Building empathy by watching apologies: Perceptions of facilitators regarding bystanders and perpetrators

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Exploring the potential for geographical knowledge systems in upgrading informal settlements in Cape Town

Residents of informal settlements are often faced with lack of essential services. These include services such as water, sanitation and electricity. Authorities responsible for providing these services often use Geographical Information Systems (GIS) for analysis prior to proposing developments in these  settlements. However, the information used in the GIS analysis is often based on the physical  characteristics of the informal settlement being analysed. In contrast, there has been a growing call for the use of information collected from the actual residents of the settlements for analysis prior to the upgrading of the settlements. The work done in this study is conducted in partnership with a local NGO that uses baseline information in informal settlements to create strategies to lower incidences of crime. This paper specifically focuses on introducing GIS spatial analysis and mapping in relation to informal settlements upgrading based on information gathered from the residents of the informal settlement. Moreover the final produced maps will be interpreted together with VPUU, which represents residents of Monwabisi Park community, simply because they have indigenous knowledge of the area. This research outlines a methodology of GIS analysis for Informal settlements upgrading using GIS, making use of five different analysis methods: Buffer analysis, thematic mapping, Thiessen polygons, distance mapping and Multi Criteria Evaluation. The case study area is Monwabisi Park in Cape Town. The study has revealed that the use of indigenous knowledge in GIS analysis for upgrading could be very valuable in making scientific and alternate decisions during informal settlement upgrading process.Key words: Informal settlements, GIS participation, Buffer Analysis, Distance Matrix, Thiessen Polygons, Thematic Mapping, Multi-Criteria Evaluation (MCE

Using Multi-criteria Evaluation and GIS for Flood Risk Analysis in Informal Settlements of Cape Town: The Case of Graveyard Pond

Rural-urban migrations have contributed to the steady increase in the population of Cape Town. Many of the migrants have settled in informal settlements because they cannot afford to rent or buy decent housing. Many of these settlements are however located on marginal and often poorly drained land. Consequently, most of these settlements are prone to flooding after prolonged rainfall. Current flood risk management techniques implemented by the authorities of the Cape Town City Council (CTCC) are not designed to support informal settlements. In fact, owing to a lack of information about the levels of flood risk within the individual settlements, either the CTCC has often been uninvolved or it has implemented inappropriate remedies within such settlements. This study sought to investigate a methodology that the CTCC could use to improve flood risk assessment. Using a case study of an informal settlement in Cape Town, this study proposed a methodology of integration of  community-based information into a Geographic Information System (GIS) that can be used by the CTCC for risk assessment. In addition, this  research demonstrated the use of a participatory multi-criteria evaluation (MCE) for risk assessment. A questionnaire was used to collect  community-based information. The shack outlines of the informal  settlement were digitized using CTCC aerial imagery. The questionnaires were captured using spreadsheets and linked to the corresponding shacks in the GIS. Risk weights were subsequently calculated using pairwise comparisons for each household, based on their responses to the  questionnaires. The risk weights were then mapped in the GIS to show the spatial disparities in risk.Keywords: Informal settlements. Flood risk management. Multi-criteria Evaluation. GIS. Participation. Risk weights

Once upon a place: Storytelling in GIS education

13th International Multidisciplinary Scientific Geoconference SGEM 2013This paper reports on a case study that aims to examine effects on student learning of Geographic Information Systems by introducing storytelling in teaching/learning activities, such as stories being told to the students, and stories that the students told. After the introduction of storytelling, positive effects on student motivation were observed, as well as demonstration of higher-order learning. Narratives helped students to internalize the learning, especially when the narratives were personal

Feet on the ground: Using participatory GIS for marketing the Geomatics profession

International Federation of Surveyors Working Wee

Maps and blocks: Using GIS to enhance community participation in planning informal settlements

Geo-Information Society of South Africa (GISSA) Ukubuzana 2012 Conferenc

Participatory multi-criteria evaluation and GIS: An application in flood risk analysis

International Federation of Surveyors Working Wee