Plurilingual e-learning courses- A few considerations

Plurilingual or multilingual courses are the reality of the present education system. Their popularity is on an increase owing to globalization and distance learning. E-learning cannot be left behind. There is a creation of multilingual courses left, right, and center. But what are the factors that need to be considered while formulating one such course? Following considerations might help you successfully create a multilingual or plurilingual course that helps in successfully educating the students-

Only the translation of the original text is not enough for your multi-lingual course. Thinking that only the translation can fix your multilingual requirements of the course is highly ill-advised. It is necessary to have cross-cultural knowledge or some with that kind of depth in your team and the right tool stack.

The localization of the course content should not be an afterthought but a regular thought process throughout the course development. Determination and analysis of your target market are very important to understand cultural nuances rather than just linguistic ones. The presence of legalities and regulations in a certain country must also be considered before making your course content. This is to ensure that the course you produce with so much investment and effort is accessible to your target market. The problem solved by your product as well as its local pricing must also be properly considered. 

The base language which is being used to initially formulate the content of the course in question must be easy to understand as well as easy to be transferred to another language. For this reason, the use of idioms and jargon should be avoided. The examples should be culture-specific, and the writing style simple. It is also important for the content developer to not make too many unstated assumptions. The terminology used in your content must be domain-specific. For this, localization service providers can help. They can help you get in touch with translators in the same domain. 

The next consideration is that of being culturally sensitive. Not all your target market needs to have the same views on political matters as well as certain other controversial matters, such as LGBTQ rights, abortion, etc. And offending your target market is never good for you. Use the analogies and examples in the same cultural context. The localization of your material is a step-by-step process.

The localization of written material only is not enough, even the media used in the course content needs to be localized. The most cost-efficient method would be the use of subtitles for your videos. But, it should be properly done. The dubbing of the audiovisual material and its subtitling must be done diligently. All the animations and infographics must be adapted properly to the local language. The dates, measurements, and other numbers must also be adapted with proper thought. 

The symbols and icons being used must be in sync with the content in that language as well as the one it is being translated into. Visual cues make it more interesting to go through the learning journey and interact with the interface. Proper care must be taken that the symbols and icons being used in your course communicate the same meaning in the other language in question as well.

Choosing a multilingual LMS which fulfills all the requirements is an important step. Bridge LMS and Bridge App offer nine languages in one interface. Choosing the right interface with a multilingual feature goes a long way in localization.

The last consideration is that of choosing the right language partner. A trusted e-learning localization provider partnership is a must. Their expertise can help achieve the right level of localization required for the product.

The above pointers can help you achieve a successful e-learning course in the plurilingual world.

 

Exit mobile version