ALIGNING LEARNING OUTCOMES WITH PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES IN GEOMATICS EDUCATION

The Geomatics industry is a highly specialised field incorporating advanced technical instrumentation and complex measurement systems which form part of local, national and international Spatial Information Systems. As spatial information forms the basis for many aspects of construction, architecture, planning and development, the knowledge and skills required by the qualified Geomatics professional are varied. The professional surveyor must attain the required academic standard and satisfy professional criteria. The BSc in Geomatics in the Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) is the only programme in Ireland producing Geomatics professionals. It is accredited by a number of professional bodies including the Society of Chartered Surveyors (SCS) and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and is designed to produce graduates who have academic integrity coupled with real-life problem solving skills thus servicing societal needs. The subject area 'Geodetic Surveying' is taught in each year of the Geomatics Degree Programme and traditionally brings together a number of core surveying principles and practical problem solving skills which are reflected in the summative and formative module assessments. In this exercise the formative assessment element of module SSPL3005 (Geodetic Surveying 3), which is a 5 ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) module delivered to third year students, focused on an industrial simulation exercise as a means of meeting the demands of relevant stakeholders, viz. Students, Academic standards, Professional Bodies and Industry. This simulation exercise emulates the TV show 'The Apprentice' whereby students, operating in teams, had to solve a practical survey problem and present, and defend, their findings on camera before a panel consisting of two course tutors and a chartered surveyor who is the director of a large survey practice. This paper outlines the pedagogical approach of using industrial simulation for survey education and evaluates the methodology employed and the outcomes achieved. It also highlights the challenges in aligning academic curricula and assessment with the professional competencies required by industry.