Movimiento Rectilíneo Uniforme

The primary aim of the research was to develop an academic framework and competency set with the purpose of assessing the competencies of individuals applying for professional registration and evaluating the content of academic programmes for accreditation. The secondary aim was first to develop a web-based self-assessment tool and, second, to demonstrate how it can be used for assessing and redesigning existing GISc curricula so that they meet the training requirements of the national and international GISc industry.

8.3.1 Research outputs

In dealing with these aims the research had two outputs in mind: First, a new competency set or academic framework for the GISc profession; and second, a web-based self-assessment tool. The products are intended to (a) address inconsistencies so that they can be used as standards for guiding curriculum development to meet the prescribed requirements for professional GISc practitioners, and (b) to facilitate the assessment of GISc programmes for accreditation and the registration of aspirant applicants with the GISc professional body responsible for regulating the GISc industry.

8.3.2 Research objectives

To achieve these aims seven specific objectives were identified and systematically addressed in Chapters 2 to 7.

The first objective involved (Chapter 2) a secondary-source survey and study of GISc literature to uncover and better understand the complexities of professionalization, competency assessments, curriculum development, academic programme accreditation and the historical and developmental contexts of GISc professionalization. The reviewed material was used to author and co-author six articles which were published in PositionIT (copies enclosed in Appendix C), the official journal of the South African GISc profession. The content of these articles was also shared with the broader GISc community in South Africa during conferences and seminars organized by the Geographical Information Society of South Africa (GISSA) and the South African Geomatics Institute (SAGI), for example during the Ukubuzana Conference in October 2012 where a peer-reviewed paper was presented and a workshop on the GISc framework and SAT was facilitated. These articles and presentations have already contributed to healthy debate, knowledge sharing, a more informed profession and better decision making at a critical time of transformation in 2011 to 2014 when registration of GISc practitioners was at a peak and new

legislation in the form of the Draft Geomatics Bill was a hot topic in the South African geomatics profession.

Chapter 3 pursued the second objective to compare existing GISc competency sets to reveal any significant high-level intersections between two South African sets and the BoK and to develop a macro-curriculum framework for GISc training at South African universities. The results were published as a peer-reviewed paper (Du Plessis & Van Niekerk 2012) which successfully identified the consistencies and inconsistencies between the BoK, the USBQ and the PLATO model. The article and underlying research has played an invaluable role in preparations during 2012 for the accreditation of South African universities offering GISc programmes. The knowledge and experience gained from the research was shared with the accreditation panel and the universities applying for accreditation. The exposed inconsistencies between the three competency sets used by universities in the development of their GISc programmes were important in the final deliberations of the accreditation panel which led to recommendations submitted to PLATO Council. A Microsoft Word-based assessment instrument to assist with the accreditation of universities was developed as part of this research and extensively used in the accreditation process.

The third objective (Chapter 4) engaged in a detail-level comparison of the USBQ and PLATO model with the BoK to show the gaps in and overlaps between the models. Some 177 450 detail- level comparisons identified topics in the BoK that are not included in the South African competency sets as well as competencies absent from the BoK that are regarded as important by the South African GISc community. The outcomes of the analyses were introduced and debated at a GISSA workshop held in October 2013 and attended by university academics, senior public officers and practitioners in the private sector. Valuable inputs were received and the results were published as a peer-reviewed article (Du Plessis & Van Niekerk 2013).

The fourth objective (Chapter 5) was to unify the competency requirements of the USBQ and PLATO model with those of the UCGIS BoK to produce an internationally and South African acceptable competency set for assessing the competencies of individuals as well as the content of academic programmes. The resulting competency set includes basic natural science competencies (mathematics and physics), social science competencies (research methodology and geographical science), and technical competencies (photogrammetry and remote sensing). The new competency set was included in the GISc Assessment Committee’s report to the PLATO EAC and PLATO Council meeting in October 2013. Based on the report, the need to review the present PLATO model was accepted in principle and the new competency set will be

introduced to the EAC for support and eventual recommendation to PLATO Council in 2014. However, the complexity of the new competency set was raised as a concern and the need for an easy-to-use and objective assessment tool was recommended.

Objective five (Chapter 6) turned to creating a self-assessment tool. The process involved five steps, namely 1) planning and requirement analysis, 2) conceptual design, 3) logical design, 4) physical design and 5) implementation. A web-based application was found to meet most of the requirements as it offered appreciable benefits by eliminating much of the distribution and maintenance costs of new versions of files (and software) through client-server web technology. In contrast to local (i.e. desktop) tools, the web-based application can be updated on a continuous basis without seriously inconveniencing users and there is always an up-to-date version of the system that simplifies support, maintenance and training activities. The resulting custom-built, web-based SAT provides flexibility and accessibility while being more intuitive and user- friendly than a ‘flat-file’ (e.g. spread sheet) approach. The SAT consists of four components, namely the website, inference engine and two databases. These components were designed as three physical tiers (i.e. client, application and database) which were implemented on a single server.

Objective six (Chapter 7) involved a demonstration of the GISc SAT based on a comparison of three university programmes. The system’s ability to match modules with the related KAs at a detail level, enables qualitative and quantitative analyses and assessments. The application of the SAT for assessing the three programmes demonstrated how the tool can be used to identify curriculum shortcomings. Deficiencies such as core units not being sufficiently covered; core units not being covered at all; and excessive time being spent on non-core content were highlighted in the SAT assessment reports. The results of the three examples used in the demonstration illustrated the usefulness of the new GISc academic framework and GISc SAT and how singularly and in combination the new competency set and assessment tool can add value through implementation. By meeting the aims and objectives, the research has successfully resolved the three research questions identified in Chapter 1, namely:

What knowledge and skills should an individual have to be regarded as a GISc professional?

This question was addressed in Chapter 2 which outlined the workforce needs, competency levels and existing competency sets.

How can the required knowledge and skills be formulated into a standard set of competency requirements that can be used to assess individuals and accredit academic programmes?

To answer this question, Chapters 3, 4 and 5 compared the various competency sets at thematic and detail levels culminating in the production of a comprehensive competency set and GIS framework that meet international as well as South African requirements.

How can a set of competency requirements be used by universities to develop syllabi that would better prepare individuals for professional registration?

Chapters 6 and 7 addressed this question by using the new competency set to develop a web- based SAT. A demonstration of how the SAT can be used to highlight shortcomings in university programmes and to guide programme development was also provided.