Mock Conference Research Articles

MOCK CONFERENCE IN PRE-SERVICE TRANSLATORS TRAINING

The given research deals with one of the most important issues related to pre-service translators’ training such as both language and professional skills development in Kazakhstani settings. Thus, skills in oral translation from English into Kazakh and/or Russian and vice versa are in pretty high demand these days that is why one of the aims of Translation and interpreting internship course is to develop the consecutive translation skills of pre-service translators. So, to imitate the conditions of interpreters’ work we conducted the mock conference dedicated to the main problems of Translation studies and Linguistics in the frame of the above mentioned course. The main idea of this case study was to involve our students into both research and professional activity as well as to develop their language and consecutive translation skills. Our research population included 47 students who worked both as presenters and interpreters in the frame of the mock conference procedure. Then we conducted the opinion survey using the online tools provided by the Moodle platform (in our case, the option of Critical incident survey had been chosen as the most appropriate one).

INCORPORATING CRUCIAL TRANSFERRABLE LIFE-LONG SKILLS IN AN UNDERGRADUATE ADVANCED ENGLISH COURSE AT SOUTH EAST EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY

This paper gives an insight into the practical experience of designing and implementing an Advanced English course offered to first year undergraduate students from all Faculties at South East European University which included a research project as a grading component and resulted in an undergraduate student mock conference. It elaborates on the rationale behind the need for incorporating crucial, transferable, life-long skills that students can put to an immediate use during their undergraduate studies, but also skills they can use long after graduating and leaving SEEU. The paper also offers a detailed account of the practical day-to-day challenges faced by both language teachers and students. The peer- and self-evaluation completed at the end of the course reveal overlooked issues that require more attention, modifications and adaptations in the future. Along the way students were made aware of the importance of choosing the most appropriate research method, meticulously citing every source used, distinguishing between editing (as a process that begins as soon as one starts writing) and proofreading (as the activity left for the very end of the writing process when one double or even triple checks that everything is the way it should be before the research report is handed in), and avoiding plagiarism by summarising, paraphrasing and quoting. The Academic skills and research conference offered students practice in giving a well-structured presentation, whereas the follow-up self-evaluation helped them identify areas of possible improvements.Hopefully, thanks to this long and challenging, but also rewarding process, when asked to conduct research on a certain issue, present the results, draw conclusions and recommend a possible course of action or offer possible solutions, the students’ immediate reaction will be: “A-ha, No problem! Been there-done that! I know exactly what I am supposed to do, and I know how to do it!”

УЧЕБНЫЕ КОНФЕРЕНЦИИ ОЧНО И ОНЛАЙН КАК ИНСТРУМЕНТ ОБУЧЕНИЯ УСТНОМУ ПОСЛЕДОВАТЕЛЬНОМУ ПЕРЕВОДУ

The article provides a comparative analysis of online and offline mock conferences with consecutive interpreting in terms of their learning potential. Describing four online conferences and an offline conference for triangulation, the author addresses organizational and technical aspects, interpreters’ delivery and the quality of the target texts. Based on the mock conference video recordings, reports and participants’ comments, the author concludes that the challenges met by beginner student interpreters online and offline are comparable, adjusted for technical requirements and interaction with the audience. Online mock conferences are an efficient addition to offline conferences in interpreter training

코로나19 상황에서의 통번역대학원 원격 모의회의 수업 경험에 관한 사례연구

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on education. As classes moved online to avoid campus outbreaks, teachers and students struggled to make remote learning work. This study examines the experiences of interpreter trainers of mock-conference courses during the pandemic. In-depth interviews with two teachers were carried out to uncover insight into the impact of the pandemic on mock conference, a course that heavily relies on the use of simulation and role play to link classroom activities to real-life practice. Despite the limitations of online learning tools, the trainers adapted to the new norm by adopting resourceful ways to give remote students “as close to the real experience as possible.” Meanwhile, the two trainers identified “new tools fit for the course’s main learning outcomes” and “student support infrastructure” as primary areas in need for assistance. Student feedback from course evaluations was also analyzed to increase the credibility of the findings. This study is expected to help interpreter trainers navigate through the crisis and provide a possible way towards effective online training of future interpreters.

