Higher Certificate in Ecotourism Guiding

Purpose

The Higher Certificate in Ecotourism Guiding is designed to provide qualifying learners with the necessary skills and competencies to successfully take up a guiding position in the field of wildlife, dangerous animals, and nature guiding.

Upon completion of this qualification, qualifying learners will be able to organise and facilitate creative and innovative guiding experiences in natural and conservation environments in line with legal and regulatory requirements. In addition, it will support the enabling of professional, well-planned, informative, and enjoyable guided experiences for both national and international tourists focusing on experiences in natural environments within South Africa.

The qualification aims to accomplish the following

• Equip learners with the relevant background and understanding of the principles of guiding specifically in wildlife, dangerous animals and nature guiding within a South African context.
• Prepare learners for entry into guiding wildlife, dangerous animals, and nature by means of establishing the necessary planning, execution, and service provision skills to enable a positive, informative experience for tourists.
• Establish the relevant underpinning knowledge to support operation as a regional, provincial, or national guide within the specialisation of wildlife, dangerous animals, and nature guiding.

Rationale

Tourist Guiding and the provision of tourist guiding services take place in a highly regulated environment. It is a legislative requirement that any individual operating as a Tourist Guide in South Africa needs to register with the National Department responsible for tourism. Such registration is dependent upon the learner complying with the requirements as laid down at the time by the relevant governing body.

The successful completion of this qualification does not allow the successful learner to operate as a tourist guide without satisfying all the requirements laid down by the governing authority. These requirements for legal and regulatory compliance include:

• Evidence of recognised training against qualifications registered on the NQF or proof of a qualification issued by a governing body.
• Adequate specialisation in terms of operating as a site, regional, provincial, or national tourist guide.
• Being in possession of a current first aid certificate.
• Being in possession of a current public driver's permit (PDP) where applicable.
• Being in possession of required firearms proficiency certificates and licensing if applicable, in the case of guiding dangerous game including the big five.

The qualification introduces learners to the basic principles, theory, and practice of guiding as well as the relevant knowledge and experience in the specialisation of nature guiding as it applies to the viewing of game, and dangerous game on foot. It provides exposure to the knowledge underpinning the handling of guiding within a natural or conservation area context whilst making provision for the handling of safety associated with the viewing of wildlife and dangerous animals, to support the provision of career path development in tourism and specifically the guiding environment.

The institution has an approved Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) policy which is applicable to equivalent qualifications for admission into the qualification. RPL will be applied to accommodate applicants who qualify. RPL thus provides alternative access and admission to qualifications, as well as advancement within qualifications. RPL may be applied for access, credits from modules and credits for or towards the qualification.

RPL for access

• Learners who do not meet the minimum entrance requirements or the required qualification that is at the same NQF level as the qualification required for admission may be considered for admission through RPL.
• To be considered for admission in the qualification based on RPL, applicants should provide evidence in the form of a portfolio that demonstrates that they have acquired the relevant knowledge, skills, and competencies through formal, non-formal and/or informal learning to cope with the qualification expectations should they be allowed entrance into the qualification.

RPL for exemption of modules

• Learners may apply for RPL to be exempted from modules that form part of the qualification. For a learner to be exempted from a module, the learner needs to provide sufficient evidence in the form of a portfolio that demonstrates that competency was achieved for the learning outcomes that are equivalent to the learning outcomes of the module.

RPL for credit

• Learners may also apply for RPL for credit for or towards the qualification, in which they must provide evidence in the form of a portfolio that demonstrates prior learning through formal, non-formal and/or informal learning to obtain credits towards the qualification.
• Credit shall be appropriate to the context in which it is awarded and accepted.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• National Senior Certificate, NQF Level 4

Or

• National Certificate (Vocational), NQF Level 4

Or

• Senior Certificate, NQF Level 4, without endorsement.

This qualification consists of the following compulsory and elective modules at National Qualifications Framework Level 5 totalling 120 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 5,115 Credits

• End User Computing, 10 Credits.
• English Communication, 10 Credits.
• Introduction to Ecotourism and Nature Guiding in South Africa, 15 Credits.
• Guiding ethics and safety, 5 Credits.
• Planning and conducting a guided experience, 20 Credits.
• Basic Ecology, 20 Credits.
• Animal Studies, 20 Credits.
• Vegetation Studies, 10 Credits.
• Animal Tracking, 5 Credits.

