Translating eLearning courses to make them resonate.
The demand for online courses is increasing globally. Employees want to be trained correctly and do a good job. But getting those training in their native language so they can understand it is something most companies struggle to take that jump. Translating eLearning courses is unfamiliar to many, so we created this article to help you understand why it is important.
The challenge with eLearning content
The translating of eLearning content has many unique challenges. A translator must know how to make the text flow when they are translating sentences, know how to format things in a way that is easy for learners to understand, and even have the skill set needed in order to proofread audio files. Not all translators can translate eLearning because it requires a very specific set of skills.
The translation process for eLearning content is more complex than just translating normal text or websites because it has so many nuances that are different from other types of content.
Online courses can vary in complexity and what is required from the translator. If the course only contains text, then translating that text into another language would be easy; however, if there is audio and even video involved, it becomes more difficult and challenging to contextualize all the content. One thing that training departments usually understand is that eLearning content is different than your typical content found in blogs, articles, or other written content. So finding a translation company that specializes in translating eLearning content can be difficult because there are less companies that specialize in this type of translation. Those companies specifically find and use translators who have the necessary skills required to translate eLearning content from one language to another.
The demand for multilingual eLearning courses is accelerating
More and more people are taking online courses that were not taught in their native language. This is causing issues in many organizations which has increased the demand for translating eLearning courses. Translation companies and translators need to take this into account and make sure there is an increased supply of translators who can meet the demand.
There are many benefits to using a translation company that specializes in translating eLearning content. This includes having translators who are familiar with the process of translating eLearning material, which means they will be able to meet deadlines with ease because this type of translation requires specific skills. Additionally, they will need access to resources that many translation companies are not familiar with. For example, the company may have an audio narration so translators can listen to audio files play while they are working on translating them giving them a full understanding of tone and context.
Employees want to be trained in their native language
Employees want to be trained correctly in their native language in order to do a good job. They also want to be able to understand the context in which they will be using the skills that they learned. This is why companies need to keep in mind their foreign employees to account for cultural differences during content creation and avoiding cultural bias in training content.
Translation companies that specialize in eLearning courses have the expertise required to translate eLearning courses from one language to another. They know how to assess a course and find out what should be translated, what needs to stay as it is, and what needs to be adapted or changed so that it can resonate with its target audience. Companies specialize in this type of translation because it is incredibly difficult and requires a lot of specialized knowledge about the course, how to keep it effective while translating, and the culture. It is not just about word-for-word translation. Many times when you look at a course that has already been translated into another language and then back into English, you can see that it doesn’t make sense.
Companies need to avoiding cultural bias in their training content or they will face low levels of comprehension among employees that are being trained in other languages which could result in lost revenue for the business and legal issues.
Conclusion
If you want to find a translation company that specializes in eLearning translations, look for companies with expertise and experience translating this type of content. Cultural differences during training process need to be managed so employees can understand the context in which they will use their skills learned and avoid cultural bias in teaching materials. This blog post has provided some insight into what makes a good translator when it comes to eLearning courses- one who knows how to assess a course and figure out what should be translated, left as is, or adapted/changed; understands the culture surrounding an elearning course; and uses professional translators who specialize in this field. By doing these things translating elearning courses will be easy and you can feel confident in your work.