GIS EDUCATION AND TRAINING: THE MISING LINK?

Samuel Dekolo 1 and Leke Oduwaye PhD 2

Department of Town and Regional planning, Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu, 104001, Nigeria [GSM (234) 803 3014154, dekolo2@yahoo.com]
2 1

Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract The development and adoption of geographic information technologies requires hat potential users are made aware of its benefits and that there exists a body of adequately trained personnel at all levels to implement, manage and operate the systems; education and training are essential for this. With this background, this paper reviews GIS development in Nigeria and the response to education and training needs. Particular references are given to experiences gained in developing courses and curricula in higher education in Lagos State and suggest the paper suggests a framework for implementing GIS education in developing countries.

1.0 INTRODUCTION Geographic Information System has gained increased importance and widespread acceptance as tools for decision-making in planning in developing countries because of its wide range of applications in natural resources and environmental managements. Its liberating force enables access to large volumes of data and to manipulate such in order to select, update, combine, model and display the information on the natural environment which is the major economic base for developing countries. Taking a cursory look at African countries, one of the major problems that inhibit the implementation of geospatial technologies is a lack of trained manpower. Though most GIS implementation schemes have given much concern to cost of hardware and software, the key issue for success lies in the people responsible for managing, implementing and using the systems (see Somers 1994). Without properly educated and trained personnel with vision and commitment to the project, such project may not be sustainable (Shalaby et al, 1996). Moreover, the human capacity is on major component of SDI, without which the objectives of the GSDI will not be realized. 2.0 CONCEPTUAL ISSUES: TRAINING VERSUS EDUCATION The role of training and education is crucial to any GIS implementation. Training and education are fundamentally different processes which are used to accomplish similar but unique objectives (Burns and Henderson, 1989); while the latter emphasizes the salient features of GIS and imparts a conceptualization of the more generic GIS the former instills sufficient familiarity to enable the development, operation and management of specific systems (Banting, 1988). One cannot be a substitute for the other, but complement each other. Training is an intensive process that is generally delivered in compressed time formats (e.g. Two days to two weeks), which uses specialized instructions with a practical emphasis and requires concentrated attention on the part of the trainee. It is geared to immediate improvements in a trainees performance skills and it has a narrowed focus on technical and application issues. Education on the other hand is a much longer term process that results from general instruction in a variety of areas, which has a theoretical emphasis and is geared to knowledge acquisition and synthesis. Education results from general courses and empirical experiences with interdisciplinary and professional orientations (Millette, 1989).

2.1

GIS EDUCATION FRAMEWORKS: OBJECTIVISM OR COSTRUCTIVISM?

There have been extensive contributions on preferred models or frameworks for GIS Education (see Garner, 1990; Kemp et al. 1992; Bennarz, 1995). Objectivism and constructivism are two paradigms that have formed the basis of these models of teaching GIS: teaching ABOUT GIS and teaching WITH GIS. The former is a training model, which focus on GIS as a technology and students are taught to use it. Emphasis is on technical aspect of GIS such as data handling and information management. The latter emphasizes the process of geographic enquiry and learning to reason spatially, whereby this helps the students to construct understanding. This will give students and teachers alike the ideal environment to construct understanding about complex geographic relationships (Bennarz, 1995). Constructivism holds that knowledge is not transmitted from one knower to the other but is built up (constructed) by the learner himself. Teaching with GIS can help achieve this. This is a paradigm shift from objectivism which assumes that there is a real world and knowledge can be transmitted from the knower (teacher) to the learner (Bennarz, 1995). Sui (1995) in attempt to synthesize these paradigms conceptualized the duality of GIS education, which involves embraces objectivism and constructivism: to teach about GIS and teach with GIS. In essence, GIS education his concept involves the two aspects; teaching about GIS essentially deals with either Spatial DATA handling or geographical INFORMATION management while teaching with GIS concentrates more on the inquiry of geographical KNOWLEDGE and the development of spatial INTELLIGENCE (see fig. 1). A clear distinction is necessary among data, information, knowledge, and intelligence. Data refers to a mere description of phenomena in the real world. Information is the processed and filtered data with coherent logical order. Knowledge is derived from the processed information by imposing and testing a cause-effect proposition made according to previous knowledge. Knowledge is converted into intelligence whenever it is applied to derive new ideas or solve a real problem (Penzias, 1989; Sui, 1995). As we reflect on GIS education in Nigeria or other African countries; have we been concentrating on training or education? Are we concerned on the technical aspect of the technology or the application to solve problems (diseases, poverty, environmental degradation, social imbalance, conflicts, violence and others) that seemed to make the Dark Continent darker? Except GIS education moves from objectivism to constructivism, from training to education and from technical issues to real life application, we may end up a society data-rich, information poor, knowledge-starved and intelligence-devoid (Penzias, 1989; Sui, 1995).

