Research on translator training, Part 2

Research on translator training, Part 1

Building Translator IDENTITY in a translation program? ...some reflections and suggestions

The concepts of translator identity and ’agency’ has been an ongoing debate in the literature about translator training in higher education. A closer look at the history of translation practice would show us that the image that society has given translators remained the same: a bunch of underestimated group, all they do is to ''transfer'' other people’s creative work and get paid for that. No significant social status has been given or else. The editors have been (and still) not putting the name of the translator or reviser on the cover of the book. The latter gets published under the name of the publishing house and no sign of the original translators' name.

However, whose fault is this? The institutions? No!. Society? No!

It is the community of translators themselves who are responsible for their degrading value. Nowadays, with the globalization and Internet use, things are getting worse. Everybody is translating! Every bilingual or anyone claiming competence in two languages involves in translation...that is where it starts! In my opinion the lack of proper training at an institutional level (universities mainly) contributed to this identity crisis that lets pirates and industry hyenas seize opportunities to downplay the role of translators and pay peanuts for translations. If those translators were educated about the ethics and value of practicing this honorable and ancient profession, we would have seen ourselves looked at like Lawyers, Engineers and Doctors. 

But, what type of learning material and contents we need to enhance that type of lifelong abilities?

Answer: review and update the curriculum as well as the pedagogy of teaching the subject (Translation). For instance, embedding a sound pedagogy (like narrative pedagogy and using multimedia) to teach the history of translation in a dynamic way via focusing on true stories or biographies about our ancient colleagues (Arabs, Muslims or Europeans) to allow students to identify with these people and build their self concept as future translators to be. At least they will have something to be proud of, and this would give them '' face validity'' not only for their profession but also for the course or program they are in. A program that has a face validity means that students 'know' that they are studying what the course / the program is about, because it leads (for sure) to a clear objective. Also, recent graduates or other working professionals should be invited toc lasses or virtually to update our students of the realities of the workplace and the market at large...sharing their experiences and stories would certainly help trainees to develop new identities or seek to develop one. Also, brining in language serve employers or providers can also add value to the program and provide students with desire to continue training and build a 'can do' attitude .

We believe that a historical background is of great importance to the future professional translator to enhance his/her status and be conscious of heritage of the discipline he /she has chosen to engage in. Also ,teaching or learning the history of translation by both translator trainees and practicing translators is a crucial step into building professional translation aptitude since ‘ they develop a self concept as translators working in a specific historical situation’ like their fellow colleagues did over the ages . Brian Mossop (2003:49). In addition to the historical elements, modern day alignment with what the market needs and the translation market status  and requirements are also key factors to enhance in a training or education program in a university context. There should be an ongoing narrative starting form the past up to the present top enhance that self concept.

The importance of theory is another factor I may add. In this regard Ulrich (1996: 257) stipulates that:

“Members of all professions have a historical and theoretical component to their expertise. It is only against a theoretical background of translation that effective decision making and production can take place (…) the problem arises, therefore, of how to integrate a course on translation theory within the curriculum.”

Despite the negative attitude from the industry of translation towards theory, we, at the university should embed it and teach it intelligently to allow our students to be ethically responsible and aware of who they are. It is important that they will be agents of their own learning and decisions and depict the moral dimension of their professional activities once they are in the market place working .Certainly the industry tries to implant their industrial model which started since the 18th century, but in a university context we need only to court the industry and choose what is best for the students, for their psychological, social and personal development. Critical thinking is a virtue that is not privileged by industry. The latter wants students who have skills, but disinterested in their lifelong abilities and competencies. Providing such type of education could perhaps cure the disease of the long standing IDENTITY CRISIS for translators.

In terms of pedagogy, There should be mentoring , project work, case based as well as problem based methods imbedded in the approach of teaching (teaching philosophy). The teaching method that focuses on the apprenticeship principles should not be applied after the 1st year of an undergraduate program in translation. Dynamic methods implants confidence, self esteem and self concept. Still, the question remains where is teachers' abilities and competencies stand in this equation? . Hence, we are left with not only reviewing products (contents) or processes ( teaching/learning) but also human resources
 ( teachers/faculty and students alike). To review their knowledge frameworks(beliefs) and learning/teaching styles as well as characteristics.

