Geographical Information System (GIS) In Malaysian Planning Education




ISSUES AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Based on the above observation, few issues related to GIS in planning education are worth to be raised here.
  1. The Effectiveness of GIS Knowledge in Planning Education a. Offering GIS as an elective course may not be effective in delivering the knowledge to our future town planners. The nature of an elective course enables students not to register for the subject if they are not interested in the subject matter. As the result, only a small number of planning students joining the industry is equipped with GIS knowledge. Thus the intention of the FDTCP to embark on GIS in the development planning system will be short-handed as they have to rely heavily on the consultants.

    b. The scenario in Malaysian planning schools is that GIS is largely being delivered in theoretical form without much practical in real planning projects. Most of the time was spent for mapping capability i.e. to draw maps. This is indeed a small portion of the higher capability of GIS software. Again, the planners are shortcoming in handling the higher tasks of GIS capability appropriate for planning.

  2. Depth of GIS Knowledge Acquired by Planning Students a. In Malaysian planning schools, the total number of credit hours required to be completed in order to obtain a degree in Urban and Regional Planning is between 137 to 152. The number reflects the heavy load students have to carry throughout their study. This situation makes it difficult to deliver GIS knowledge effectively due to the students’ commitment to other subjects.

    b. GIS knowledge introduced as a topic in an ICT course is also short-handed as the time is too short for students to grasp GIS knowledge and without much practice. In the end, students would not be able to acquire enough skill to master the subject matter.

    c. GIS course at a Master level as a specialized programme will disregard the need for GIS knowledge for the undergraduate. In Malaysia, majority of the planners in both the public and private sectors are the product of undergraduate planning schools. Without adequate GIS knowledge at undergraduate level, the planners-to-be is handicapped. <,/dir>
In order to address the above issues, few approaches could be considered for improving the teaching of GIS in planning schools. 1. GIS course should be a subject by itself and made compulsory to all planning students at the undergraduate level supported by an elective GIS course for specific application.

2. For postgraduate planning programme ala USM, GIS course should also be offered as a subject by itself and made compulsory in the forms of an application for specific planning purpose as an elective course. This will enable students to pursue for advanced GIS knowledge.

3. Students should use GIS as an analysis tool in planning studio projects. Theories acquired in the lecture rooms should be further applied in the projects so as the inadequacies in practice can be compensated and enhanced.

4. Planning programmes should be revised to give more emphasis on GIS subject and other ICT related subject matters. In order to give the emphasis, we might have to consider reducing the less important subject matters to reduce the total credit hours. Hopefully when the students graduated, they will be well-equipped to face the challenge of planning activities. CONCLUSION

In terms GIS training in planning education, balanced efforts should be given towards educating students to both the theoretical and application sides of GIS in planning. The theoretical side of GIS is important so that students would be well aware of the capabilities of GIS and how these capabilities are relevant to planning. At the same time, knowing what GIS can do and knowing how to do it are two different matters. As such, students must also be trained on how to apply GIS analyses in planning works. Both, in class rooms that emphasizes the theoretical aspects and in studio that stresses the application part would be equally important in teaching GIS for planning students.

References

Henderson JA (1997). Community Planning and Development. http://obie.whittier.edu/jeffh/lecturel.html

IIUM website : http://www.iiu.edu.my

Laurini R. (2001). Information System for Urban Planning (A hypermedia co-operative approach). Taylor Francis. London.

Muhammad Faris Abdullah, Alias Abdullah & Muhamad Fauzan Nordin (2003). Managing Urban Development Process by Using Spatial Information System: A Case Study of I-Space. Planning Malaysia (1) (pp. 71-92).

Parent P. (1994). GIS: An Exciting New Tool for Planners. Planning Quarterly. The Journal of the NZ Planning Institute Inc. No. 116. pp. 9 – 11.

USM website :http://www. hbp.usm.my/

UTM website : http://www.fab.utm.my/

UiTM (2004). Pelan Pengajian Program Diploma dan Sarjana Muda Perancangan Bandar dan Wilayah. Department of Town and Regional Planning, Faculty of Architecture, Planning and Surveying, University Technology Mara.



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