Download Learning Outcomes

PROGRAMME OUTCOMES
Learning outcomes
The following table summarizes the expected learning outcomes of the participants (Exit
level outcomes).
Learning Outcomes
Module 1
INTRODUCTION TO MARINE GUIDING
 Understanding of what a professional marine guide does in terms of job function
 Know what the aims of marine guiding are.
 Understanding of guiding ethics and how to carry out an ethical guided experience in the coastal marine
environment.
 Have been introduced to a set of guiding principles and a code of conduct for guides from both a FGASA
 Understanding of the legal requirements pertaining to tourism guiding, qualification, certification and
registration.
Module 2
CREATING A GUIDED COASTAL MARINE EXPERIENCE
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Able to establish needs, limitations and expectations of tourists.
Able to carry out a pre-briefing before embarking on a guided experience.
Ensure health and safety of tourists on the guided experience.
Aware of determining any medical considerations of your clients.
Able to determine if your clients have any special interests before departing on the guided experience.
Have the ability to involve all of your clients as individuals in the guided experience.
Take into consideration the environmental factors when it comes to the comfort of your clients.
Have enhanced communication skills for guiding in the coastal marine environment.
Able to carry out research on potentially interesting marine site.
Able to provide informed and entertaining commentary.
Approach wildlife taking into consideration all the client and animal factors which will affect the
approach.
 Apply professional ethics with respect to the site environment (respect for the integrity of cultural and
natural resources.
 Able to orientate yourself during the day and at night making use of a number of methods to do so.
 Able to interpret all aspects of the coastal marine environment to enhance the experience of your clients.
Module 3
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THE COASTAL MARINE ENVIRONMENT OF MAURITIUS
Able to define the coastal marine environment.
Able to briefly explain the differences between the two oceans.
Able to explain the influence that the two major ocean currents have on South Africa’s coast.
Able to give a brief explanation of upwelling.
Able to name the main coastal regions of Mauritius and be able to point them out on a map.
Able to give a brief explanation of the main coastal regions of Mauritius and the differences between
them.
 Able to name and describe the coastal habitats around Mauritius coastline including sandy shores, rocky
shores, estuaries and coral reefs.
Module 4
HISTORICAL HUMAN HABITATION
 Have knowledge and an understanding of periodisation.
 Have knowledge and an understanding of the early human inhabitants of Mauritius including coastal
areas.
 Have knowledge and an understanding of the history of Mauritius since the first settlements to date and
some of the more interesting sites and their significance.
 Have knowledge and an understanding of the Dutch, French and British periods in Mauritius, their impact
upon the environment.
 Have knowledge and an understanding of the various origins of the Mauritian people, their languages and
cultures.
 Have an understanding of the coastal populations, the human activities and the transformations during
the last 50 years.
 Be able to use an iconographical document and various documentary sources to present an historical
event.
 Have a brief understanding of the human impacts on the coastal and marine environment in Mauritius.
Module 5
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Know what Ecology is and how important an understanding of ecology is for the marine guide.
Understanding of the major components of ecosystems.
Be able to explain the different levels of organisation in ecology.
Know what trophic pyramids, food chains and food webs are and how to give an explanation of these.
Be able to give an explanation of the nutrient cycle.
Be able to give an explanation and examples of symbiotic relationships.
Know what predation is and the various types of competition that occurs in the natural environment.
Module 6
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BASIC MARINE ECOLOGY
BASIC TAXONOMY
Know what the meaning of taxonomy is.
Understanding of why and how living organisms are classified.
Be able to name the six kingdoms of living organisms.
Be able to place living organisms into the hierarchical order of classification.
Briefly understand how the coastal marine organisms are classified.
Module 7
MARINE FISH
 Know what a fish is.
 Know the basic classification of fish into Jawless, Cartilaginous and Bony fish.
 Know the characteristics of Jawless, Cartilaginous and Bony fish.
 Know the breeding behaviour of Cartilaginous fish.
 Able to explain the anatomy of Cartilaginous fish including skin, tail shapes, teeth and feeding
strategie
 Able to label and explain the external anatomy of a fish.
 Know the body shapes of bony fish.
 Able to explain what fish scales are.
 Understand how fish move through water including an understanding of fish tails and fins.
 Have an understanding of the sense organs of fish including sight, smell, hearing, taste, feel,
and the lateral line system.
 Know the different types of fish feeding behaviour including the shape and position of fish
mouths.
 Able to explain how fish breathe.
 Able to explain the concept of neutral buoyancy and the function of the swim bladder.
 Able to explain how Bony fish reproduce and the different groups fish are placed into based on
breeding behaviour.
 Able to identify common species of marine fish from Mauritius.
Module 8
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Know the characteristics of the class of mammals.
Know the characteristics of the sub-classes of mammals.
Able to physically identify the common marine mammal.
Able to give the basic physical characteristics, social and feeding habits, habitat and distribution and the
breeding behaviour of the common of marine mammal species.
Module 9
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MARINE REPTILES
Know the characteristics of the class of reptiles.
Able to identify the features of the three reptile orders.
Know some interesting facts about reptiles.