Fouad

The International Higher Education Teaching and Learning Association (HETL)

CALL FOR PAPERS AND PRESENTATION PROPOSALS

ON TEACHING AND ADMINSTRATION TOPICS IN HIGHER EDUCATION

The International Higher Education Teaching and Learning Association (HETL) invites you to submit a proposal for a presentation at its 2014 International HETL Conference, to be held in Anchorage, in partnership with the University of Alaska Anchorage, June 8-10, 2014.  Proposals are solicited on all topics related to higher education including those involving new technologies and globalization related issues. Both scholarly and practice reports are invited. Proposals are especially favored on the conference theme: Impacts of Social and Mobile Media on Higher Education. As in our January 2013 conference at the University of Central Florida, participants will be from the gamut of academic disciplines across the arts, sciences, and professions, as well as from other administrative and staff functions delivering and supporting new technologies and approaches to learning. As with every HETL conference, we support participation from around the world. Please submit your proposal for a presentation before the July 26, 2013, deadline or simply join us as a conference attendee by registering. No proposal is required if you are attending but not presenting.   

To submit a presentation proposal go to https://www.hetl.org/2014-anchorage-conference-submission-form/ . Go to https://www.hetl.org/events/2014-anchorage-conference/  for more details on the conference.

It’s More Affordable than You May Think

The Anchorage area has many features that you will find interesting, including glaciers, majestic mountains, and a wide diversity of wildlife. The average June temperature is 16C/62F with sunny days. Airfare to Anchorage is more reasonably priced than we anticipated. For example, we discovered by checking Kayak.com that roundtrip airfare from New York to Anchorage around the time of the conference might be about $350, from London $1000, and Tokyo $1100. We anticipate that hundreds of rooms at the University of Alaska will be available for well under $100 as well as rooms at partnering hotels in Anchorage.

 We look forward to seeing you in Anchorage!

Patrick Blessinger and Charles Wankel, St. John’s University, New York
Higher Education Teaching and Learning Association

patrickblessinger@gmail.com

The issues of Knowledge Frameworks and Ideologies in a translation program?? What is it?

Kearn (2008, 2006, 2012) had widely discussed the ongoing syndrome of the ''hidden curriculum'' in translation programs worldwide. He kept asking ' How is the conception of the translation course, its development and evaluation follow certain educationally sound and professional  guidelines that suit the local context of the students/institution ? who does that? what framework(s) they base their plannings (for the program) and interventions (in the classroom)? Do they refer to  the recent and ongoing advances discipline of translation studies and translation pedagogy? do they consciously plan, design and develop their courses(teachers) or they do that intuitively and instinctively with no clear objectives to achieve? is there a follow up system to check whether these intended outcomes were indeed achieved by faculty? How do assessment fits into this? do they assess the product (text translation) or the process (learning/performance process) ????

The above questions summarise my query for this communication : The knowledge that is vehiculed in a translation classroom by faculty (including students), and the curriculum/course design and development(including assessment ) issues.

From my preliminary review of the literature in the Arab World, and apart from the publications bemoaning the 'dificiencies' of the language students (Usually EFL students) in translation, none of these works have discussed widely and qualitatively the human factor in translator training programs (faculty, teacher, students). This case has been reported in other parts of the world as well (Kelly, 2009). In the case of teacher's pedagogical competencies and knowledge of the real world of translation (in-house or freelance), we have seen various confirmation of this issue by the very few and tiny committed Arab researchers in the field of translation teaching (Atari, Fargal, Buhmaid).

 It is important that faculty in translation programs receive the guidance and support they deserve to design their courses referring to knowledge frameworks SPECIFIC to the field : Translation Studies, the profession, and its pedagogy. Sticking to other 'inherited' types of knowledge (linguistics, literature) and sue them predominantly in a translation educational context contradicts the ORIGINALITY and FACE VALUE of a respectable translation program. 

Again, the epistemological (ideological) element is of crucial importance in such a PROFESSIONALLY oriented program within an academic(university ) context. There should not be a 'hit and miss' policy when it comes to setting up translation programs. It is a respectable discipline that has confirmed its presence worldwide, although in most of cases it has been catered and shelved under language departments, wider conferences, symposia, organisations, articles , journals and books have been published by various authors worldwide. People (administrators, faculty, industry, other stakeholders) who are directly/indirectly involved need to take the issue of building translation programs and selecting adequate human resources seriously to achieve quality based performance outcomes: students being trained to find a job in translation, teachers (through an action based type of pedagogy) would be able to improve their abilities and do better each semester after receiving students feedback, and the market (local employers) will also be content with their new employees (students).