Elective Modules, Level 5, 5 Credits (select one module)

• Viewing Dangerous Animals on Foot, 5 Credits.
• Navigation, 5 Credits.
• Birding, 5 Credits.

1. Demonstrate the effective use of communication skills in support of the execution of guiding experiences and environment.
2. Apply knowledge and understanding of ecology in support of the planning and execution of a wildlife and nature guiding experience.
3. Demonstrate the management of self and people to ensure the maintenance of ethical conduct, minimal environmental impact practices and safety during a nature guiding experience.
4. Demonstrate effective planning skills in the development of a nature guiding experience on foot in an area that includes potentially dangerous game.
5. Demonstrate the use of navigation or birding skills and knowledge to enhance an ecotourism guiding experience.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Apply computer literacy skills to draw up word documents, spreadsheets, and PowerPoint presentations in support of the planning and execution of guiding activities.
• Develop and present documentation in support of different types of communication.
• Gather, Interpret, consolidate, and present information in support of different operational areas in the guiding environment.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Identify, interpret, and provide information pertaining to climate and weather patterns relevant to a selected guiding environment.
• Identify, interpret and provide information about obvious and distinctive geological features in the area of operation.
• Identify and point out the most prominent stars, planets, and constellations in the night sky in support of a nature-guiding experience.
• Identify, interpret, and provide information relating to human habitation and cultural history as it applies to a selected natural or conservation environment.
• Identify and interpret obvious sights, sounds and behaviour patterns relevant to a range of fauna in the natural environment.
• Identify, interpret, and provide information pertaining to a range of flora in the natural environment.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Apply knowledge and understanding of the tourism environment in terms of the nature-guiding context.
• Explain the legal context in which guiding functions and operates from the perspective of its impact on nature guiding.
• Apply effective planning skills in the development of a nature-guiding itinerary for a group of tourists in a selected natural / conservation site.
• Conduct a nature-guiding experience by approaching, viewing, interpreting, and explaining animal behaviour both in terms of ecological and safety impact.
• Apply guiding practices in support of the execution of a nature guiding experience.
• Conduct nature-guiding experiences to meet customer needs and expectations.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Conduct a guiding experience involving potentially dangerous animals to meet customer needs and expectations.
• Conduct a nature-guiding experience by approaching, viewing, interpreting, and explaining animal behaviour both in terms of ecological and safety impact.
• Apply the management of self and people to ensure the maintaining of ethical conduct, minimal environmental impact practices and safety during a nature guiding experience involving potentially dangerous game.
• Demonstrate firearm proficiency and action drills as it applies to the handling of an attack by potentially dangerous game.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• Apply guiding practices including navigation or birding knowledge and skills in support of the execution of a nature guiding experience.
• Apply navigation or birding skills to enhance an ecotourism guiding experience.
• Conduct a nature-guiding experience by using, interpreting, and explaining navigational or birding information to participants.

INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT

Assessment practices must be open, transparent, fair, valid, and reliable and must ensure that no learner is disadvantaged in any way whatsoever. For this purpose, an integrated assessment approach is incorporated into the qualification.

Learning, teaching and assessment are inextricably aligned. Whenever possible, the assessment of knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values shown in the qualification should be integrated through the practical application of skills in relevant environments. Assessment of the communication, language and the execution of guiding activities should be conducted in conjunction with other aspects and should use authentic contexts wherever possible.

A variety of methods must be used in assessment and tools and activities must be appropriate to the context in which the learner is working. Where it is not possible to assess the learner in the workplace or on-the-job, simulations, case studies, role-plays and other similar techniques should be used to provide a context appropriate to the assessment.

During integrated assessments, the assessor should make use of formative and summative assessment methods and assess combinations of practical, applied, foundational and reflective competencies.

Assessors and moderators should make use of a range of formative and summative assessment methods. Assessors should assess and give credit for the evidence of learning that has already been acquired through formal, informal, and non-formal learning and work experience. It is required that learners can arrange for assessment in an appropriate natural environment.