Bridging the gap between technical and social competencies of urban and regional planning through mobile technology: The case of Cape Peninsula University of Technology

Abstract

Higher education institutions are entrusted with the responsibility of training future workforces that are well equipped to function in the age of the 4th industrial revolution (4IR). This role is pertinent in light of growing concerns that with the advent of 4IR, mobile technology and robotics would take over certain roles that are currently performed by humans. Using the case of Goedverwacht community service-learning project in the Western Cape province of South Africa, this paper demonstrates ways in which mobile technology is embraced and applied in urban and regional planning education at Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT). The purpose of the service-learning collaboration between the Goedverwacht community and CPUT was to produce a spatial map depicting property boundaries so that the community could, amongst others, be ready for the imminent land tenure reform processes. With the input and guidance of community members, the map was compiled through the use of mobile and allied technology, including global positioning system-enabled smartphones, drones and mobile geographic information system.