Evaluating the effectiveness of translation technology training in Iran: A perception-based mixed methods study

The effect of fluency strategy training on interpreter trainees’ speech fluency: Does content familiarity matter?

Fluency, comprehensibility, and accentedness are considered important parameters of interpreting quality but have rarely been studied systematically in training programs of interpreting. Therefore, the present study was set up to investigate the effect of fluency training on speech fluency, comprehensibility, and accentedness of interpreter trainees. Two groups of interpreter trainees at a university in Iran took part in the study, receiving the same amount of instruction and practice (12 hours over 4 weeks). The experimental group (N = 30) spent 33% of the time (i.e., 4 of the 12 hours in the training program) on dedicated fluency strategy training, encouraging the memorization, repetition, and retelling of audio and video materials. The remaining 67% was spent on training general speaking skills. The control group (N = 30) were only taught general speaking skills in the training program but received no dedicated fluency training. Systematic interviews were run to assess the interpreter trainees’ speech fluency, comprehensibility and accentedness, which were judged independently by three expert raters at three moments of testing, i.e., pretest, immediate posttest, and delayed posttest (one month later). The findings revealed that the fluency training significantly enhanced the interpreter trainees’ fluency, and to a lesser extent the students’ comprehensibility but had only a marginal effect on accentedness. The pedagogical implication would be that awareness training on speech fluency in EFL settings be included in interpreting training programs.

Objectives: About 5% of the world’s population suffer from bipolar disorder. These people, in general, and teachers in particular, have many personal, social, and working problems. Different approaches, such as positive thinking, have been suggested to cope with such issues. Moreover, professional identity, similar to general identity, has been applied in various ways in teacher and instructor training. Using a basic interpretive design, we explored perceptions of English foreign language (EFL) teachers with bipolar disorder and the effectiveness of a training course on positive thinking on their professional identity. Methods: The participants consisted of 25 (16 males and 9 females) bipolar EFL teachers who were purposefully selected from EFL teachers teaching in private language institutes in Kerman City, Iran. A bipolar spectrum diagnostic scale and a semi-structured interview were used to collect the study data. Also, a positive thinking training course was developed to be administered in ten 60-minute sessions. Results: Regarding the effectiveness of the positive thinking training course on professional identity, the output of a thematic analysis of the interviews conducted with bipolar EFL teachers were as follows: Improvement in communicative and motivational skills, enhancement of willingness to reach professional development and classroom management skills, working on English language proficiency, seeking the best teaching methods, attention to students’ needs, enhancement of verbal skills, and reducing teaching fear. Discussion: The research results help people participate in bipolar tests and psychological studies and strive for their mental health. It will also create a spirit of hope in patients. The findings have some implications for EFL teacher education administrators and bipolar EFL teachers. Training on positive thinking skills can contribute to positive changes and orientations in EFL bipolar teachers, reconstructing their professional identity.

The Evaluation Effectiveness of Training Courses in University by Kirkpatrick Model (Case Study: Islamshahr University)

The paper presents an overview of assessment and revision in the field of translation, particularly in the contexts of professional translation and translator training. Central elements and aspects of assessment and revision are discussed, including equivalence-based and functional theoretical frameworks, potential objects of assessment, such as the institutional organization of translation, the translation process, the translator and the translation, and, finally, the stages and methods of assessment. In conclusion, some trends in assessment that seem to be present in the translation market and translator training are outlined and some tentative recommendations for assessment in translator training are given.

The present study examines the effect of feedback (FB) and feedforward (FF) in prosody instruction for developing listening comprehension skills in the nonnative language by interpreter trainees, using a pretest–posttest–delayed posttest design. Three groups of 25 interpreter trainees at Bu‐Ali Sina University in Iran took part in the study, all groups receiving the same amount of instruction (10 h over 5 weeks). The control group listened to/viewed authentic audio recordings and movies in English, discussed their contents, and completed a variety of listening comprehension tasks but received no prosody instruction. The first experimental group spent part of the time on theoretical explanation of, and practical exercises with, English prosody by an instructor by providing FB when teaching prosody while the second experimental group was provided FF when teaching prosody. Versions of Longman's Test of English as a Foreign Language English proficiency test (paper‐based) were used to assess listening comprehension at pretest, immediate posttest and delayed posttest. The findings revealed that the prosody instruction by providing FB enhanced the listening comprehension skills of the interpreter trainees more than by providing FF. The practical implications of the study would be that in the given circumstances where only limited curricular time is available for instruction and practice, a judicious choice can be made to lend priority to providing FB in prosody instruction for developing listening comprehension skills by interpreter trainees rather than to the providing FF.