To sum up, if we work on fixing the issues '' What type of knowledge should be privileged in a translation program/classroom ?'' and '' How can we get rid of the predominance of the ' hidden curriculum' syndrome where everyone (mostly lacking translation specific curriculum/ pedagogical as well as REAL WORLD translation knowledge) tries to design and teach translation courses for students who cannot see the face validity of the courses they taking? (why I study theory? why I study contrastive studies? why I translate these texts and not those? How is what I am studying now will benefit me in my translation career  ( the 21st century job market) ???

Fouad

Highlights on pedagogical concerns in translation programs at universities in the Gulf Region.

In this communication, I would like to share with you some reflections on a series of recent interviews I had with potential employees (universities) in three universities in the Gulf zone. I was pleased to hear the panelists asking very intriguing questions that gave me an idea of the increasing interests in the region for translator training. Even, in one of those universities, the HoD asked very interesting questions about my PhD research endeavour since it was related to teaching (with technology), which I appreciated a lot.

The common  questions I received by the three universities were:

- What is the difference between teaching EFL/ESL and teaching Translation?

- How do you design and develop a course in Translation for future translators?

-How do you teach theory of translation? How to do facilitate this course : lecturing or else?

- How do you integrate technology in teaching a translation course?

- How do you evaluate your students' learning and performance (translation students) ?

- How to do you organise your training/teaching for consecutive interpreting?

As you can see, these are very specific and intriguing questions. With all honesty, I was pleased that these questions were asked . At least, as a researcher, I know where the tendencies are heading in translation programs in the region (My research paper). For the readers of thsi blogue, I would like to keep you abreast of the current orientations in the Arab world (Specifically the Gulf region).

One more conclusion I would like to add is that the stakeholders' perception about translator training in the region (apart from few ...very few ( a couple) universities) still misinterprets the complexity of the discipline and the profession.Training a future qualified and professional translator (interpreter, reviser) would lead to transformations not only at the individual level (like in the case of the language students), but also ( and mostly) at the social and economic levels. Therefore, to have an adequate program of translation that could deliver that type of outputs needs competent HUMAN RESOURCES(Faculty) and OPTIMISED/WELL DESIGNED AND DEVELOPED Curricula and pedagogies in place.

Last, we need to be aware that students (the clients) are not daft. They are digital natives and they consult social media, online forums to see what is happening in their dicipline and future profession. I am sure that they will pin point to the absence of FRESH and MARKET oriented contenst as well as qualified human resources who could respond to their aspirations. Students' demographics, in addition to TRANSLATOR WORKING PATTERNS, have changed..........So, beware !!. New contentcs and pedagogies need to be catered for to satisfy these needs as well to those of the professional and local context.

Fouad

Translator Training in Higher Education : Pedagogy, Practice, Research and Educational Technology: BA programs (Translation Majors) in the Gulf Count...

Translator Training in Higher Education : Pedagogy, Practice, Research and Educational Technology: BA programs (Translation Majors) in the Gulf Count...: Few months ago, and as part of my ongoing PhD research enquiry, I was surveying the universities which deliver degrees, diplomas or certi...

BA programs (Translation Majors) in the Gulf Countries

Few months ago, and as part of my ongoing PhD research enquiry, I was surveying the universities which deliver degrees, diplomas or certificates in Translation (and languages) in the Arab world. I was checking their websites and see : 1) if they have a course outline displaying the objectives, types of activities and assessment methods designed by faculty (or the institution ) to that specific course in translation (or interpreting); 2) if they have them, I went to examine these elements (objectives, activities and assessment methods) to check if there is an alignment between them or not (in other words: if faculty or any stakeholder involved in this course design is/are consciously and aware of the various dimensions and implications of these designed elements). Above all, implications on students learning outcomes ( I mean meaningful and significant learning outcomes, such as applying what they learnt and creating something out of it on their own).

First round of this informal survey led us to conclude that :

• Apart from very scarce universities/colleges in the Gulf countries, most of Translation or English and Translation departments have no anounced Course Outlines on their websites at all (Check Atari ( 2012); Buhmaid (1995)) on that matter. We believe, and for the sake of enhancing quality teaching/learning in the program, to display CLEAR and FUNCTIONAL/DOABLE course outlines that will give an idea about the type of teaching philosophy/approach adopted in that specific education context for translator training and weather teaching is teacher or student centred. This is an important criteria nowadays in Higher Education. Translation is a very mutifaceted discipline and it makes sense to design appropriate domain specific pedagogies to be taught and learnt.

• The contents of the surveyed translation programs seem to be geared more and more into teaching( rather than training or coaching). It is OK to teach first and second year translation students lecture based contents, but not the third year or finalists.This could be a case in the Arab World, but here in Canada soon after semester 2, students engage in the real world of translation and receive a mix of teaching at the university and training at their place of internship. Context may decide the type of pedagogical  planning we need to decide on .

