Since the advancement of learning management systems and online education, it became possible to address global audiences and expand the studies beyond a single language or a country. After all, it’s one of the primary objectives of online education as colleges all over the world strive to cover a wider audience and create a multilingual environment where students can feel safe and benefit from a new learning approach. One of the aspects worth considering is the presence of a high-quality translation and the accuracy of the methodologies that are being implemented. When done correctly, translations help to bridge the gap between the needs of a target audience and the technology in use.
Role of Translation in Bridging the Gap Between Online Education and Global Audiences
– Addressing Sociocultural Factors.
If one sets an objective of bridging the gap in the field of online education with the help of translation, the most important is to focus on the social and cultural aspects of translation. It will boost the quality of education and help the learners to use their existing skills and professional background. Approaching the best online translation services is the most efficient solution to achieve that. The key is to set the objectives and explain the needs of the target audience to ensure that a specialist understands your needs well.
– Localization of Web Interfaces.
Another important role of translation in online education is the localization of the learning environments and the interfaces that students use. Even if the instructions are provided in English, the presence of the native interface to work with simplifies things significantly since a person does not spend time trying to understand how the system works or how to upload an important file when the deadline is coming up. It also shows the positive attitude of educators as they promote and expand their learning services to global audiences.
– Multilingual Learning Systems.
The same can be said about the inner elements of the LMS platforms, where translation can bring things to another level and help apply more than one language for learning purposes. There are numerous examples of such work if one takes a look at Udemy or Coursera courses online. Still, if the problem is English grammar or proofreading, it’s much better to explore Letsgradeit and see what kind of help can be received. While translation can help you with deeper language needs, getting your email correspondence or assignments proofread and edited in English is possible by turning to an expert.
– Interpreting and Speech Recognition.
While interpreting is an oral form of translation, it’s also important for online education, as the presence of an interpreter during educational conferences or group projects is essential. At the same time, there are many apps like Speak and Translate that will provide good speech recognition help as the language is being automatically translated. The only thing to note is that one has to remember the quality of such translations and the responsibility that comes along with them. In other words, you should not use it for medical or legal purposes when accuracy must be observed.
– Bilingual Learning Solutions.
If we take countries like Belgium and Switzerland, or even explore the state of California in the United States, we can easily spot the critical necessity of bilingual learning solutions. While most people will speak more than one language, it’s necessary to create a bilingual environment where learning is structured and planned in advance by addressing the needs of every student. The most efficient solution here is to use a translation for the creation of the learning materials and the classroom elements while the bilingual teacher can handle the learning process. Depending on the age of the learners, elements of gamification and global cooperation can be used.
The Importance of Human Translation
Many online courses use automation and AI-based solutions to provide translation help for students and small businesses. Since there is little to no human contribution and post-editing, the results are usually far from good, and the translated content brings even more confusion than before. The only solution that will work for all cases is the use of certified translators and the presence of a human translation. It’s where things like localization and focus on the sociocultural aspects are observed and followed to the highest translation standards. Only such an approach to challenges can fully bridge the linguistic gap and address the needs of global audiences, regardless if it’s the language lessons or website menus.
BIO
Joanne Elliot works hard to provide students, educators, and businesses with linguistic and academic writing consulting help. Her posts focus on various issues related to technology and education. Follow Joanne to expand your creativity and make your learning process meaningful.