Figure 1.The Duality of GIS Education: Teaching about GIS and Teaching with GIS (Source: Sui, 1995) 3.0 GIS DEVELOMENT IN NIGERIA

Nigeria as a developing country has taken some initiatives toward SDI development by holding its stakeholders workshop organized by the National Space Research and Development Agency in February 2003. The forum was aimed at sensitizing various producers and users of geospatial data on the concept, components of SDI and the proposed geoinformation policy for Nigeria. Experts from UNECA Geoinformation team, ITC, USGS and others made presentations. The Geoinformation Society of Nigeria was inaugurated at the workshop, with its members drawn from all geography related professional associations. A committee was set up to prepare a draft GIS policy and identify various sources of data and modalities for developing their metadata. Though GIS technology has been used in the country since the late 1980s when the first National Geographic Information Systems (NGIS) committee was inaugurated to inventory all the mapping resource in Nigeria; to harmonize and coordinate various establishments using GIS (Adeoye, 1998). Over the years, the drive towards implementation has focused mainly on technological development while paying less attention to developing human capacities through training and education. Nigeria has 36 states, a federal capital territory and 776 Local government councils (municipalities). It has natural resources driven economy and various governments require geographic and land related information for their day-to-day survival. At the federal level of government, GIS is being applied in the 2005 population census, space research and exploration by NASRDA (National Space Research and Development Agency), last year the country launched its first Satellite NigeriaSAT-1; other applications include natural and forest resources management by FORMECU (Forest Management, Evaluation and Coordination Unit), emergency response by NEMA (National Emergency Management Agency) among others. In the Nigerian National Information Technology Policy the federal government is expected to facilitate the use of GIS for Agriculture and Urban and Rural Development (NNITP, 2000). At the state government level, only the Federal Capital Territory (Abuja) and Lagos State have developed a significant application of GIS. Though GIS was used for local government profiling in the Sustainable Ibadan Project, the project itself was not sustainable. Also in Lagos State, a GIS project the Land Information System Support Unit (LISSU) was developed with the help a World Bank loan under the Ministry of Lands and Housing of the state; the first phase was completed in 1997 i.e., a pilot that covered 40 Square km of the metropolitan area and small-scale mapping and orthophotographs covering the entire city. The project was to provide a database of all land transaction document alongside a cadastral geographic database. However, this project also was short-lived due to problems that includes lack of skilled personnel (Speer, 1997; Dekolo 2001). Presently the state has started another GIS for urban and regional planning purpose under the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development (MPPUD), which it refers to as Lagos State Planning Information Centre (LASPIC). The purpose is to establish a GIS-based data centre for archival and retrieval of information for managing, and monitoring physical development and urban planning. The project will be web-GIS based, having a central server with storage capacity of 1 terabyte at the LASPIC and linked up through wireless network. The LASPIC database can be accessed through Internet and Intranet from the ministry and all its district and local planning offices. The major thrust of first phase of this project is to have an archival system that safe guard records and reduces volumes of files, which characterize all local, district or state planning offices. In spite of these efforts, there remained an undeniable chronic shortage in GIS skills, which cuts across users, technicians, programmers, analysts and consultants. There is an associated danger with this trend, which is, incompetent and ill-equipped personnel will fill GIS vacancies that seem to be on the increase in both private and public sectors. 4.0 CURRENT GIS EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROVISIONS Tucker and Devine (1988), identified four types of GIS training and education that could also be seen in Nigeria: Self teaching Vendor training

Authorized training centres and regional training centres Formal Education (University/colleges instruction)