Introduction: Health organizations are required to raise people’s awareness about foodborne diseases and to control and prevent these diseases. Training courses held by guilds are aimed to enhance food hygiene in the society. The present study was conducted to determin the effect of training courses on the awareness, attitude, and performance of confectionery, bakery, and restaurant workers. Materials and Methods: In this semi-experimental research, 120 individuals in charge of preparing, distributing, and selling food in Yazd City were selected by random sampling method. The participants' awareness, attitude, and performance levels were measured before and after the training courses using a valid and reliable questionnaire. Data were analyzed by SPSS.16 software using ANOVA statistical tests and pair t-test. Results: The mean age of the participants was 31.95 ± 9.57 years. Following implementation of the training courses, the participants' average scores increased significantly in terms of awareness, performance, and attitude (p ˂ 0.001). Moreover, education, age, type of responsibility, as well as work experience had a significant relationship with the workers' awareness, attitude, and performance (p ˂ 0.05). Conclusion: Training courses conducted by guilds improved the awareness level of participants, especially bakery operators, enhanced attitude of participants, especially sellers, and improved hygiene performance of the operators in various fields, including food hygiene. Thus, such training courses should be conducted for each profession category and each job position separately. Every businessmen should be required to pass these courses every two years.

Selected papers from this second conference on Translator and Interpreter Training. With contributions from five continents, the articles deal with global challenges, taking into account the role of the translator in societies knit together by one tongue and those in which languages are the repostitories of national cultures, such as India. The main merit of this volume is that it shows how translator training is tackled in the main translator training courses around the world, what requirements are made on the students and what solutions are given. The various approaches provide a wealth of translator training ideas. Complementing the first volume of papers from the Language International conference, this second volume deals with a wide variety of aspects in this interdisciplinary field of study: dubbing, subtitling, simultaneous/consecutive interpreting, court interpreter training, linguistic features, cognitive aspects, cultural aspects, terminology and specialisation, computeraided translation in practice, translation procedures at the European Commission, etc.

In some undergraduate five-year translator training programmes, the first two years are devoted to language training, and the following three years to linguistics and translator training courses. However, there is a growing concern among EFL instructors and translator trainers in Arab university English departments about an apparent decline in their 4th-year and 5th-year trainees’ L2 reading comprehension skills. The question that should be addressed then by both EFL and translation instructors is whether students’ L2 reading skills continue to develop after they proceed from the language training component to their linguistics and translator training courses. This cross-sectional study examines the performance of 32 subjects, drawn from the language training component, and the linguistics and translator training components in the five-year translator training programme at King Saud University, on two L2 reading comprehension tests. The study also examines their reading strategies through the use of the think-aloud technique. Results show that there is no differentiation in strategy use among the different level groups (i.e., Level 4 from the language component, Level 6 from the linguistics component, and Levels 8 and 10 from the translator training component), and that both higher level and lower level groups become entangled in bottom-up lower-level language-based text processing strategies. The macro-textual issues (i.e., top-down higher-level knowledge-based text processing) such as knowledge of text type, anticipation of content, integration of ideas, inferencing, etc. seem to be overlooked in current translator training courses at King Saud University.