Interprofessional training for student conference interpreters and students of political science through joint mock conferences: an assessment

ABSTRACT Interprofessional training is not uncommon in interpreting programmes but seems to be mainly practised in dialogue interpreting. This study reports on an interprofessional training session for conference interpreters and students of political science. A six-hour joint mock conference is annually organised at Ghent University by international students of political science andinterpreted by students of conference interpreting. After one such conference, questionnaires were administered to both groups to gauge experiences, quality perception and learning outcomes for conference interpreters. Findings revealed that students of conference interpreting appreciated the moderately student-centred approach and assessed the learning outcomes very positively, especially because the students of political science challenged their skills. Students of political science assessed the quality of interpretation positively. Relay and retour interpreting seem to cause some disruption. Regarding the three goals of interprofessional training – to give professional groups an opportunity to learn about, with and from each other – students of conference interpreting took the opportunity to learn with the political science group during the meeting, but appeared more reluctant to engage with them and learn from them duringperiods created for exchanges. In the concluding section, we suggest some remedies on how this learning could be maximised in future exercises.

Mock Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice Conference to Support Learning in Pre-Licensure Nursing Students.

This column shares the best evidence-based strategies and innovative ideas on how to facilitate the learning and implementation of EBP principles and processes by clinicians as well as nursing and interprofessional students. Guidelines for submission are available at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1741-6787 Evidence-based practice (EBP) is an essential element of quality nursing care and education programs. However, nursing students do not seem to grasp the importance of learning EBP, as evidenced by a lack of competency in their clinical roles (Melnyk et al., 2018). Within the seven steps in the EBP process (Table 1), it was found that nursing students’ most needed improvement is with the competencies of “critical appraisal of published research” and “evaluation and synthesis of evidence” (Melnyk, Fineout-Overholt, Stillwell, & Williamson, 2010; Melnyk et al., 2018). One common way to teach critical appraisal skills and evaluation of evidence competencies is through the use of journal clubs (Ahmadi et al., 2012). Journal clubs are educational tools used to foster critical appraisal skills, encourage EBP, and disseminate new findings, typically through discussion of an article (Topf et al., 2017). This teaching strategy has been around since the mid-1800s and has since taken on a number of forms, ranging from face-to-face meetings to interactions via online, social media platforms (Rosenthal & Rosenthal, 2017; Topf et al., 2017). Incorporating the concepts of the journal club, this column will describe an innovating teaching strategy using a live “mock” nursing research and EBP conference in a pre-licensure nursing program. The objectives were to (a) engage students in current nursing research and EBP and (b) develop their critical appraisal and evaluation skills. Whereas traditional journal clubs discuss current, published literature (Topf et al., 2017), the mock conference included presentations on projects currently in process by PhD and DNP students. The mock conference took place during the EBP course in a pre-licensure nursing program halfway through the semester. The beginning of the semester was spent providing an overview of the EBP process using the Iowa Model of EBP as a guide (Buckwalter et al., 2017). As an integral component of EBP, much didactic time was spent reviewing non-research and research methodologies and how to critically appraise articles. Standard critical appraisal tools that also include clear descriptions and directions on how to assess an article’s level and quality were used to further guide students (Dearholt & Dang, 2012). The concepts of validity, reliability, and applicability of evidence were discussed in didactic lectures, and examples were provided by the course faculty. Course faculty served as the moderator for the conference. Each presenter had 15 min to discuss their project, with time allotted for questions. Presenters were at various stages in their projects, ranging from beginning protocol development to finalized results, with a variety of methodologies and topics presented. Brochures with presenters’ biographies and evaluation forms were distributed to students. Within the brochures, students were asked to rate presentations on a 5-point Likert scale of 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent). This provided students with experience in evaluating speakers, a component of real nursing conferences. Evaluations were provided to the presenters for feedback. To improve the students’ critical appraisal and evaluation skills, students were asked to (a) identify the methodology used, (b) describe the overall purpose, (c) describe the population and setting, and (d) describe how outcomes were measured. Lastly, students were asked to rate the overall mock conference on the same 5-point Likert scale. I thought this was super interesting and a great way to solidify some of the research concepts we have been learning! It gave us examples in what we are studying, while giving students a chance to practice presentations on their research. Great collaboration! This was a great experience. As a student interested in research, this mock conference sparked further interest into future work. The presenters’ enthusiasm for their work is contagious! This conference was helpful in demonstrating multiple facets of ‘real-world’ application of research and EBP. PhD and DNP students commented that they appreciated the opportunity to practice presenting their projects and that it gave them confidence and helpful feedback for the future. The mock conference, a new twist on the journal club, was a mutually beneficial activity that improved pre-licensure students’ critical appraisal and evaluation skills and provided a forum for PhD and DNP students to practice presenting their project. Based off of feedback from the first mock conference, a PhD and DNP student panel was added where pre-licensure students could ask questions about the two doctoral programs. Future conferences may expand to add faculty and clinicians from the health system, as well as poster presentations.

