No abstract

As Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have only been included in the curriculum in the last decade, many educators globally struggle to integrate GIS practice into their teaching strategies. Following the global trend, South African educators might feel ill-equipped as they did not receive formal GIS training in a higher education institution. This paper highlights key global and South African challenges regarding GIS integration. To compare the challenges that South Africa faces with those experienced elsewhere, this mixed-method study gleaned data from student educators (n=78) who completed a questionnaire regarding their GIS FET Phase education, followed by in-depth interviews with FET Phase educators (n=10) and two provincial heads of Geography for the Department of Basic Education (DBE). Results from this study indicate a clear global and national pattern of barrier categories.

The vague use of the term ‘cult’ in popular media to describe religious groups has in the past unjustly exposed various committed Christian communities to libel and dehumanisation. However, celebrity-based cults masquerading as Christians are damaging the trust in Christ. The objective of this research study was to provide a viable two-tier Protestant evaluative framework (2TPEF) in order to identify cultic characteristics in a religious group. The proposed framework was applied to South Africa’s KwaSizabantu Mission as a case study. A theoretical framework was synthesised from a variety of sources. For the case study, information was collected from multiple sources, including interviews, documents, sermons, newsletters, observations and research reports. Applying the 2TPEF in the case study demonstrates how it operates as a workable tool. In this case, it explains why the KwaSizabantu Mission cannot be viewed as a cult. In addition, the 2TPEF may serve for comparative purposes or be used by religious groups themselves to demonstrate their position relative to Protestant Christianity.Contribution: This study not only focuses on Reformed Theology exclusively but provides insights in critically applying the 2TPEF within Protestant religious circles using a current case study within an African context.

Adhering to the United Nations’ call to implement Geographical Information Systems (GIS) education, GIS was phased into the South African Further Education and Training (FET) Geography curriculum over the period 2006-2008. Yet, following the global trend, the slow adoption rate of GIS education points to the presence of GIS implementation barriers, due to a lack of educational GIS research. This implies that GIS curriculum development has outpaced GIS educational research. To support Geography teachers, an Interactive-GIS-Tutor (IGIST) application has been developed. This multiple case study evaluates the bimodal use of the Interactive-GISTutor (IGIST) on i) computers and ii) a projector/whiteboard within large classes, in low resourced schools. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used. Preliminary learner (n=149) and teacher (n=6) evaluations of the IGIST are being analysed and discussed, followed by learner focus group (n=6 x 8) and teacher interview (n=6) discussions. In this article, we advocate the IGIST and its bimodal use option as desirable and a viable and flexible GIS teaching option.

As Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have only been included in the curriculum in the last decade, many educators globally struggle to integrate GIS practice into their teaching strategies. Following the global trend, South African educators might feel ill equipped as they did not receive formal GIS training in a higher education institution. This paper highlights key global and South African challenges regarding GIS integration. To compare the challenges that South Africa faces with those experienced elsewhere, this mixed method study gleaned data from student educators (n=78) who completed a questionnaire regarding their GIS FET Phase education, followed by in-depth interviews with FET Phase educators (n=10) and two provincial heads of Geography for the Department of Basic Education (DBE). Results from this study indicate a clear global and national pattern of barrier categories.