This study examines the impact of lifelong learning on the professional lives of employed and unemployed individuals. Lifelong learning is a crucial factor in securing employment or enhancing one’s existing career prospects. To achieve this objective, this study proposes the implementation of a multi-criteria decision support system for the evaluation of training courses in accordance with their capacity to enhance the employability of the students. The methodology is delineated in four stages. Firstly, a ‘working life curve’ was defined to provide a quantitative description of an individual’s working life. Secondly, an analysis based on K-medoids clustering defined a control group for each individual for comparison. Thirdly, the performance of a course according to each of the four predefined criteria was calculated using a t-test to determine the mean performance value of those who took the course. Ultimately, the unweighted TOPSIS method was used to evaluate the efficacy of the various training courses in relation to the four criteria. This approach effectively addresses the challenge of using extensive datasets within a system while facilitating the application of a multi-criteria unweighted TOPSIS method. The results of the multi-criteria TOPSIS method indicated that training courses related to the professional fields of administration and management, hostel and tourism and community and sociocultural services have positive impact on employability and improving the working conditions of citizens. However, courses that demonstrate the greatest effectiveness in ranking are the least demanded by citizens. The results will help policymakers evaluate the effectiveness of each training course offered by the regional government.

Aim. To analyze current approaches to organizing training courses at the stage of adaptation of young professionals to working conditions in pharmacies and assess their effectiveness. Materials and methods. The study was based on the analysis, generalization, and systematization, as well as sociological (survey), statistical, descriptive, and graphical methods. The study object was the system of organizing training for young pharmacy specialists at the stage of professional adaptation. An online survey of 2,260 pharmacy employees who underwent specialized training at the educational center of the company “Pharmacy 9-1-1” during 2023–2025 was conducted. Results. The main conditions and directions of the pharmaceutical personnel adaptation in the workplace have been studied. A comprehensive assessment of the content and effectiveness of the training course on the adaptation of new pharmacy employees, which is conducted at the corporate training center of the company “Pharmacy 9-1-1” according to a specially developed program and is aimed at developing the competencies of pharmacists in accordance with the current requirements of professional standards and the labor market, has been conducted. Based on the results of the survey, a comprehensive assessment of the satisfaction of the information needs of the trainees and the achievement of specific goals, the content of the training course and the pedagogical skills of the trainer/teacher has been made; and problematic issues in the organization of training and areas for improving the adaptation program have been identified. It has been found that the vast majority of specialists (96.2 %) achieved the desired learning outcomes. The optimal organization of training (professional, substantive, modern) has been also emphasized, in particular in terms of remote access, using modern information and communication technologies. The analysis shows that applicants highly appreciate not only the process of acquiring important knowledge, skills, and abilities, but also the provision of appropriate psychological support, which instills love for the profession, respect for colleagues and company ideals, confidence in oneself and one’s choice, which ultimately motivates them to achieve high results, self-development, and dedication to the profession. Conclusions. The relevance of the implementation of projects on the adaptation, training, and development of the personnel is due to dynamic changes in legislation and the development of innovative technologies, which requires constant updating of knowledge and the formation of new digital competencies. Training courses and workshops for new pharmacy employees not only contribute to the professional development of the staff, but also increase the company’s competitiveness, ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, promote digital transformation, and form a qualified and loyal team capable of providing a high level of pharmaceutical care.

In this chapter, we focus on technology training in institutional translation. The issue is discussed from several viewpoints, i.e. types of lifelong learning, actual competences with respect to translation technology, and their representation, e.g. in the European Master’s in Translation (EMT) Competence framework, as well as translators’ preferences. It is also intended to cover a variety of institutional settings, although special emphasis is placed on the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Translation (DGT) and the European Parliament’s Directorate-General for Translation (DG TRAD). The chapter also discusses the role of training linked with the translation process in its broader sense and with the issue of continuing professional development (CPD) and up-/re-skilling. The findings of a survey carried out among institutional translators underscore the evolving profile of the institutional translator, which encompasses an increasing technological dimension. They also indicate that training in translation technology is considered crucial by institutions as well as by institutional translators. Furthermore, the survey has highlighted the need for more frequent, focused, expert training tailored to the needs of specific groups within institutions.