•  I also noticed the amount of theory taught in the contents of these programs. This will not be helpful in the case of training future translation professionals. There is a lack of real world factor in those programs ( I hardly saw courses on ''Research methods and Documentation for translators'', '' terminology extraction '' , ''language technologies'', '' revision", '' courses on professional aspects of translation'', '' project management for translators''........................etc. It is high time to renew the contents.

• As per the pedagogical part, I am not sure yet whether  teachers (faculty) base their classroom intervention on educational approaches/models specific to translator training/ translation teaching at all ( like socio-constructivism (Kiraly, 2000, 2003), constructivism) or active pedagogies to organise practical translation work like the Problem Based Approach PBL (Cormier, 2007), or the Project Based Approach (Gouadec, 2007; Kiraly 2003, 2012).

Due to space limits, I will limit my preliminary remarks on the above four points. Perhaps I can leave the remaining points to be discussed in another post.

Minutes from the Conference I attended this week on Translation ( Practice, teaching and theory).

Between the 6th and 10th Mai 2013, Laval University (Quebec) hosted the 82nd round of the Acfas Conference (Reuniting all french speaking universities in the world). I delivered my communication on enhancing educational technology in translator training to improve teaching and learning outcomes.

It was a great experience for me. I totally enjoyed being amongst most of the members of my community/peers. We exchanged ideas and debated issues in relation to the field of translation studies, technologies for translators, translator industry and translator education and training. Further, I came to know and network with many colleagues ( professors and PhD students) here in Canada. It was great to get to know them in person instead of only reading their articles in international magazines on Translation.

This event had boosted my confidence (especially in giving conferences in french :)) ) and contextualised my progress and was also a self -evaluation test to improve my ongoing learning curve and pathway. In this conference, many issues were raised and here the ones that attracted my attention :

• It is not enough to be proficient in your subject field (only), but also on how to vehicle and monitor other types of knowledge : Pedagogy/Andragogy as well as knowledge of how to use technology in your teaching ( Given the fact we are in a knowledge based society)

• Virtual and Distance learning in translation programme : a trend of the future.

•  Seeking to innovate in curriculum and courses design (new types of contents needed)

• Multilingualism is very important as well as translating into the non-mother tongue (L2)

• Stressing the social mission of the university in training translators in Higher Education : educating socially functionning citizens that could use their abilities all along their life and not only to convert words and structures.

• Role of the Translator vis-a-vis technology: the need to emphasise the agency of the translator as a decision maker in the industry and not only a word engineer.

In brief these are the major points that were raised and discussed in the two days session I attended.

Regards

Fouad

أدوار المعلم في ظل التعليم الإلكتروني

 Teaching in a Technology based environment

Faculty role remains important........

Article extracted from  AL-SHARQ AL AWSAT newspaper  

أدوار المعلم/الأستاذ في ظل التعليم الإلكتروني

 

قد يتبادر إلى ذهن من يقرأ عنوان الموضوع أننا بإدخال تقنية الحاسب والتعليم الإلكتروني نلغي دور المعلم في العملية التربوية التعليمية. فالتعليم الإلكتروني لا يعني إلغاء دور المعلم بل يصبح دوره أكثر أهمية وأكثر صعوبة فهو شخص مبدع ذو كفاءة عالية يدير العملية التعليمية باقتدار ويعمل على تحقيق طموحات التقدم والتقنية. لقد أصبحت مهنة المعلم مزيجـًا من مهام القائد ومدير المشروع البحثي والناقد والموجه .

لا يعني التعلم الإلكتروني إلغاء دور المعلم بل يصبح دوره أكثر أهمية وأكثر صعوبة، حيث يصبح شخص مبدع ذو كفاءة عالية يدير العملية التعليمية باقتدار ويعمل على تحقيق طموحات التقدم والتقنية.

