Lessons for GIS Implementation in Zimbabwe from the South African Experiences

Abstract

In recent years Geography Information System (GIS) implementation in schools has emerged as one of the most important threads deserving academic inquiry globally. This paper seeks to draw lessons from the South African experience on GIS implementation by engaging in an in-depth documentary analysis of the Geography syllabus in the updated Zimbabwe curriculum and the South Africa (SA) Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) Geography syllabus. This paper draws from the Normalisation Process Theory (2009) and the Extended Normalisation Process Theory (2013). The researcher purposively selected the Ordinary Level Geography Syllabus in Zimbabwe and CAPS Geography Syllabus Grade 10-12. This paper argues that there are numerous lessons that Zimbabwe can draw from South African experiences. Among the lessons that can be drawn from the CAPS Geography syllabus are the following; the fusion of GIS across Geography topics instead of taking GIS as a standalone topic; allocating adequate financial resources to schools, allocating GIS more time in the syllabus among others. The researcher recommends that Zimbabwe adopt a paper-based GIS educational package.

A learner perspective on the implementation of Geographic Information Systems in selected schools in KwaZulu-Natal province

“…Innes (2012:92) reveals that 'we are in the early phase of Geographic Information System (GIS) development in South Africa, where the majority of users are utilities such as municipalities and water and electricity suppliers'. Geographic Information System has been viewed by many geographers as an outcome of computerisation (Ozgen 2009;Palladino 1994;Tarisayi 2018). Thus, GIS stems from endeavours to computerise the manipulation of geographical data.…”

“…Studies indicate that the majority of schools in South Africa are teaching a basic introduction to GIS and thus the latter is not taught well because learners are not given the opportunity to engage in practical (Ahiaku & Mncube 2018;Dube 2012;Malatji & Singh 2018). In addition, Tarisayi (2018) notes that the teaching of GIS in South Africa is hindered by a lack of funding and time constraints (see also Fleming 2016;Nxele 2007;Zuma 2016). Innes (2012:102) argues that despite the promotion of information technology in South African education, 'there is still no national roll-out of resources that makes use of GIS in geography education available to all learners'.…”

“…Hong (2014) and Fleischmann and Van der Westhuizen (2016) state that there is a low adoption of GIS technology in schools because teachers lack knowledge of the practical GIS integration. Studies by Ahiaku and Mcube (2018), Dube (2012), Malatji and Singh (2018), Mzuza and Van Der Westhuizen (2019) and Tarisayi (2018) were all focused on the views of the educators with respect to GIS in schools. Resultantly, Fleming (2016) noted that in 2014 and 2015, respectively, GIS questions in the Matric Geography Paper 2 were often not attempted by the candidates.…”

“…In contemporary years, there has been widespread and renewed attention by academics in general and geographers in particular in enhancing Geographic Information System (GIS) implementation in schools (Breetzke, Elsteen & Pretorious 2011;Kerski 2003;Tarisayi 2018). An academic focus on GIS in schools stems from the recognition that the Information Communications Technology (ICT) integration is at the very core of educational innovation.…”

Using TikTok, memes, and YouTube in the geography classroom

“…There are a plethora of studies interrogating different aspects of geography teaching in the school curriculum in the South African classroom. Scholarship on the teaching of geography in South Africa has unpacked various aspects of geography, such as teaching and assessing GIS (Manik, 2022;Zondi & Tarisayi, 2020;Tarisayi, 2018); continuity and progression in geography education (Beets & le Grange, 2005;2008); and learner performance in geography (Ahiaku & Mncube, 2018), among others. Despite acknowledging numerous gains in the geography classroom in recent years, these various studies note that more still needs to be done.…”