Examining the Effectiveness of Simulated Interpreting Projects: Students’ Perspectives

In recent decades, bridging the gap between university-based interpreting teaching and industry needs has been increasingly important as an emerging area of interpreter education and training. Many interpreter educators and practitioners have introduced authentic interpreting practices (e.g. mock conference, role-play, conference observation, field training) into their classrooms and received positive feedback from student interpreters. This study investigates the use of simulated interpreting projects, which have been designed by the interpreter trainer to make student interpreters’ learning more stimulating and effective. Findings from this empirical study have demonstrated that the simulated interpreting projects not only enhanced student interpreters’ skills for and knowledge about the interpreting profession, but also cultivated their vocational skills and investigation capabilities which are crucial for many other professions. This research contributes to the current understanding of enhancing student interpreters’ learning experience via real-life activities. It introduces a fresh perspective for designing an investigative learning model for student interpreters. It also has practical implications for interpreting pedagogy, offering theoretical and empirical support for the changing attitudes and approaches in interpreter education and training.

Mock Conference’s Impact on Internalizing Translating and Interpreting Learners’ Motivation

The internalization of motivation in second/foreign language (L2) learning and the use of mock conferences (MCs) to prepare Translating and Interpreting learners for future professional careers have been widely researched by scholars, but whether mock conference can facilitate the internalization of T&I learners’ motivation are under-researched. Based on Self Determination Theory (SDT), this thesis investigates the effectiveness of MC in facilitating internalization of motivation through an empirical study which involves a two-week long pedagogical experiment on two parallel classes of T&I learners taught by the same teacher in their first year of graduate study at Graduate School of Translation and Interpretation, Beijing Foreign Studies University. The research shows that compared with traditional teacher-centered teaching model, MCs can better facilitate internalization of T&I learners’ motivation. This article justifies the use of MCs as a situated approach in interpreting teaching and describes the design of MCs according to the psychological needs of Self Determination Theory (SDT). In addition, the paper offers suggestions for further improvement of mock conference’s design at postgraduate level.Key words: second/foreign language (L2) acquisition; mock conference; self-determination; internalization of motivation

The mock conference as a teaching tool: Role‐play and “conplay” in the classroom

AbstractIn our ostensibly secular age, discussing the real‐world contexts and impacts of religious traditions in the classroom can be difficult. Religious traditions may appear at different times to different students as too irrelevant, too personal, or too inflammatory to allow them to engage openly with the materials, the issues, and each other. In this “Design & Analysis” article Aaron Ricker describes an attempt to address this awkward pedagogical situation with an experiment in role‐play enacted on the model of a mock conference. This description is followed by four short responses by authors who have experimented with this form of pedagogy themselves. In “Conplay,” students dramatize the wildly varying and often conflicting approaches to biblical tradition they have been reading about and discussing in class. They bring the believers, doubters, artists, and critics they have been studying into the room, to interact face‐to‐face with each other and the class. In Ricker's experience, this playful and collaborative event involves just the right amount of risk to allow high levels of engagement and retention, and it allows a wide range of voices to be heard in an immediate and very human register. Ricker finds Conplay to be very effective, and well worth any perceived risks when it comes to inviting students to take the reins.

Virtual virus, a semester-long interdisciplinary project on the crossroads of creativity and knowledge integration.

Virtual virus is a semester-long interdisciplinary project offered as part of upper level elective course in virology. Students are challenged to apply key concepts from multiple biological sub-disciplines to 'synthesize' a plausible virtual virus. The project is executed as a scaffolded series of hands-on sessions and mini-projects that are integrated into continuous story leading to mock conference presentation and comprehensive report modeling article publication. It complements classroom instruction helping students to meet overarching learning targets traditionally associated undergraduate virology courses such as viral structure and function, mode of viral propagation and flow of genetic information and virus/host interactions on the cellular and organismal level. Formal instructor and informal peer feedback were used as tools to prompt reflection and guide revisions of the final report. Student learning gains and attitudes toward the approach were studied by evaluating project work product and end of the semester survey. Outcome analysis demonstrated that students exit the course with elaborated conceptual understanding of viruses and ownership of their work. The project can be viewed as an approach to model the process of scientific discovery in fast-forward mode by combining active learning, creativity and problem solving to assemble and communicate a virtual virus story.

