The effectiveness of translation technology training: a mixed methods study

Abstract

Translation technology is nowadays widely used by many language service sectors, and translation technology training is offered by many universities and institutions around the world. However, the effectiveness of translation technology training is yet to be explored. To fill this gap, we conducted a questionnaire survey of 385 Master of Translation and Interpreting (MTI) students in China to understand the general trends in their reception and perception of their translation technology courses. In order to probe into the student’s experience of taking these courses, we further interviewed 8 of them. All the interviews, semi-structured to allow for both structured and free expression, were recorded and transcribed verbatim for analysis. The Kirkpatrick model was used as the evaluation framework of training effectiveness. Results show that some students felt that the training was quite effective and it enabled them to gain the knowledge of computer-assisted translation tools. However, some felt less positive about the effectiveness of current training of translation technology and cited various challenges they encountered in their learning. All the findings and recommendations thereof will be discussed. It is hoped that the findings will contribute to our understanding and improvement of translation technology training in future programs.