Incorporating social responsibility into translator training through situated learning in translation projects: making room for a sustainable learning environment

Abstract

ABSTRACT The majority of previous studies focused on the role of social responsibility (SR) in business settings, however, how to incorporate SR into translation training appears to be unexplored. This study concerns incorporating SR authentic activities into translator training through situated learning in translation projects. It investigates how incorporating SR into translator training benefits the development and learning of translation students and preserves a sustainable learning environment. The aim is twofold: to gain a deep understanding of the processes of development and implementation of SR initiatives at translator training, and to reflect on the adoption of Participatory Action Research (PAR) in this context. A representative sample of final-year translation students at a public university in Saudi Arabia completed two distinct types of authentic translation tasks and turned in final project reports. The qualitative findings indicated that students’ attitudes toward SR were generally positive. They further revealed that collaborative project-based education is a very effective way to improve translation and generic skills and increase awareness of SR necessary for learning sustainability. In light of the findings, valuable pedagogical insights for university and curriculum designers to create or adapt curricula for situated translator training in line with learning sustainability are recommended.