Programme Improvement: Analysis of Internship Assessment of the Bachelors of Languages and Communication Degree at One University in Zimbabwe
Year: 2018
Type: article
Abstract: Internship has become a significant part of undergraduate training in the universities world over. It can be described as a window through which programme coordinators can see their programme-worth and improve them. This content analysis research focused on internship assessments of the Bachelor of English and Communication degree programme of one university in Zimbabwe. The study used internship assessment forms written by the supervisors of 28 students who have been on internship for 8 months from January to August of 2016 and 2017. The researcher collected and analyzed these internship supervisors’ assessment forms. The obtained data was categorized according to the themes that emerged. Finding showed that strengths of the internees, as exposed by the supervisors’ assessment forms, outweighed, by far, the weaknesses. The strengths of the students included: initiative and passionate for work; collaborative and time conscious; standard English language command; welcoming behavior; leadership qualities; professional dressing and potential to improve. An outstanding strength of the programme was the adequate internship period. The weaknesses revealed by the study encompasses: students’ incompetence in relation to other related activities, for instance, compiling statistical reports and local language barriers. Based on these findings of the study as well as the internees supervisors’ recommendations, this study recommends an increase from one to two of internship assessments. Also, the Communication component of the Bachelor of English and Communication degree need to be furnished with news writing, featured speech writing, video editing and filming as well as social media courses. The study also recommends that the university should have a radio station so that students have a fair experience of what they will encounter on attachment and job market. Finally, the university should broaden the general knowledge of the students on global events.
Author: Stella Muchemwa
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4255581053