Investigation of Instructors' Views on the Accreditation Process of Schools of Foreign Languages
Orhan Ataman1(), Abdullah Adıgüzel2
1School of Foreign Languages, Sakarya University of Applied Sciences, Sakarya, Turkey 2Faculty of Education, Düzce University, Düzce, Turkey
Abstract
The main purpose of this study is to determine the views of instructors who work at accredited schools of foreign languages about the accreditation process that they have been through. This study follows the qualitative case study research design. The participants were 31 English instructors working at 12 different foreign language schools in Turkey. A set of semi-structured interview questions created by the researchers were used as the data collection tool. The collected data were then subjected to content analysis. It was found that documentation was the most problematic area for the institutions during the accreditation process, so it was the most labor-intensive area for the instructors. Also, it was found that there were significant improvements in the learning and teaching process at these institutions, which resulted in a higher quality of instruction. In addition, it was observed that the accreditation process triggers creation of a culture of quality and continuous development among the instructors. It can be recommended that all teaching staff should be well informed about the accreditation purpose and process, ensuring staff readiness. Furthermore, the burden of work involved in accreditation should be shared by all the staff, with a well-planned and balanced division of labor among them.
Keywords: Accreditation, preparatory classes, quality, schools of foreign languages
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