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Article
Publication date: 9 October 2019

Alireza Akbari

The purpose of this paper is to measure the degree of item difficulty in translation multiple-choice items in terms of 1-parameter logistic (1-PL) model of the item response…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to measure the degree of item difficulty in translation multiple-choice items in terms of 1-parameter logistic (1-PL) model of the item response theory (IRT). Also, the paper proposes a hypothesis in which a participant who answers a translation test possesses some amount of translation competence which affects the end-result.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 150 translation students from the Bachelor of Arts in Translation Studies from the three Iranian universities participated in this research paper. The translation participants were requested to answer the questions. The items were formulated in such a way that the question was stated in English and the four choices were written in Farsi. To interpret the obtained results, this research paper employed 1-PL and 2-parameter logistic (2-PL) models using Stata (2016). In addition, to demonstrate results in terms of 1-PL, item characteristic curves (a graphical representation showing the degree of difficulty of each item) was used.

Findings

Using Stata platform, the findings of this research paper showed that through the application of IRT, evaluators were able to calculate the difficulty degree of each items (1-PL) and correspondingly the translation competence (2-PL) of each participant.

Research limitations/implications

One of the limitations is the proportionately small number of translation participants at the Bachelor of Arts.

Originality/value

Although a few number of studies concentered on the role of translation competence, there did not exist any research focusing on translation competence empirically in higher education.

Details

Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, vol. 12 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2050-7003

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 10 October 2022

Dania Salamah

The current study set out to examine the recruitment practices and job-market readiness of translators in Saudi Arabia in light of the Process in the Acquisition of Translation…

Abstract

Purpose

The current study set out to examine the recruitment practices and job-market readiness of translators in Saudi Arabia in light of the Process in the Acquisition of Translation Competence and Evaluation (PACTE) model of translation competence (TC). The main purpose of the study was to determine the extent to which the outcomes of translator training programs are aligned with job-market requirements.

Design/methodology/approach

A case study was conducted adopting a mixed-methods research design to collect qualitative and quantitative data using interviews and a questionnaire. Data were also collected from the analysis of 28 translation job advertisements. The questionnaire targeted employers, while the interviews were conducted with employers and professional translators.

Findings

The findings indicate that there is a gap between the outcomes of translator training programs and the needs of the job market with a particular emphasis on the importance of developing trainee translators' job-market skills as well as their awareness of the professional practice of translation.

Research limitations/implications

The findings of the current study are limited to the sample from which data were collected.

Practical implications

The study has significant implications for translators and translator training in Saudi Arabia. Although the Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission and the Saudi Translators' Association were established in 2020, additional measures are needed to support the translation profession in Saudi Arabia. Such support may take the form of specialised accreditation for translator training programs as well as licensing requirements for practitioners. Implementing these measures will play a significant role in establishing benchmarks for translator training programs and promoting the integration of job-market requirements into translator training.

Originality/value

Although TC has been examined in the Saudi context before, examining it in light of the PACTE framework sheds new light on the job-market readiness of translation program graduates and enriches the literature on the training of translators in Saudi Arabia.

Details

Saudi Journal of Language Studies, vol. 2 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2634-243X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 20 August 2018

Christian Olalla-Soler

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the use of electronic information resources to solve cultural translation problems at different stages of acquisition of the…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the use of electronic information resources to solve cultural translation problems at different stages of acquisition of the translator’s cultural competence.

Design/methodology/approach

A process and product-oriented, cross-sectional, quasi-experimental study was conducted with 38 students with German as a second foreign language from the four years of the Bachelor’s degree in Translation and Interpreting at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, and ten professional translators.

Findings

Translation students use a wider variety of resources, perform more queries and spend more time on queries than translators when solving cultural translation problems. The students’ information-seeking process is generally less efficient than that of the translators. Training has little impact on the students’ use of electronic information resources for this specific purpose, since all students use them similarly regardless of the year they are in.

Research limitations/implications

The study has been conducted with a small sample and only one language pair from a single pedagogical context. The tendencies observed cannot be generalised to the whole population of translation students.

Practical implications

This paper has implications for translator training, as it encourages the development of efficient information-seeking processes for the resolution of cultural translation problems.

Originality/value

Unlike other studies, this paper focusses on a specific translation problem type. It provides information related to the students’ information-seeking strategies for the resolution of cultural translation problems, which can be useful for translation training.

Article
Publication date: 31 August 2022

Marco Zappatore

Before COVID-19 pandemic, translation students in higher education attended courses on computer-assisted translation to acquire operational knowledge of professional software…

Abstract

Purpose

Before COVID-19 pandemic, translation students in higher education attended courses on computer-assisted translation to acquire operational knowledge of professional software, without experiencing collaborative/interactive learning. In few European universities skills labs were introduced to offer fieldwork-like activities, but without shared modelling standards and mainly held in presence for few consecutive days. As the COVID-19 pandemic further deprived students of crucial educational experiences, the purpose of this paper is to present an online collaborative learning environment exploiting a customised combination of information and learning applications the students already experienced during the pandemic to smoothen their learning curve and increase the educational effectiveness.

