Information and Knowledge Management using ArcGIS ModelBuilder

Elsje Scott, Peter Weimann and Nata van der Merwe
between student, university and industry gives the lecturer a valuable opportunity to discover industry
requirements relating to student qualifications and to exchange technology and research interests.
4.6 Reflections on the roles of teacher, mentor and researcher
Fundamental to UCT’s mission of becoming the central point of academic excellence in Africa, is its
research-led identity. This leaves the teacher and mentor with the challenge of not only doing
research-led teaching, but also research-led mentoring. The roles of teacher, mentor and researcher
are thus inextricably linked, which necessitates deliberate and ongoing reflection-in-action to nurture
the construction and reconstruction of knowledge and to cultivate a spirit of innovation.
The single CPUT lecturer must fulfil all three roles of teacher, mentor, and researcher. The mentoring
and guiding process is extremely time-consuming, leaving little time for conducting research,
developing contacts, and visiting business. Collaborative research papers have made an important
contribution to the development of skills needed to successfully implement the project-based
approach.
At BHT it is difficult to adequately address these roles in online sessions and the rare face-to-face
meetings with student teams. Written communication, especially via email, helps to meet the needs of
students and makes it possible for the lecturer to gather information that is relevant to research work.
Putting on a specific hat (mentor, lecturer or researcher) and informing the teams that you are
addressing them in a specific role makes it easier to overcome the communication challenge.
4.7 Reflections on critical success factors
Carefully planned interventions are critical to the success of the project-based approach at UCT.
These ensure that students develop into reflexive practitioners with a real world perspective, and
sound technological, management and interpersonal skills. A comprehensive assessment strategy
with associated timelines encompasses all the course objectives. The assessment instruments and
accompanying documentation are available to students via an electronic learning management
system, ensuring that students are aware of the assessment criteria and associated standards. Other
critical success factors are the effective mentoring process that cultivates a relationship of trust; and
the peer-evaluation process that encourages team member participation.
Industry involvement is critical to the success of the project-based experience at CPUT. Students
benefit from personal growth as well as improvement of skills, and very good feedback is received
when these students do their in-service training. It is also very important that students are provided
with a clear deliverables schedule and that deadlines are strictly enforced. Carefully planned
additional material and case studies are critical to stimulate self-exploration of core subject matter.
At the start of the project, a lot of time is spent on team development and team building. This is
followed-up by close monitoring of team participation and coherence in teams, and intervention of the
lecturer as mentor when needed. After deliverables are handed in and marked, students are given the
opportunity for reflection and all deliverables are submitted as a project portfolio for final assessment
at the end of the project. Multiple assessments are used that incorporate individual as well as team
assessments, and a peer evaluation is included in the calculation of the final marks.
At BHT, balancing the dual roles of mentor and teacher is critical to the success of the course. The
same person who mentors the team for six months must also be able to assess them objectively,
highlighting the importance of clearly defined deliverables and project acceptance criteria. A further
critical success factor is the ability to communicate effectively with the team via electronic media, so
that students will trust the lecturer as mentor sufficiently to share their problems and ask for advice,
while at the same time respecting the judgement of the lecturer as teacher.
4.8 Reflections on challenges and major concerns
Lecturers following the project-based approach face the challenge of instilling passion and
maintaining a high level of motivation amongst students, while at the same time assisting them to deal
with problems that emulate professional practice.
At UCT, the initial sourcing, evaluation and selection of industry-based projects is a daunting task.
Related to this is the additional concern that students may fail to meet the expectations of their
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