Able to give the differences between Turtles and Tortoises.
Able to identify the three common species of turtles found off the coast line of southern Africa.
Able to provide some interesting information about turtles.
Able to identify and give some interesting facts about the Yellow-bellied sea snake.
Module 11
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CORALS
Know what a coral is and what characteristics of hard and soft coral are.
Know the diversity that exists within coral reef communities including structure and biodiversity.
Able to explain the values of coral reefs to people.
Know how a coral feed and reproduce, both sexually and asexually.
Know the abiotic factors that control coral distribution throughout the world.
Able to explain the symbiotic relationship that exists between corals and zooxanthellae.
Able to identify all common species of corals found in Mauritius.
Able to explain the threats to coral reefs throughout the world.
Understand how coral species are affected by environmental stresses.
Module 10
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MARINE MAMMALS
AMPHIBIANS (FROGS AND TOADS)
Know the characteristics of the class of amphibians.
Able to explain the differences between frogs and toads.
Understand the life cycle of frogs and toads and be able to briefly explain metamorphosis.
Able to explain mating postures, nests and types of eggs of frogs and toads.
 Able to name and explain the different types of frog calls.
 Able to identify some of the more common frogs by their calls.
Module 12
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SEA AND COASTAL PLANTS
Have a brief understanding of how plants are classified.
Able to classify sea plants (Algae) at a very basic level.
Know the differences between the three types of algae.
Able to give some examples of Brown, Green and Red algae.
Have a basic understanding of the distribution of algae along the coastline of Mauritius.
Able to explain the importance of algae in the marine ecosystem and name some uses of sea plants.
Able to name the common species of saltmarsh, mangrove and dune plants that occur along the Mauritius
coastline.
Module 13
COASTAL AND MARINE INVERTEBRATES
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Know what an invertebrate is.
Know what the characteristics of invertebrates are.
Able to identify all the common marine invertebrates.
Able to provide basic information about all the common invertebrate phyla including; characteristics
and desion, habitat, feeding habits and behaviour, potential predators and some related interesting
facts.
 Able to identify the common land invertebrates including insects and spiders.
Module 14
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Know the characteristics of the class of birds.
Have a brief understanding of the main groups of coastal-marine birds of Mauritius based on habitat.
Be able to point out examples of prominent coastal bird species nests.
Be able to give a basic explanation of commonly displayed marine bird behaviour.
Know how to identify birds in general making use of the various identification pointers.
Be able to identify the prominent and common bird species found in the coastal marine environment of
Mauritius.
Module 15
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COASTAL MARINE BIRDS
ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR
Know what animal behaviour (ethology) is.
Understand the different types of grouping behaviour of animals.
Able to explain the animal vocal and visual communication making use of relevant marine examples.
Able to briefly explain echolocation used by dolphins and toothed whales.
Understanding of various fish colouration protective behaviour.
Able to explain fish schooling, shoaling and the advantages of this behaviour.
Understanding of and be able to explain commonly observed whale behaviour.
Understanding of and be able to give an explanation using examples of sex change behaviour in fish.
Be able to explain the differences between animal home-ranges and territories.
Module 16
GEOLOGY
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Know the meaning of geology.
Have a basic understanding of what the Earth consists of.
Understand how rocks are classified.
Understand how igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks are formed.
Know what a mineral is and be able to give a few examples
Have an understanding and knowledge of a few common rock types.
Point out and interpret obvious and distinctive geological features in the area of operation.
Know the weathering properties of some common rock types.
Module 17
WEATHER AND CLIMATE
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Understand and know the difference between weather and climate.
Understand the process of cloud formation.
Know the different types and names of clouds.
Know what weather conditions are associated with the different cloud types and how this may affect
the guiding experience.
 Know the different types of local wind conditions that may apply to the area of guiding operation.
 Able to describe the four major influences on the Mauritius climate
 Understand the general Summer and Winter conditions of Mauritius.
Module 18
ASTRONOMY
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Able to understand by definition what is meant by a universe, galaxy and solar system.
Know the position of the nine planets in the solar system in terms of their distance from the Sun.
Able to point out the constellations of Orion, Scorpio and the Southern Cross.
Able to determine a southerly direction making use of the Southern Cross.
Able to describe the phases of the moon as it is viewed from Earth.
Know what is meant by an eclipse and how to differentiate between a lunar and a solar eclipse in terms
of the positioning of the Sun, Earth and Moon.
 Know how the ocean tides are affected by the moon the sun.
Module 19
IMPACTS OF HUMAN ACTIVITIES ON MAURITIUS ENVIRONMENT
 Have understanding and awareness of the human impacts on the coastal and marine environment.
 Have understanding and awareness of natural threats on the coastal and marine environment.
Module 20
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BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION (WORLWIDE/MAURITIUS)
Awareness of the need of biodiversity conservation.
Be able to understand the different practices and principles of biodiversity conservation.
Understand the idea of Multilateral Environmental Agreement and some examples.
Biodiversity conservation in Mauritius.
Able to give an explanation for Marine Protected Areas making use of examples from your area of
operation.
 Able to explain the importance of Marine Protected Areas for both human beings and marine life.