ويمكن ذكر الأدوار التي يقوم بها المعلم في نظم التعليم الإلكتروني كما جاء في بعض الأدبيات:

ما لاشك فيه أن دور المعلم سوف يبقى للأبد وسوف يصبح أكثر صعوبة من السابق, فالتعلم الإلكتروني لا يعني تصفح الإنترنت بطريقة مفتوحة ولكن بطريقة محددة وبتوجيه لاستخدام المعلومات الإلكترونية، وهذا يعتبر من أهم أدوار المعلم. ولكي يصبح دور المعلم مهماً في توجيه طلابه الوجهة الصحيحة للاستفادة القصوى من التكنولوجيا عليه أن يقوم بالأدوار التالية:

1ـ ميسر للعمليات : Process Facilitator

إن الدور الأكبر للمعلم من خلال نظم تقديم المقررات التعليمية عبر الإنترنت هو التحقق من حدوث بعض العمليات التربوية المستهدفة في أثناء ممارسة الطلاب لنشاطهم وتفاعلهم مع بعضهم البعض، فالمعلم في نظم التعلم الإلكتروني ليس ملقنًا للمعلومات بل هو ميسر للعملية التعليمية Educational Facilitator، حيث يقدم الإرشادات ويتيح للمتعلمين اكتشاف مواد التعلم بأنفسهم دون أن يتدخل في مسار تعلمهم.

2ـ مبسط للمحتوى: Content Facilitator

للمعلم دور معرفي, ولكن طبيعة هذا الدور المعرفي تختلف عما كانت عليه في الماضي, بحيث يكون التركيز على إكساب الطالب المعارف والحقائق والمفاهيم المناسبة للتدفق المعرفي المستمر للعلم, وما يرتبط من هذه المعارف من مهارات عملية وقيم واتجاهات بحيث تمكنهم من التعامل الصحيح مع هذا التدفق المعرفي والتقنيات المرتبطة به, لأن هذا يعين هؤلاء الطلاب على فهم الحاضر بتفصيلاته, وتصور المستقبل باتجاهاته والمشاركة في صناعته, وبذلك يتم إكساب الطلاب ثقافة معلوماتية تمكنهم من التعايش في مجتمع المعلوماتية الذي هو مجتمع المستقبل.

3ـ باحث Researcher :

لا يكفي قيام المعلم باتخاذ قرارات, بل عليه تقويم جهده أيضاً, والبحث الإجرائي وسيلة تحقق هذه الغاية, كما أنه يتيح الفرصة للمعلم لاكتساب المعرفة والمهارة في طرق البحث ومنهجيته, ويكون على دراية بالاختيارات واحتمالات التغيير, كما يكسبه الرؤية التأملية والناقدة لأدائه, ولعملية التدريس في كليتها.

وهذا التوجه للبحث الإجرائي يعتبر من أفضل فرص النمو المهني المنظمة والمنهجية, فالتدريس عبر الشبكات لا يخلو من مشكلات, وبالتالي عندما يسعى المعلم تلقائياً لبحث المشكلة, بغية الوقوف على أسبابها ونتائجها متبعًا المنهجية العلمية في دراستها, فإن ذلك يعود بالنفع عليه أولاً, وعلى عملية التعليم برمتها, التي تتطلب تطويراً مستمراً, نتيجة التطور المستمر للظروف المحيطة بها.

5ـ تكنولوجي: Technologist

مع التطورات التي شهدها مجال التكنولوجيا, فإن الدور التقليدي للمعلم يجب أن ينتهي أو يتغير, فهناك وفرة في المعلومات, ودور المعلم في ظل هذه الوفرة هو مساعدة المتعلمين على الإبحار في محيط المعلومات, لاختيار الأنسب, والتحليل الناقد, وتضمينه في رؤيتهم وإدراكهم للعالم من حولهم.

والتكنولوجيا تسهم في تغيير الطرق التي يتدرب من خلالها المعلمون, وكذلك طرق تعليم الطلاب, والمطلوب عمله هو القيام بدور فاعل من جانب القائمين على إعداد المعلم لإحداث هذا التغير.

6ـ مصمم للخبرات التعليمية:

للمعلم دور أساسي في تصميم الخبرات التعليمية والنشاطات التربوية، والإشراف على بعضها بما يتناسب مع خبراته وميوله واهتماماته، فهذه الأنشطة مكملة لما يكتسبه الطالب داخل قاعات الدراسات الصفية أو الافتراضية، سواء أكانت أنشطة ثقافية أم رياضية أم اجتماعية إلى غير ذلك من الأنشطة التربوية، وعلى المعلم أن يسهم بدور إيجابي في الإشراف على بعض تلك النشاطات.

7ـ مدير للعملية التعليمية:

في التعليم التقليدي يمارس المعلم دوره في ضبط نظام الصف والإمساك بزمام الأمور في كل ما يحدث داخل الصف، أما في نظم التعلم الإلكتروني فالمعلم مديرا للعملية التعليمية بأكملها، حيث يحدد أعداد الملتحقين بالمقررات الشبكية، ومواعيد اللقاءات الافتراضية على الشبكة، وأساليب عرض المحتوى، وطرق التقويم وغيره من عناصر العملية التعليمية.