4.1 Self teaching Self teaching or independent learning of GIS is dependent upon the motivation and aptitude of the student and the availability of good learning materials. Though inexpensive and convenient, there is a limit to learning a new technology by an average student. 4.2 Vendor Training Private companies in Nigeria, especially oil companies have benefited from trainings provided by vendors or third party companies. This also has some limitations because trainees learn more about certain products rather than understanding of the GI Science or Technology. Training consultants and vendors like ESRI, Intergraph and Autodesk have also run tailor made training programmes to suite their customers whenever their software or products are purchased; even though these training courses are handled by professionals, its short duration and lack of depth leaves the trainees understanding a software package than GIS. ESRI have donated its software and educational materials to universities to help them develop and integrate into their curriculum; an example is the University of Jos. Unlike other parts of the world where the ESRI Virtual Campus is being used as integral part of GI education, only very few consultants have adopted the web-based resources in their training programmes. 4.3 Authorized and Regional Training Centres There are some training centres that provide GIS training and education. This may be privately owned and linked with some products or government owned aimed at capacity building. Training courses may last for 6-18 months; these centres are linked to external programmes of universities and it is aimed at professionals who have some geography related qualification or those who need to apply GIS in their chosen discipline. An example is the Regional Centre for Training in Aerospace Surveys (RECTAS); the centre is located on the campus of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria and has conducted training for African Nationals since 1972. The project is a collaboration of 8 countries (Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Cameroon, Senegal, Burkina, Ghana and Benin under the auspices of UNECA (United Nations Economic Commission for Africa) to provide comprehensive training in both theory and practice of Geoinformatics. The centre also conducts seminars, workshops and short term courses for GIS Technicians, Technologists and managers; graduates are given Diploma in Geoinformatics Production and Management. RECTAS also offers opportunities for post graduate education in GIS. It admits students to its post graduate diploma and subsequently the MSc programme which will be completed in ICT, the Netherlands. 4.4 GIS in Higher Education Out of the 51 universities in the country, none at present offers GIS as an undergraduate degree course; only few have GIS built into courses like geography, urban and regional planning, land surveying, and geology. Most of these courses run for a semester or two and aimed at giving introductory knowledge of GIS theory and practice. Universities provide postgraduate training and education in GIS. An effort made at this level by the academia is slow but significant. Only 6 of all the universities in Nigeria have developed post graduate courses or have research programmes in GIS. University of Ibadan University of Lagos Obafemi Awolowo University Federal University of Technology, Minna Federal University of Technology, Akure University of Abuja

GIS at University of Ibadan The university developed its GISLAB in 1996 under a linkage program with Iowa University, U.S.A. It runs a professional M Sc degree in GIS, which lasts for 12 calendar months (2 semesters). The course is open to graduates of all disciplines and its main objective is to train candidates to a professional level where they can apply GIS in various field of human endeavour. Since the inception of this course over 300 students have been trained. GIS at the University of Lagos Department of Geography GIS education has been very active in the Department of Geography of the University of Lagos. The GIS and Remote Sensing laboratory was set up in 1988. GIS is built into the curriculum of 300 and 400 level students as Computer Applications to Geography and Advance GIS. The department also runs a post graduate diploma (PGD) and M. Sc. in Geoinformatics which is open to graduates of geography, surveying and other environmental sciences. The PGD lasts for 2 semesters while the MSc takes 3 semesters. Successful Msc students may be admitted to the MPhil or PhD degree program Department of Survey and Geoinformatics The department also has GIS in its undergraduate curriculum after which students can to be admitted into a higher degree - MSc, MPhil or PhD in survey and Geoinformatics. The department also runs a professional Masters degree in Geoinformatics. GIS in Polytechnics and Colleges Few polytechnics and colleges have already developed and integrated GIS into their urban planning and survey curriculum: Federal School of Survey Oyo; the Lagos State Polytechnic; the Polytechnic, Ibadan and Yaba college of Technology. The Federal School of Survey also awards post graduate diploma in Geoinformatics. 4.5 GIS TRAINING AND EDUCATION: A STUDY OF LAGOS STATE A survey was carried out last year to last year at the Lagos State Polytechnic, to determine the standard of GIS education in all the universities and polytechnics in Lagos State; the survey also wanted to establish staff capacities in the Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development since the it has adopted GIS for building permits and development control. The survey to determine the staff capacities for adopting GIS shows that education and training is the missing ingredient. In spite of enthusiasm and acceptability of the technology, the major issue is that most staff does not have the basic education or training to operate or manage these systems. Out of 20 District Officers only 1 had a formal post graduate GIS education. Most CEOs and District officers have gone through training in GIS ranging from 2-Days to 3 months but not adequate for managing or applying GIS to solve real problems. On the standard of GIS education, the survey shows that GIS is quite new, except for the Department of Geography that had taught the course alongside with remote sensing and cartography since 1988. There is no coherent curriculum in all the schools, each school developed a curriculum to suit their own objective. A shortfall was also discovered in the level of faculty with GIS experience and the adequacy of the GIS laboratory. It was also discovered that some teach GIS without licensed software, some have none; this may be as a result of inadequate funding of the GIS programmes (Udoh, 2004).

