Tips for eLearning Translation Projects in Storyline 360
Last updated on June 14th, 2023 at 03:52 pm
As the world post COVID-19 adapts to remote work setups, we thought it was time to talk about translation and eLearning. Short for electronic Learning, eLearning can be defined as any online training. However, here at JR Language (and for the sake of this blog) we will be defining eLearning as courses that involve slides, audio/narration, videos, and interactive content such as true/false and multiple-choice questions.
eLearning is being used across a wide variety of companies for employee training – interactive courses being known for helping individuals stay focused and learn more, as well as allowing them to take the courses at their own place and location. Now that many companies are working remotely, operations must continue – without in-person training and onboarding.
As time passes, companies may also be finding that the remote worker structure to be a good fit for their business and continue to work remotely into the future.
Storyline 360, of the Articulate suite for eLearning, has over 40,000 customers and is going to be the reference point of software for this blog, though the tips can be used across all eLearning projects. If you are doing research before selecting an eLearning software and you know you will be translating the content of the course, Storyline 360 is a good choice! The software itself has a simple translation feature that makes the work smooth for us and allows us to ensure a quick turnaround time for any client.
However, as with any project, there are things you can do to make the process easier and quicker for everyone!
Our translation tips for eLearning are going to be based on 3 important tips for the creation of engaging eLearning content. Discuss your eLearning course with a translation services company before designing it. Our engineers,designer, and project manager can give you guidance and recommendations that will help the translation process after you have completed designing the course.
Designing the course pages for optimal display is important, but even more important if your eLearning course is going to be translated.
A simple design of your course is the first thing to consider when constructing the course. Too much information and clutter can be distracting. Without the clutter, the course-taker can more easily focus on the knowledge and important points you want to convey rather than seeing any complex design work.
Readability in an eLearning course goes a long way facilitating the experience for the user. The size and style of the fonts, as well as the overall design and use of white space in the layout design, helps the readability of the course. Every page, every element adds to the overall experience.
Be mindful that your course is going to be translated. Be aware that different languages will have different characteristics that could affect the original design of the course, For example, Arabic is read right-to-left and Chinese characters will affect the overall format.
Fonts are also a key consideration when designing your course. Simple, readable fonts allow the reader to concentrate on the content rather than trying to read that fun-looking font. Legibility is a key component when designing an eLearning course.
If you have something you want to stand out, then consider using elements to achieve that goal other than a fussy font to catch the reader’s attention. There are many digital images and tricks that can be used to draw the reader’s attention without sacrificing readability.
We talked about keeping the design of the course simple, but no one likes reading dry material and without a little bit of fun, the mind can wander. Adding and mixing in multimedia elements to the content is a great way to achieve a more engaging and immersive learning experience. From infographics to videos, animations, and images. add them in an organized and structured way knowing your course is going to be translated. Have all the elements prepared and organized to facilitate the translation.
Using best practices for organization, naming, and assembly not only helps any translation needed, it also facilitates updates and maintenance to the original material.
Below we explain elements to take into consideration when doing eLearning translation
eLearning courses are an ever expanding and evolving resource that is helpful for both internal training and client training, whether onboarding a new employee, showing a new client how to use your product or software, or just introducing a new policy. This learning platform is becoming more important than ever, and the translation of eLearning materials open other options for the creators of the course and for the people looking to learn from it. You need the help of an experienced company for success. You need translation services that are localized, culturally proper and adequate, clear and effective so everyone can fully understand the content of the courses – thus ensuring smooth sailing for the future of your business.