والمعلم الذي يقوم بدوره القيادي في الفصول الافتراضية يجعل منها خلية عمل بفاعلية واقتدار، سواء كان ذلك على المستوى الفردي أو الجماعي، فيكرس اهتمامات الطلاب لتحقيق الأهداف المنشودة، ويأخذ بيدهم طيلة الوقت للعمل الجاد المثمر.

8ـ ناصح ومستشار:

من أهم الأدوار التي يقوم بها المعلم هو تقديم النصح والمشورة للمتعلمين، وعليه أن يكون ذا صلة دائمة و مستمرة ومتجددة مع كل جديد في مجال تخصصه، وفي طرائق تدريسه وما يطرأ على مجتمعه من مستجدات، فعليه أن يظل طالباً للعلم ما استطاع، مطلعاً على كل ما يدور في مجتمعه المحلي والعالمي من مستحدثات، حتى يستطيع أن يلبي احتياجات طلبته واستفساراتهم المختلفة، ويقدم لهم المشورة فيما يصعب عليهم، ويأخذ بيدهم إلى نور العلم والمعرفة.

منقول من جريدة الشرق الأوسط

https://sites.google.com/site/modernteachingstrategies/the-roles-of-the-teacher-in-e-learning

Learn how to process your translation and revision work critically and constructively

My new upcoming online training course (short course) ....!
To be facilitated on Proz.com.

Here is the course description:

Description

Experienced translators may do their translations intuitively and quickly than a novice or student translator. However, it is not often that translators may find the appropriate jargon and words to use to justify their choices or write conscious and justified comments in their revised or translated assignments? A professional (translator or reviser) may be asked by clients or colleagues at work to do so. Hence, it seems a valid point to add the critical thinking issue to translator competence.

Besides, having that ability may enhance professional status and earn you respect since you become a thinker as well as negotiator and text engineer. This course will take you to that stage and guide you through to think critically when you process your translation, do post-editing or revision work.

Learning objectives

At the end of this course students/participants will be able to :

• Identify and judge critically the text typologies in English and Arabic and problems that may arise in the translation process due to conventions of those texts and other contextual factors in both languages;
• Write in the proper genre and style of the text you translate into;
• Justify your choices in translating the text (for yourself and for others if you were asked to). Your choice remains relative, since nothing is absolute in the real world. This means that there are always many answers to the same problem...
• Revise consciously and constructively the translations or assignments you have been given based on insights from both theory and practice.

The link to the course/workshop..

http://www.proz.com/translator-training/course/2929-learn_how_to_process_your_translation_and_revision_work_critically_and_constructively

Focus on developing the human capacities and competencies in a translation programme

''The Human factor''  in a Translation program

Focus on the developing human capacities and competencies in a translation program

Is enhancing translation linguistic and  skills enough for a quality based translation curriculum?

What employers want from a graduate translator?

A recent research study carried out here in Canada (Université de Montreal) by Echeverri (2008), highlighted that translation companies or government organisations employing - under the internship scheme- translation students are very satisfied with the linguistic and other text based skills, but luck critical aptitudes, reflection as well as interpersonal abilities.

So, if we want to take these results and we try to review our programs, what elements should we improve?

From our research findings we noticed that most of the time attention is given to the ' objects' (contents, curriculum, courses) but not the ' human factor' (Faculty, students). For instance, there is ample literature that begs for the need to set a faculty development and training scheme(Echeverri 2008, Kelly 2005, Kearns 2006) since the type of knowledge framework that is needed inside a translation classroom differ in a way form the one delivered or discussed in a language classroom. Also, understanding 'how students of translation learn and what their learning styles are' is very important. We need to find out about students' prior knowledge about translation as a profession, practise or ' art' as some would look at it. The study plan could help us in covering this latter point, provided that it is clear, explicit and accessible by students. Also, it needs to be explained in front of students to engage them and give them a road map for their learning path. University students are adults. Educating adults require certain tact from the part of the educator.

Last you cannot teach well a translation course if  you need further training on : Pedagogy, content (Translation specific content) and real world experience knowledge bases.These three poles need to be integrated in order to reflect a translation proper educational or training scenario in a Higher Education context.

So, the 'Human Factor' rather than focusing on the content or subject matter is, to my view,  of great importance to enhance quality in translator training programs.

I welcome your thoughts on that.

fouadelkarnichi@gmail.com

Sultan Qaboos Unievrsity's 10th forum on Translation : 6th and 7th April, 2013.