COMMENCEDYEAR GIS

LEVEL OF STUDIES

UNILAG GEOGRAPHY

1988

B .Sc , P G D , AVAILABLE M asters, M.Phil & Ph.D B .Sc , M asters& Ph.D B .Sc
AVAILABLE

10

Arcview Atlas Arcinfo Mapinfo Arcview Atlas ArcGIS Ilwis Idrisi -

SOFTWARE IN USE

Department And Faculty

18

UNILAG SURVEY AND GEOINFOM. UNILAG URBAN & REG. PLANNING LAGOS STATE UNIVERSITY LAGOS STATE POLYTECHNIC TOWN PLANNING YABA COLLEGE OF TECH. URBAN PLANNING YABA COLLEGE OF TECH. SURVEY

2000

15

Government, Oil firms, Nigerian Inst. Of Surveyors

17

2002 1994

NON

11 15

3 4

B .Sc ,M S c, NON M URP

HND II AVAILABLE NOT TO STANDARD AVAILABLE NOT TO STANDARD

1998

No Licensed Software No Licensed Software

Department, Faculty & Ex-Students

1998

HND II PD II ND, HND

15

1997

AVAILABLE 8 NOT TO Arcview STANDARD Idrisi Modified from Udoh I. C. (2004)

Friends of the Department

5.0

STRATEGIES FOR EFFECTIVE GIS EDUCATION

5.1 Determine the Need The first step in developing an effective GIS education strategy is to determine the need through a Local Needs Assessment Survey. This may be carried out in each local government areas to know areas where GIS education and training is needed. All users of spatial related data should be identified (government, private and public users of spatial data) and the resources available to provide GIS education. User identification must be comprehensive enough because full utilization of geographic information requires users at all levels to be aware of the relevance and benefits of developments in GIS technology, which education is essential to achieving this. It is equally important that there are trained personnel ranging from the highly skilled developers of GIS to the technicians and operators of systems (Chorley, 1987; Linden 1990). The following categories have been identified as in need of GIS education and training:

FACULTYTRAINED

INSTITUTIONS

EQUIPEDGIS LAB

SOURCEFUNDING

NO OF SYSTEMS

FACULTY

Decision Makers and Politicians: This category is responsible for decision making policies to adopt GIS or spend funds; however they are often neglected. Therefore should get a general awareness of the potentials and benefits (ROI) of GIS technology. Managers and Administrators: This category is answerable to donors (government or private) and could be personnel from user departments; they must understand the conceptual basis of GIS operations and analysis. GIS Researchers/ Scientist: GIS researchers are scientists that use GIS as a tool in their discipline and use or develop specialized and advanced theories in GIS. While the scientist focuses on advancing the science of GIS and develop new techniques. These need post graduate research degree in GIS. GIS Managers/ Specialist: They are professionals responsible for the overall system management and administration. Such requires a professional degree in GIS and must have skills for knowledge in computers, systems implementation and personnel management. GIS Systems Designers and Analysts: the former are responsible for identifying the need; choose appropriate software; systems specifications and analysis of the current systems. They need a minimum of BS degree in GIS and must have vast knowledge in IT. Application programmers and Tool Developers: They implement system analysis specifications as programs and develop customized applications Operators, technical, and maintenance personnel: These are computing technicians responsible for daily use and maintenance of the hardware and software environment. These may not necessarily be educated in spatial technologies but in computer related areas up to college level. Spatial data technicians These are not professionals but have been trained to input data, scan, and digitize maps; convert data and maintain data standards; make backup copies of the spatial data. They need a minimum of college or polytechnic education in spatial related courses. Other Users: these may occasional or frequent users of spatial information and may not be responsible in any way for the production or modification of such information. They need to have a general knowledge (at least access, view and manipulate) of GIS. The Public: They need to a general awareness of what GIS is and how it is used. This may be done by introducing basic information technology instructions at pre-varsity level; and teaching geography related subjects with GIS at elementary and secondary level.

