Exploring Cognitive Teaching Approaches for Inclusive Translation Online Classes: A Case Study During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

This study explored teachers’ lived experiences of teaching translation inclusively online for the first time during the lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic. The participants teach English and translation in the English Department, College of Languages and Translation, at Imam Mohammed Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Data were collected using a 5-point Likert questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. The study delved into the teaching approaches that teachers used to achieve course objectives, and the technology tools they embedded into the Learning Management System (LMS). The results indicated (73%) positive experiences, with (86.8%) finding the LMS effective for delivering instructional plans and (78.5%) reporting an increase in awareness of continuous technology education. The emergent themes of cognitive approaches included project-based instruction (89%), collaborative techniques (71%), conference-based strategies (64%), and constructivist approaches (50%). The results also showed improvements in students’ translation skills (80.7%), linguistic abilities (83.2%), social skills (78.5%), communicative skills (65.1%), and psychometric abilities (78.3%), indicating the positive effects of technology on cognitive domains. The findings illustrated that adopting effective instructional methods and integrating operative technological tools can significantly contribute to delivering enriched online content. The study recommends integrating Cultural Translation and Interpretation Studies (CTIS) and Cognitive Translation Studies (CTS) into professional development programs to enhance innovative teaching approaches for online settings. Consequently, the study contributes to language and translation education and technology by presenting an inclusive model that emphasizes the importance of incorporating translation theories, teaching methodologies, and appropriate technologies for effective online teaching.