The analysis of industrial attachment assessment procedures for industrial clothing design and construction: implications for a vertically and horizontally integrated curriculum in the polytechnic colleges in zimbabwe

Industrial Attachment (IA) curriculum component of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) provides students with work-based learning and experiences in the real world of work. IA practices are best achieved through assessment which aims at reviewing at every stage how the student is performing against intended learning outcomes. This study was therefore undertaken to analyse the IA assessment procedures for Industrial Clothing Design and Construction (ICDC) used in Polytechnic Colleges in Zimbabwe. The study was guided by the Constructive Alignment Theory (CAT), and premised in the interpretivist research paradigm. Purposively sampled sites and participants were used. Two Polytechnic Colleges and three Host Industries were selected as research sites. Individual interviews with lecturers and Focus Group Discussions made up of ICDC students were the major data collection instruments, supported by document reviews. The unit of analysis also consisted of policy makers, external assessors and supervisors. Data were analysed using thematic data analysis technique. The study revealed that there are no clearly defined policies on IA and IA assessment as a result the administration of IA and IA assessment is considered as inadequate, haphazard and unsystematic. Due to what is perceived essentially as lack of effective collaboration between the colleges and the Host Industries, students’ assessment is negatively impacted. Consequently, IA assessment is perceived as useless by students because it does not equip them with more effective practical competencies such as content, knowledge and skills needed for effective assessment. This study therefore suggests a more vertically and horizontally integrated approach for the Colleges and their Host Industries