The present study aimed at determining whether there existed any significant differences among different Translation Studies (TS) research areas in Asian as well as European journals. This study focused on the twelve main areas of TS listed by Williams and Chesterman (2002). To do so, six TS journal (three Asian and three European ones) were selected based on simple random sampling. Then, out of each journal, twenty articles were selected through simple random sampling. Having determined the corresponding TS research areas, each paper was placed in one of the twelve listed research areas. The results of the frequency analyses showed statistically significant differences among the frequencies of TS research areas in Asian and European journals (p < 0.05). While the most frequent research areas in Asian journals were 'Translator Training', 'Interpreting', and 'The Translation Process', the most frequent research areas in European journals were observed to be 'Genre Translation', 'Text Analysis and Translation', 'Translation History', and 'The Translation Process' The results also revealed that 'Multimedia Translation' and 'Terminology and Glossaries' were among the least frequent research areas, both in Asian and European journals.

Development of training courses for producers could create a basis for management of sustainable development in greenhouse productions. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of training courses on improving managerial skills of greenhouse owners. This study used a descriptive and correlation survey method in which the population of the study included greenhouse owners in South-Baraan district, Isfahan Township. The considered population consisted of 180 greenhouses. According to Cochran's formula, the sample size for this population was estimated at 72. Sampling was performed randomly. The research tool was a questionnaire, which its validity was approved by using some university professors’ opinions. Reliability of the questionnaire was determined by Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient (0.88). Data were analyzed using SPSS software. The results showed that from the point of view of greenhouse owners, technical educations had the greatest impact on improving their management skills. Results of multiple regression (stepwise method) showed that training courses such as: appropriate methods of irrigation, appropriate methods of harvest product, membership in organizations and appropriate methods of use the formal credit had positive role in improving the managerial skills of greenhouse owners and explain 50.03% of changes in dependent variable.

PurposeDue to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 in Taiwan, we have adapted the face-to-face Life Design course to a blended learning approach with educational technology to cope with the problem of cross-generational confusion and anxiety towards later life from learners.The objectives of this study are to.evaluate learners’ reactions after attending the Life Design course including their level of satisfaction, engagement (Level 1), and the applicability of courses in their life.evaluate their learning outcomes after attending the Life Design course, such as their acquisition of knowledge, skills, attitudes, confidence, commitment (Level 2), and behavioral changes (Level 3).explore the factors that enable and prevent students from transferring their learning in this course to the action taking and making behavioral changes.explore how the application of educational technology can enhance the teaching and learning in the Life Design course.MethodsThis study used an action research method to solve two main problems we identified in practice: students’ confusion about their future life and the shortcomings of traditional teaching methods, which cannot meet the learning needs of this type of course due to the requirement of intensive personal reflection and self-disclosure. Participants were 36 master’s students who completed the Life Design course. Based on this course's design, implementation, and evaluation, we used the new Kirkpatrick Learning Assessment Model (Kirkpatrick J, Kirkpatrick WK. An introduction to the new world Kirkpatrick Model. Kirkpatrick Partners, 2021) to analyze the learning effectiveness on the Reaction, Learning, and Behavioral levels.ResultsTo facilitate learners to overcome the cross-generational confusion of their life design and solve the shortage of face-to-face teaching methods, we took biographical learning as the core theme for this Life Design course and designed online and offline learning activities. The blended learning approach with educational technology allowed us to go beyond time and location constraints and provide a holistic and inseparable learning experience in both formats. The result of the evaluation shows that students who took the Life Design course were highly satisfied with the overall course design, topics, and the suitability of a blended learning approach, which motivated them to extend their learning outside the classroom and helped them benefit from a more trusted, personal and hybrid interaction with teachers and their peers both online and offline. On the learning level, students not only learned the correct knowledge of age perspectives, changed their views of career and personal development, and acquired skills for life design, but were also confident and committed to applying what they have learned in their future life. After the course, many students applied and integrated the learning into behavioral changes in their life. In terms of the difficulties and hindrances encountered in action taking, many students mentioned the lack of peers’ support and constraints from their busy daily life. Many suggested providing extra support after the course with regular impulse, follow-ups, and individual feedback from teachers and peers in an online learning community. This indicates how educational technology can better support these elements in continuous learning and the transfer of learning.ConclusionBased on these results, we affirm that implementing this Life Design course with a blended learning approach is indeed better than a fully physical course. However, the focus of a blended learning approach should be on learners from a pedagogical perspective rather than technology.