Design/methodology/approach

A multi-framework methodology to build and operate a computer-supported online collaborative skills lab for translation students is proposed. Reference standards and guidelines are leveraged to provide participants with a common knowledge ground, to activate the computer-supported collaborative learning perspective, and to ensure an appropriate simulation fidelity.

Findings

An end-to-end implementation of the proposed approach along with educational effectiveness analysis performed via complementary assessment strategies is presented. Achieved outcomes highlight significant participation rate, consistent improvement in technical and soft skills at both individual and collective levels, and clear activation of collaborative learning dynamics.

Practical implications

Every master degree in translation teaching can adopt this approach by complying with the proposed guidelines.

Originality/value

The proposed multi-framework approach is novel and applied to a teaching sector where it is highly needed to fill a pre-existing gap.

Details

The International Journal of Information and Learning Technology, vol. 39 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2056-4880

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 25 April 2008

Maria Pinto and Dora Sales

Since every community of practice generates, seeks, retrieves and uses information resources and sources related to the cognitive structure being researched or studied and the…

1396

Abstract

Purpose

Since every community of practice generates, seeks, retrieves and uses information resources and sources related to the cognitive structure being researched or studied and the tasks being performed, the need arises to undertake studies focused on real user communities, which in the case of this paper is the group of translators. This paper aims to investigate this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

In this arena of application, it is important to remember that translators are not only information users, but also information processors and producers. Thus, their documentary competence has to evolve in three dimensions: the informational, the methodological and the strategic. The conceptual model proposed in the paper is based on information literacy (INFOLIT) standards and also the authors' knowledge of translation practice and the competencies it demands, where INFOLIT plays a starring role. This paper is part of a broader research currently in progress, whose main goal is to provide translators and interpreters with a solid instruction in information literacy.

Findings

The paper introduces a model for information literacy specifically intended to develop the information competence of this community of users, it reveals that the model is a gathering of skills, competences, knowledge and values, and it is based on the cooperation between the authors' expert knowledge of information science and professional translation practice.

Originality/value

This paper puts forward the first proposal for information literacy applied to translation training.

Details

Journal of Documentation, vol. 64 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0022-0418

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 February 1995

Roger Stuart, John E. Thompson and Jeanette Harrison

Forms a part of a larger project aimed at developing a framework ofmanagerial competence applicable to top teams in small – tomedium‐sized enterprises in Northern Ireland. Reports…

871

Abstract

Forms a part of a larger project aimed at developing a framework of managerial competence applicable to top teams in small – to medium‐sized enterprises in Northern Ireland. Reports on an investigation into the development of a process of “translation”, whereby cross‐company competence frameworks could be transformed into company‐specific frame‐works. A systematic, ten‐step translation process emerged, involving drawing out reactions to, and checking understanding of the generalizable frameworks, modifying framework items through additions, deletions, aggregation, disaggregation, and changes to the small print; identifying priorities; drawing out examples from practice; distinguishing actual from ideal; introducing a time dimension; challenging underlying reasoning and implications; and finally, checking the fit of the adapted frameworks. The developed translation process maintained the integrity of the generalizable frameworks while enabling full account to be taken of specific company differences. The process also served as a means of identifying individual team, and organization development issues, and laid the ground for the introduction of competence‐based management development initiatives.

Details

Journal of Management Development, vol. 14 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0262-1711

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 September 2006

Clive Savory

The purpose of this paper is to present a review of literature that establishes the factors affecting the ability of an organisation to absorb and apply knowledge. The review aims…

3190

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a review of literature that establishes the factors affecting the ability of an organisation to absorb and apply knowledge. The review aims to draw from literature on the resource‐based view of the firm, dynamic capabilities, organisational learning, knowledge management and technological innovation. The paper then seeks to present a model of knowledge translation capability synthesised from the literature review.

Design/methodology/approach

The model that is synthesised from the literature review draws on three streams of work. First, the work of Dorothy Leonard on technological capability; second, the I‐space model of knowledge assets developed by Max Boisot; and third, other work based in the organisational learning and innovation management literature. The model is illustrated using a case study of an innovation project.

Findings

The effective development of a knowledge translation capability requires attention to a network of both formal and informal structures/activities across an organisation. Together these activities constitute a dynamic capability that operates iteratively throughout the whole organisation and are an example of triple‐loop learning processes.

Practical implications

The paper will prove useful to other academics in the area of technological innovation and practising managers who can use the model to evaluate their own organisation's knowledge translation capability.

Originality/value

The advantage of the model presented is that, unlike other discussions of dynamic capability, the link between conceptual level description and real world activities has been made more distinct. By recognising relevant organisational structures and relationships, it becomes possible to takes steps to assess their performance and then manage their improvement.