LEVEL OF GIS KNOWLEDGE

KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED Postgraduate level

University level

College level

Secondary level

Elementary level

Fig 2. Suggested Levels of GIS Education for Nigeria (by Author) 5.1 Curriculum Development at All Levels of Education

Within education, curriculum development is the main instrument for translating educational goals into an action plan for the transfer of knowledge. Consequently, a curriculum will reflect the ideas and perspectives of an educational institute on a subject area in relation to the requirements of a target group and the institute's mission (Linden 1990). Curriculum development could be demanding and cumbersome even in familiar subject areas; therefore, developing curriculum for GIS may be more difficult since the technology is new in the Nigerian Context. In the survey of schools already with a GIS instruction or course, it was realized that there is no coherence in curriculum. It is the duty of the National Universities Commission (NUC) and National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) to fashion out a common curriculum for GIS at the Universities and Polytechnic level. This is on course, however, it is suggested that GIS curriculum should go below further education or postgraduate level as the case is now and extended to secondary and elementary schools as shown in Fig. 2. Learning from the U.S. experience, GIS is taught at the elementary, secondary, college and university levels. Since 1994 educators groups as National Centre for Geographic Information and Analysis (NCGIA) and National Centre for Geographic Education (NCGE) have developed outreaches programmes to K-12. ESRI also distributed free and low cost software and provided training for secondary and elementary school teachers. This has helped the concept of teaching with GIS; it is used to teach concepts and skills in earth science, geography, chemistry, biological science, history, and mathematics courses (Bennarz, 1995; USGS, 2002).

At the college level teaching about GIS dominates, where courses in methods and theory of GIS are taught in geography, engineering, business, environmental studies, geology and in other disciplines. In higher education, GIS is used as a fundamental research tool in all institutes of higher education in geography, demography, geology and other disciplines (USGS, 2002). 5.2 Collaboration and Cooperation The NBTE, NUC and the Ministries of Education can take advantage of Vendors outreach to school to develop curriculum and would be able to receive free educational materials. There are many organizations with outreach programmes for developing countries which can be benefited from. 5.3 Training and Technical Education: A need for re-emphasis The role of Technical and Vocational Education in meeting the educational needs for GIS implementation cannot be over emphasized. The need to train technician and operators of these systems can be well integrated into the National Diploma Curriculum of GIS related courses or a diploma certificate in GIS can be fashioned out to meet this need. Most state owned establishments have depended on holders of Masters Degree to do the technical work; this is mostly short lived, because highly skilled will look for greener pastures. The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has prepared a common GIS curriculum to be adopted by polytechnics and colleges all over the country. It is in this vein a GIS workshop was organised in February 2004 under the UNESCO-NIGERIA Project for Revitalisation of Technical and Vocational Education (TVE) in Nigeria aimed at building capacities of educators who will teach GIS in each polytechnic or college when the new GIS curriculum is commissioned. However, there is also need for training schemes in the GIS life cycle as suggested by Shalaby et al (1996) below; the training should be in different phases: Before acquisition of the GIS system so as to encourage participation during design stage. During implementation to improve the GIS application Regularly after the scheme is completed to updated GIS knowledge and monitor progress.

Conclusion This paper is not extensive but a snap shot introduction to GIS education issues in Nigeria. The paper was able to examine the development of the technology and efforts made so far in GIS education. It highlighted the gaps in training and education and suggested a framework that will involve teaching ABOUT and WITH GIS at all educational levels in developing countries.

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