FROM CLASSROOM

TO ONLINE TRAINING: Lessons, Gaps and Opportunities in eLearning for

Language Interpreters

Alejandro Gonzalez

Hongyan Jack Xu

www.mcislanguages.com

ABOUT MCIS

Established in 1989 Non-profit social

enterprise

Funded and fee for service programs

Serving customers in legal, healthcare and social services settings

FROM LOCAL TO GLOBAL

Successful local agency

Provincial

National

Global?

CLASSROOM FACILITATION

COMPONENTS - 5 PILLARS

Active engagement

Automatic rotation

Brief talk rule Get off the

stage Positive

reinforcement

CLASSROOM FACILITATION –

ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS

Directive approach Class preparation Link lessons Teach by modeling

(learn by doing)

Show interest

(active listening)

Positive, upbeat

(sense of humor) Teach in small steps

Be flexible, open minded

Clear instructions Check for

understanding

AVAILABLE eLEARNING

TOOLS & OPTIONS

Fully online Synchronous Facilitator led activities Freelance contractor Paid resources (subscriptions)

Blended Asynchronous Modular activities In-house development Open source (community resources)

ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT –

SYNCHRONOUS SESSIONS

• Adobe Connect sessions

• Break-out rooms

• Activities

• Interpretation exercises (modes)

• Translation exercises (glossary)

• Shadowing

• Recording interpretation practice

• Practice Review (own/peers)

• Case scenarios

• Prepare materials in advance

• Technical and academic support

ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT –

ASYNCHRONOUS APPROACH

• Articulate Storyline

• Built-in activities in storyboard

• Matching exercises

• Choose one/many

• Survey (no right answer)

• Interpretation exercises (modes)

• Shadowing

• Record interpretation practice

• Practice review (own/peers)

• Translation exercises

• Case scenarios

• Scenarios forum

TRANSFERRING OTHER

ASPECTS OF CB FACILITATION

Automatic rotation (give learner

individual attention)

Designate online coordinator (community manager)

Technical & academic

support (responsive)

Brief talk rule / Teach in small steps

Strategic script writing

Set narration guidelines

Get off the stage / Flexible (open

minded)

Get learner off the chair

Allow participants to

manage learning experience

TRANSFERRING OTHER

ASPECTS OF CB FACILITATION

• Tailored feedback after interactions

• Convey ideas with images (congruent design)

Provide positive reinforcement /

Upbeat (sense of humor)

• Learner aid/companion

• Course outline/manual (timetable fit)

Directive approach / Clear

Instructions

• Quizzes, lesson/section exams

• Case scenarios

• Forum scenarios

Check for understanding