QUALITY ASSURANCE IN APPLIED LINGUISTICS: FROM FORMAL COMPLIANCE TO COMPETENCE-BASED THINKING
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18949977
Kalit so‘zlar
Quality Assurance, Applied Linguistics, Competence-Based Education, Learning Outcomes, Assessment, Quality Culture.Annotasiya
In recent years, Applied Linguistics programs have expanded rapidly in response to the growing demand for language-related professionals in education, international communication, translation, and academic writing. However, despite the presence of curricula, assessment systems, and formal quality assurance (QA) mechanisms, concerns persist regarding the alignment between learning outcomes, assessment practices, and real-world competencies. This paper argues that quality assurance in Applied Linguistics is often reduced to formal compliance and documentation rather than being utilized as a developmental and preventive mechanism (Harvey & Green, 1993; ENQA, 2015). Drawing on a competence-based perspective and the experience of public oversight structures, the paper proposes a reframing of QA as a tool for aligning educational intentions, assessment practices, and labor market expectations. The study highlights key gaps in current practices and offers practical recommendations for fostering an internal quality culture within Applied Linguistics education.
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Alignment of Learning Outcomes and Competencies. Learning outcomes should explicitly describe what graduates are expected to do in professional contexts, beyond language proficiency.
Authentic Assessment Practices. Assessment methods should be designed to evaluate applied competencies through tasks that simulate real-world linguistic challenges (Boud & Falchikov, 2007; Sadler, 2010).
Internal Quality Culture. Institutions should promote QA as a developmental process that supports educators and enhances pedagogical autonomy (ENQA, 2015; Harvey, 2006).
Stakeholder Engagement. Input from employers and professional communities should inform curriculum design and quality evaluation processes (OECD, 2019; UNESCO, 2015).
Reflective QA Mechanisms. Quality assurance processes should encourage continuous reflection and improvement rather than episodic compliance.
These measures can strengthen the relevance and credibility of Applied Linguistics education while preserving academic integrity.
Ultimately, quality assurance is not a question of whom to inspect, but of what and how we choose to value in education (UNESCO, 2015; Schindler et al., 2015).
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