Accepted communication

 (Forum organized by the English and Translation Society at Sultan Qaboos University)

ABSTRACT

Innovating in translator training: A pilot course proposal on developing professional and entrepreneurial abilities for future translators

Globalization and technology had changed the translation market upside down. We notice the emergence of many working patterns due to this change; such as the phenomenon of tele- work or online freelancing and self-employment. This practice requires a combination of both academic and business competencies. Nevertheless, as far as I know, the entrepreneurial aspect of our practice is not something that is taught within university level translation units or departments in the Arab world. Only few translation programs in the west and Europe managed to embed such type of courses as workshops or ‘elective’ course (and not as a core course), despite the fact that it is the type of competencies that employers insist on in the market place.

Our recent review of many translation programs in the Arab world does not contain courses or modules that address these types of new practices. The focus is always on developping linguistic skills and other types of cognitive abilities. In this intervention, I will introduce an innovative way of how to embed such a course in a translation program and the pedagogical approach to adopt to facilitate such a course on training students to engage in online freelancing and empower them to gain these types of meta-cognitive competencies that will accompany them for a lifetime, such as the case of setting up their own business as a team of students (an agency or company) or as an individually owned business.

NB: Due to logistical reasons, I put on hold the preparation of this communication and prepare it (perhaps ) in another context/ other type of audience.

Fouad

What type of research methdologies we need in applied translation studies ( e.g Translator Training)?

Participatory Action Research for translator trainers: A solution to consider!

As part of my PhD programme, we have been working this last semester on Qualitative Research Methodologies in Education. Through in-class seminar discussions with my cohort doctoral students, we had the chance to discuss various types of methods and approaches to a research object. Mainstream translation studies focused heavily on sociological, literary, linguistic and cognitive aspects of translation, and proposed various types of research types extracted from the field of social sciences : Mostly the positivist and 'scientific' methods whereby the purpose of research is to produce knowledge by ' the knowers' on the practitioners : teachers, translation practitioners..etc. This led to the widening of the gap between theory (detached scholars) and the practitioners (teachers/ practicing translators).

Such research models in translation studies can be listed as follows : Linguistic Model( Catford, Nida, Vinay, Newmark, Holmes); Communicative models( Neubert); Cultural models( Steiner, Venuti, Pym , Snell Hornby); Hermeneutic models( Ricoeur); functionalist ( Reiss, vermeer, Nord, chesterman); psycholinguistic models( Krings, bell); textual models( Neubert, shreve, House)..ect (Cravo,2007, p.5).

In Translation pedagogy, we would rather centralize our focus on the actors in the ground : the teacher or faculty. There is no need for the researcher ( Linguist, Researcher in sociology or cognitive psychology to TELL the teacher/faculty or even the practitioner (the artisan) how to approach his class or do translation). I believe in the capacity of the Teacher/Faculty to understand better his or her students' learning needs and interpret their ways of learning and act upon that accordingly (In collaboration with the students themselves who need to be considered as partners in the learning curve rather than passive absorbers of knowledge). Hence, I find it very crucial to introduce the notion of The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning enquiry (Schulmann, 1986; Hutchings 1999) as a method of enhancing the culture of CLASSROOM PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH  to cure a long standing plague we have been suffering from in the translation classroom. Teachers need to improve their practice via engaging in researching their own classroom practice via reflecting on their practise (Schon, 1983). This critical approach would lead teachers to : 1 )  reflect critically on the  type of knowledge they disseminate in a translation classroom; 2) and re-examine the type of teaching approach they use. 

For this to happen, there is a need for faculty to undertake  further pedagogical/disciplinary training . Training not in the sense of a course or workshop , but using video recording to record their classroom interventions and then exchange the film with peer (trained peers) to get feedback. Also, participating in one of the colleague's classroom activity as observer is also desirable ( participatory observation as a research technique). Hence, I still believe that the big divide that exists in many translation courses whereby we find faculties having different ideologies on how to manage and design a course in translation (theoretical or practical)could be resolved if faculty engage in collaborative and participatory type of scholarship of teaching and learning Inquiry whereby they act as both professional teachers and researchers....! 

Teachers who embark on teaching translation come from various backgrounds, and yet the question remains how many of them were trained on teaching translation contents, skills and competencies? (Cravo, 2007). The way I see it is that translation is a profession and its teaching approaches and methods should be fledged with the ways professionals are trained (use  active pedagogies, coaching, AND less didactics and lecturing).

