Curriculum Key-Players’ and Industries’ Thoughts: The Relevance of Automotive Case-Based Simulation Apps

Abstract

TVET in Malaysia is geared toward providing quality education, training, and resources but it still needs to be strengthened and reformed toward producing a more quality and skilled workforce. This study aimed to procure feedback from TVET curriculum key-players’ (automotive) on the integration of automotive case-based simulation (CBS) as TVET future learning strategies. Collective case-study research design was used with purposive sampling design which involved 5 curriculum key-players in vocational college and 16 automotive industries as study respondents. A set of questionnaires and interview protocols were used to gather quantitative and qualitative data. Intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to obtain an average measure agreement among raters. ATLAS.ti was also used through thematic analysis to produce models. The ICC showed high values of agreement for the process and structure of the CBS. The limitation of this research focused on one program (automotive technology) through the key-players’ and industries’ perspectives toward the implementation of CBS as a tool to enhance students’ soft skills. The collation of both data showed the alignment between both parties against the CBS. The curriculum key-players agreed that CBS fulfilled its requirements as a tool to enrich TVET students’ marketability skills, supported by the automotive industries’ perspective which believed that using CBS would prepare TVET students’ readiness to the workplace. Notably, the CBS provides an opportunity to stimulate thinking and learning preferences among students, in addition to being a learning tool for future TVET learning strategies that connect theory and practice in preparation for job training.