[SDI-Africa] Surveying and GIS

[Kate Lance]

Craig,
  You raise a hotly debated issue of whether GIS is a science or a tool....
  http://www.geoplace.com/hottopics/giscertification/default.asp
  GIS Certification Point/Counterpoint
  http://www.gita.org/resources/what_is_gis.htm
  What Is GIS: A Profession, Niche, or Tool? (GITA, 2005)
  http://www.geospatial-online.com/geospatialsolutions/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=130793
  Demystifying Certification (2004)
  http://dusk2.geo.orst.edu/annals.html
  Demystifying the Persistent Ambiguity of GIS as "Tool" Versus "Science (Wright et. al., 1997)
  see also SDI-Africa, Vol 5., No. 3. -- 1st individual certified in Africa by GIS Certification Institute (GISCI)
  www.gsdi.org/newsletters/SDIAfricav5n3.pdf 
   
  On a more practical/operational note.... what is the plan in South Africa for the transition into having this survey/GIS certification requirement?  I mean, if there are people employed as surveyors or GIS specialists right now, but who fail to pass the exam you mention, is their employment in question? Are their employers (or the surveying/GIS regulator) obligated to support training so that they can pass the exam at a later date?
  Also, over time, are those with certification required to take refresher seminars... or possibly retake the examination every number of years?  I mean... I'm SCUBA certified... but I could kill myself for all I remember about diving.... it's been way too many years.
  Does certification translate into increased liability?
  

Craig von Hagen <craigvonhagen at yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
  There is an interesting development in South Africa. Under the Surveyors
Act, Surveyors are required by law to register and pass the council exam to
ensure the public receive a certain quality of service from the Surveying
Profession. This law is in the process of being amended to include GIS
professionals as well. 

I have just been through the same process i.e. GIS scientists have to write
an exam with the council and once they have passed, they are then registered
to provide GIS services in terms of the Surveyors Act. The idea being that
the public can then be assured of quality service and products in terms of
GIS principles and various laws in South Africa regarding access to
information and includes the spatial data infrastructure act.

It is interesting that surveyors and GIS professionals are working closely
together in South Africa and GIS has not really being seen as just another
discipline under Information technology, but as a scientific discipline on
its own that can supplement and provide support to a wide range of other
disciplines from the earth sciences, telecommunications, environment,
socio-economic issues, etc.

Regards,
Craig
 		
---------------------------------
How low will we go? Check out Yahoo! Messenger’s low  PC-to-Phone call rates.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.gsdi.org/pipermail/sdi-africa/attachments/20060926/c6ba73d6/attachment.html