Tech-Enabled Collaboration for Filipino Language Intellectualization in Academic Discourse: Terminology Development Platform for a Higher Education Institution

Abstract

Recent studies and initiatives highlight the importance of intellectualizing the Filipino language for academic discourse. This relies on developing and disseminating specialized terminology, often presented as bilingual word lists. However, these efforts face challenges, including fragmented storage of word lists, limited dissemination, and the lack of expert validation. These hinder access to and knowledge of terminology within academic communities, impairing intellectualization. The process is expert-facilitated but semi-manual at the DLSU SALITA language center. This process faces collaboration, tracking, and efficiency challenges, while available tools or systems fail to meet context-specific needs. This project addressed these by designing and developing an in-house terminology development platform for SALITA. Developed with a MERN stack, the platform has five core modules: translation validation, public access, user management, glossary management, and metrics. These modules create a streamlined collaborative workflow for translators and experts. They also provide public access to validated terminologies and encourage community engagement with expert oversight. This project supports the view that a centralized and expert-validated system and community participation could address gaps in terminology development. Ultimately, the platform contributes to advancing the Filipino language in academic domains, enriches language resources, and serves as a model for other institutions.