Mock conference as a situated learning activity in interpreter training: a case study of its design and effect as perceived by trainee interpreters

The use of mock conferences (MCs) to prepare student interpreters for future professional careers has been repeatedly mentioned by interpreting studies scholars, yet the systematic design of MCs and their teaching effects are under-researched. This article justifies the use of MCs as a situated approach in interpreting teaching and describes the principles and procedures of MC design before reporting on a case study of their teaching effects. Data were collected through web-based questionnaires from 15 second-year graduate trainees of interpreting. The trainees rated MCs as good, beneficial and stimulating experiences, and their ratings were positively correlated to frequencies of their interpreting at MCs. Findings indicate that skills concerning professionalism, psychological competence, strategic competence and many other non-linguistic dimensions may be better acquired at MCs than in traditional interpreting classes. Those areas of competences concur with the pedagogical advantages of MCs reported by trainees. The trainees suggested improving the authenticity and pedagogical progression, and videotaping their performances for reflection, with a view to better design of the MCs in which they had been involved. This study has significant implications for preparing trainee interpreters for their future professional life through the use of MCs.

Applying Sociocultural Theory to Teaching Statistics for Doctoral Social Work Students

This article describes the development of two doctoral-level multivariate statistics courses utilizing sociocultural theory, an integrative pedagogical framework. In the first course, the implementation of sociocultural theory helps to support the students through a rigorous introduction to statistics. The second course involves students developing and testing their own hypotheses on secondary data sets, writing conference abstracts, and presenting at a mock conference. Quantitative and qualitative data from student feedback highlight the impact of this course, and findings from a short survey of doctoral programs suggest the widespread need for an effective approach to teaching doctoral-level statistics. The course model presented can be easily implemented in other doctoral programs of social work.

Enhancing professional writing skills of veterinary technology students: linking assessment and clinical practice in a communications course

Veterinary technology is an emerging profession within the veterinary and allied animal health fields in Australia and affords graduates the opportunity to contribute to the small but growing body of literature within this discipline. This study describes the introduction of a contextualised assessment task to develop students’ research capability, competence and confidence in professional writing, and to engage them with the academic publishing process. Students worked in self-selected dyads to author a scientific case report, of publishable standard, based on authentic cases from their clinical practicum. Intrinsic to the task, students attended a series of workshops that explored topics such as critiquing the literature, professional writing styles and oral presentation skills. Assessment was multi-staged with progressive feedback, including peer review, and culminated with students presenting their abstracts at a mock conference. Students reported the task to be an enjoyable and valuable learning experience which improved their competence and confidence in scientific writing; supported by a comparison of previously submitted work. Linking scientific writing skills to clinical practice experiences enhanced learning outcomes and may foster the professionalisation of students within this emerging discipline.

4. A Learner-Centred Mock Conference Model for Undergraduate Teaching

This essay describes a mock conference model of instruction suitable for use in undergraduate teaching, and which adheres to principles of learner-centred instruction and universal design for learning. A staged process of learner preparation for the conference is outlined, and student and instructor roles during preconference, conference, and post-conference periods are described. The model is not discipline-specific or course level-specific and may be utilized in a variety of teaching contexts. I have implemented this model in a first-year undergraduate course, where students presented conference-style oral presentations and virtual poster presentations, and I guided them along the staged preparation process. Potential benefits of this model include fostering the development of self-directed autonomous learners by prompting students to take responsibility for their own learning, and providing students with diverse learning preferences and needs with equal opportunities to succeed by imparting variety and flexibility into the way in which course material is presented.

Thinking, Doing, and Writing International Relations Theory

This article describes an experientially based approach to the teaching/ learning of international relations (IR) theory. The course is designed with the pedagogical goal of decentering the classroom, which implies taking the focus off of the instructor and creating a more collaboratively oriented learning environment. Students actively engage in peer editing, and review of one another’s written work, they work in small discussion/interpretive circles, they utilize the class website to create an international issues forum, they design, format, and participate in a mock conference at the end of the semester, and their capstone project involves the creation of their own IR theory writing portfolio. The theoretical perspectives of realism, liberalism, globalism, constructivism, feminism, and postmodernism are introduced as a series of ‘‘lenses’’ through which students will view various international issues, problems, and events. Our operative premise is that all international events are given meaning by their interpreters; therefore, the lens through which we view the world is crucial. This course is designed to introduce students to the work of the IR theorist in a collaborative and actively engaged educational setting.