Details

Management Decision, vol. 44 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0025-1747

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 14 January 2014

Maria Pinto, Javier García-Marco, Ximo Granell and Dora Sales

The purpose of this paper is to report the findings of a study about Information Literacy instruction addressed to the user community of translators and interpreters through the…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to report the findings of a study about Information Literacy instruction addressed to the user community of translators and interpreters through the application of InfoLiTrans Test. This test is one of the outcomes of project InfoLiTrans, aimed at applying an overall framework for assessing the acquisition of the information competence in four big macro areas: information search, assessment of information, information treatment, and communication and dissemination of information.

Design/methodology/approach

The test was used to analyse, explore, and improve the information competence of Translation and Interpreting trainees from 17 universities in Spain. Data were processed and analysed after collecting responses at two levels of difficulty: basic and advanced. A statistical descriptive analysis was performed to diagnose the learning level of each competence area.

Findings

Overall levels of information management were found to be excellent, particularly in relation to disseminating and communicating information, and to assessing the information required for translation tasks. Such results show a profitable synergy between translators' core competences and their information competences. However, skills required to search for information and to make use of it with available technology could be improved, providing room for further training.

Originality/value

Considering the diagnosis of information competences put forward by the research, this paper provides guidelines for further improvement of translators' instruction on information literacy, thus, encouraging the design of models, methods and tools that could be more effective for this learning community.

Details

Aslib Journal of Information Management, vol. 66 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2050-3806

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 1 June 2015

Xiaoyang Shu

A flipped classroom refers toa model of learning which reverses how time is spent in and out of the class to shift the ownership of learning from the teachers to learners. But…

2353

Abstract

A flipped classroom refers toa model of learning which reverses how time is spent in and out of the class to shift the ownership of learning from the teachers to learners. But from the perspective of ecology, education can be healthily developed in a harmonious and dynamically-balanced ecological system. Therefore, this project, exemplified through translation teaching, constructed a flipped teaching model based on an ecological perspective that open university distance learners will adapt to after revisiting the flipped classroom. Through the teaching experiment in the course on Translation Theory and Practice, the author highlighted that a good ecological relationship should be established in the translation subject, the translation object, the objectives of the translation course, and translation sources and requirements from the translation market — based on which the basic teaching process of a flipped classroom was developed. Using a questionnaire and interviews, the results of a one-year experiment showed that the flipped teaching model with the integration of modern information technology (functions of interaction, virtual simulation and social networking) in translation teaching could foster greater student engagement and higher levels of motivation and translation competence; and the teachers were excited by the opportunity to enhance their teaching practice and the profession. However, some major challenges were also posed to the students and teachers, viz.: (1) how to make the students transform from knowledge-receivers to knowledge-producers; and (2) how to improve the teacher's TPACK(technology integrated into some curricula) — for example,how to explaina concept in a bite-sized video (the pace, the visual representation, and the aligned assessment practices) and how to extend these activities into the classroom.

Details

Asian Association of Open Universities Journal, vol. 10 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1858-3431

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 9 May 2023

Hajer Alaskar

The purpose of the current study was to examine the role of distance learning in enhancing introverted students’ lack of communication and social interaction to improve their…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the current study was to examine the role of distance learning in enhancing introverted students’ lack of communication and social interaction to improve their performance in translation class. Cain (2013) and Kuzeljevich (2017) agreed that identifying “introverted” and “extroverted” students is important for meeting their learning needs. While extroverted students have strong social skills that allow them to interact comfortably in different learning environments, introverted students tend to be more shy, quiet, and silent, thus, requiring more careful planning in classroom settings. Therefore, educators need to support introverted students in reaching their full academic and social potential.

Design/methodology/approach

The present case study adopted a qualitative research method to explore the role of online/distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic in enhancing introverted students’ performance and communication abilities in translation classes. The researcher of the current study spent a considerable time observing and set herself as part of the group (i.e. translation students of level 6 class) to understand the phenomenon, events and the new situation of having translation students interact in online settings. Data collection was based on this observation, interviews with the participants and archival documents. To enhance the validity and credibility of this research, the researcher employed the method of triangulation.

Findings

The results (see Appendixes A, B and C) revealed the level of students interactions in translation classes and their attitudes toward online learning. Based on the observations made by the instructor, the researcher found that the involvement of the introverted students during online translation learning was remarkable, as they provided their translation outputs in the chat window of Microsoft Teams with no hesitation. Consequently, 65% of the students were providing their translation output through the chat window, which indicates that they are more introverted and preferred not to speak. Comparing this result to face-to-face translation class, the researcher found that 25% of the students provided their translation outputs through oral participation.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the field of translation and education. Previous studies have not sufficiently examined the role of distance learning in enhancing the performance and communication of introverted students in translation classes. The current study is also expected to provide insight into the field of technical translation in remote teaching and learning settings.

Details

Saudi Journal of Language Studies, vol. 3 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2634-243X

Keywords

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