Protected 3 3/10 = 0.3 0.3*27.78 = 8.33 1 5.33 1 1 8.33
area
Share = 27.78
planning
items from the total
and
management
Wildlife 4 4/10 = 0.4 0.4*27.78 = 11.12 7.12 1 1 1 1 11.12
ecology and
management
Human- 3 3/10 = 0.3 0.3*27.78 = 8.33 4.33 1 1 2 8.33
Wildlife
conflict
Managemen
t
Theme two total credit 10
Theme Three Ornithology 3 3/6= 0.5 0.5*16.67 = 8.34 5.34 1 1 1 8.34
Mammalogy 3 3/6 = 0.5 0.5*16.67 = 8.34 1 5.34 1 1 8.34
Theme three total credit 6
Share = 16.67
items from the total
Theme Four Zoo and 3 3/9 = 0.33 0.33*25 = 8.33 7.33 1 8.33

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 aquarium
Share = 25 items management
from the total
Museum 3 3/9 = 0.33 0.33*25 = 8.33 5.33 2 1 8.33
and
herbarium
techniques
and
management
Wildlife 3 3/9 = 0.33 0.33*25 = 8.33 6.33 1 1 8.33
utilization
and
trafficking
Theme four total credit 9
Theme Five Ecotourism 3 3/8= 0.375 0.38*22.22= 8.33 6.33 1 1 8.33
principles and
Share = 22.22 approaches
items from the total
Ecotourism planning 3 3/8= 0.375 0.38*22.22= 8.33 5.33 3 8.33
and management
Ecotourism tour 2 2/8= 0.25 0.25*22.22 = 5.56 3 1.56 0.5 0.5 5.56
guide techniques
Theme five total credit 8
Total for the program 36 100 100

Note: The number of items assigned in each theme and course are estimated using the credit hours of themes from the total credit hours and
credit hours of the courses from the credit hours of the theme as follows.

a
o Share of themes (T) = x 100 ,Where “a” is the credit hour of a theme and “b” is the total credit hour of the program. Credit hour of a theme is the sum
b
of credit hours of courses in the theme.
Credit hour of the course
o Share of courses per theme (C) = x 100
Credit hour of the theme
o Share of items per course = Share of thecourse X Total number of items
 The distributions of levels of domains are also made based on the nature of learning outcomes/specific objectives.
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 7. Conclusion

This year the ministry of education planned to certify qualified graduates who are competent
in knowledge, skill and attitude. Twelve courses are selected and core competencies are
identified as the focus areas for the national plan of quality assurance and standardizing the
competencies of graduates of the program at the national level through exit exam. In view of
this, this test blueprint document is prepared to assist the setting of the national exit
examinations for wildlife and ecotourism program. Therefore, this prepared blueprint will
serve as a guide to prepare and fairly distribute items based on identified competencies and
learning outcomes as well as credit hours of themes and selected courses.

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