This is what is called in the literature by the method of PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH . It was Stephen Corey (1953) who introduced the term in Education, and Stenhouse (1975) did embed it with Teacher Training. In the field  of Translation Studies , we have few authors who referred to this technique :

Regarding Action research initiative in Arabic-English Translation literature, we may mention Basil Hatim (2001), who stipulated that research should not be made on practitioners (teachers/ translators) but by practitioners themselves. Other researchers and scholars in translation  have similarly  argued the point that AR (Action research ) is key towards enhancing translator education as main core field of research and enquiry , such as (Cravo, 2007,  p.11) who stipulates that : '' 

''A GOOD START WOULD BE TO  HAVE TRANSLATION TEACHERS WITH KNOWLEDGE OF AR WORKING TOGETHER AND GETTING INVOLVED IN CLASSROOM RESEARCH ''

In my research, I am working on enhancing this method in a technology based environment (online learning-teaching). This environments may yield promising results and outcomes for the AR led by translation teachers in the context of higher education. The online environment is student based and focuses on creating significant learning outcomes ( in the context of Higher Education) via creating learning communities. This requires, a very active and collaborative type of intervention on the part of faculty...More facilitating and monitoring activities than teaching.

Fouad

My first participation into a TRANSLATOR TRAINING CONFERENCE using the French Language !!

Conference will be held on 8th Mai, 2013 @ the Université Laval (Quebec-Canada). 


 

On the 8th of Mai, 2013, I will be giving my first communication in FRENCH at the ACFAS conference here in Quebec (Université Laval). It is compulsory to : speak in French and present the text in the French Language. I am a bit nervous, but hey! It should be fun.

The topic I will be presenting is quite new in the field of translation teaching/training, although it has been discussed in other fields such as educational technology, distance e-learning and e-learning. It is about the migration of TRANSLATION courses' contents given by faculty in face to face classrooms into an on-line environment ( Moodle, Blackboard..etc). Research literature highlights that teaching practise in both traditional and virtual or technology enhanced environments has some similarities BUT many differences in terms of teaching approaches, technics and choice of material to address students with various learning styles and characteristics. What I will present in the conference is the conceptual part of this pedagogical operation : DESIGNING YOUR COURSE OUTLINE with clear INTENDED  learning outcomes, type of activities to operationalize these activities in collaboration with students and (last) the type of planned assessment designed by faculty to measure those intended outcomes. I will be relting in Blooms's revised taxonomy (Anderson, 2001) version,a s well as John Biggs' (1999, 2007)taxonomy of Constructive ALignment between intended learning outcomes, activities and assessments components.

All the above will be applied to the field of translator training in a university context (Higher education). I will use a Course Outline of a Translation Course called (documentary research in translation practise) given by a professor at one of the Canadian universities. I have been granted approval to use his course outline(syllabus).

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HERE IS MY ABSTRACT (IN FRENCH)

13 h 30 - 16 h 00

Après-midi

Communications orales

Présidence/animation : Marie-christine Aubin Université York

Bâtiment – Local : Pavillon Charles-de Koninck – 1261

13 h 30

Fouad EL KARNICHI Université de Sherbrooke, FOUAD EL KARNICHI Université de Sherbrooke

Que nous apprend la conversion d’un cours en mode virtuel sur la pédagogie de la traduction?

(le résumé)

L’environnement des cours en ligne nécessite des compétences spécifiques et novatrices afin de fournir des conditions d’apprentissage significatives pour l’apprenant. Dans cette communication, en lien avec notre recherche doctorale, nous allons aborder la formation dans un environnement d’apprentissage en ligne des futurs traducteurs, en prenant l’exemple d’une formation donnée en présentiel et à distance. Plus précisément, nous allons examiner, à partir d’un syllabus, les changements au niveau pédagogique et structurel qui peuvent être effectuées pendant la migration d’un cours de sa version en présentiel en une version en ligne. Des recherches en formation en ligne nous indiquent les conséquences négatives issues de la conversion des cours d’un mode à l’autre lorsqu’on n’introduit pas de changements pédagogiques dignes du nouvel environnement d'apprentissage. Nous proposerons une analyse des objectifs du cours, des activités d’apprentissage et des mesures d’évaluation dans le plan de cours, qui sera effectuée selon le principe de l’ « alignement constructif » de Biggs (2007). Nous utiliserons aussi la taxonomie de Bloom dans sa version nouvelle publiée par Krathwohl et Anderson (2001) pour traiter des types d’apprentissages ciblés (comprendre, appliquer, évaluer, créer). Notre intention est d’adapter ces critères au contexte de formation des traducteurs dans un environnement en ligne et de présenter nos premières conclusions sur la conversion des cours en mode virtuel.

Fouad