Incorporating the development of non-technical skills in the landscape architecture curriculum in South Africa

Abstract

The last two decades have been characterised by a debate of increasing urgency regarding pedagogical issues in landscape architecture, such as the nature of the skills of graduates entering the profession. The generic workplace is also undergoing changes. Employers are showing a preference for non-technical skills such as teamwork, communication and self-skills. With this as background, the following factors serve as motivation for the study; the increasingly unpredictable changes in and broad nature of landscape architecture, the shift in the skills required of graduates entering the generic workplace, and the changing South African educational landscape. The dissertation thus seeks to identify the major factors motivating a need to shift the outcomes emphasis in the landscape architecture degree programmes in South Africa from technical (subject specific) to non-technical skills and to identify a framework through which to tangibly incorporate non-technical skills landscape architecture curriculum. The shift in the skills required of the generic workplace is stated together with its effect on higher education. The breadth and future of the profession are discussed to determine the relationship between the profession and non-technical skills. It was found that there is a need to shift the skills required of landscape architecture graduates from technical to non-technical skills. The degree to which landscape architecture programmes in South Africa are currently addressing non-technical skills is surveyed and it is concluded that these programmes do not tangibly address non-technical skills. The dissertation proposes a curriculum design process and a framework for facilitating learning which ensures that non-technical skills are tangibly incorporated into landscape architecture curricula. <-p> The dissertation concludes that landscape architecture curriculum in South Africa need to shift the skills emphasis from technical to non-technical skills if they are to remain relevant to the educational and workplace environments in which they operate.