| dc.description.abstract | Because of the emerging importance and demand for Geospatial Information Systems (GIS), educational GIS has become significant. Despite the growing interest in GIS, the majority of teachers worldwide still struggle to find suitable ways to introduce GIS practice in their classrooms. Consequently, perplexing educational problems, along with uncertainty regarding GIS practice integration, have arisen worldwide and also within South Africa. The South African Department of Basic Education (DBE) has phased GIS into the FET-phase school curriculum from 2008 to 2010 and has re-introduced GIS in the South African Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS). The slow diffusion of GIS practice through the South African education system suggests that GIS educational policy developments in South Africa have outpaced supportive academic research of GIS practice within the South African context. This I-GIS-T project started with a pilot study conducted during 2012 and continued with the rest of the project during 2014. This study focuses on filling this research gap in the academia with the provision of GIS integration guidelines to the DBE by means of an Interactive-GIS-Tutor (I-GIS-T) integration framework. The research design of this concurrent mixed research study was tailor-made in order to best answer the research questions, with pragmatism as the underpinning philosophy. This study, divided into two parts, includes a national online FET phase teacher survey (Part 1) which investigated current GIS integration barriers and a multiple-case study (Part 2) which evaluated the I-GIS-T and its preliminary framework within seven schools (which include control classes). Quantitative data was generated through the teachers’ survey, attitudinal and knowledge pre- and post-tests as well as questionnaires. Qualitative data collection included open-ended questions in questionnaires, one-on-one teacher interviews, focus group interviews, photographs and observational notes which provided a thick description regarding the viability of the I-GIS-T and its framework within the natural class setting. SPSS® version 22, SPSS® AMOS and ATLAS.tiTM software were utilised with analysis of quantitative and qualitative data. Findings indicated that key GIS practice barriers, globally as well as in this study, were lack of support, low teacher TPACK abilities, learner differences and lack of resources, especially in classes with large learner numbers, as found in this study. All the grade 11 Geography teachers and a very large majority of the learners evaluated the I-GIS-T framework to a large extent as workable and viable. Findings further suggest that the I-GIS-T and its framework also surmounted the main GIS practice barriers. GIS attitudinal tests revealed an overall positive shift on attitudinal questions, while knowledge tests also showed a positive shift in most schools. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) showed that according to the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the I-GIS-T application is very likely to be accepted. Future I-GIS-T development would recommend incorporation of a multi-language choice component, more exploratory activities and enhanced sound quality and screen resolution. The final proposed I-GIS-T integration framework is supported by the TIP model, which made use of Roger’s innovation diffusion and TPACK. A learner workbook, I-GIS-T PowerPoint and teacher guide were developed for teachers, supporting flexible GIS integration within their classes | en_US |
