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Language education-based translation]].) This page documents some of the benefits of using Appropedia as a platform for translation in language courses. | Language education-based translation]].) This page documents some of the benefits of using Appropedia as a platform for translation in language courses. | ||
== Benefits== | == Benefits== | ||
=== | === A wealth of good source material=== | ||
Traditionally, course-based translation has | One benefit comes from the nature of the source material. Traditionally, course-based translation has tended to use critically regarded literary content for source material. Advantages have been that such content is culturally relevant and noteworthy. But there are disadvantages as well. Often the material is somewhat dated, the original language may not reflect current usage and the works are often too long to translate in their entirety. Also, well-known content often has existing translations, which has two implications. First, some students might use those translations, gaining a potentially unfair advantage. Second, if the work has already been translated, students will not feel that their effort is of any real value. | ||
Appropedia's content | Appropedia's content focuses on the topics of environmental sustainability and global poverty, and sharing ideas via open licensing. These are topics of enduring global concern (witness the UN's Millennium Development Goals), and each culture has its own rich perspective on these topics. In past translation projects, instructors have begun by engaging their students in discussions of environmentalism, economics and licensing of intellectual property, and explored the cultural differences relating to these topics. Engaging in today's issues highlights the contrasts between culture more effectively than discussing older works. | ||
In addition, there are numerous articles that need to be translated, and the articles are generally of a size that matches well to translation by one or a small number of students. Students are able to select an article that appeals to them. | |||
===The translations are valued=== | ===The translations are valued=== | ||
Another benefit comes from students knowing that their work can make a difference. Appropedia's articles are about practical ways of improving lives and sustaining the earth. There is a growing demand for these ideas. Appropedia's software automatically maintains a count of the number of times each article has been read. Students can see which articles are viewed most frequently and use this information to guide their choices. Students can also anticipate checking up on their articles. | |||
===The platform is well-suited to course-based work=== | ===The platform is well-suited to course-based work=== | ||
Revision as of 13:07, 25 March 2010
Upper division foreign language courses have been reintegrating translation into the curriculum. Several recent projects have used Appropedia as a platform for translation exercises. (See [[ Language education-based translation]].) This page documents some of the benefits of using Appropedia as a platform for translation in language courses.
Benefits
A wealth of good source material
One benefit comes from the nature of the source material. Traditionally, course-based translation has tended to use critically regarded literary content for source material. Advantages have been that such content is culturally relevant and noteworthy. But there are disadvantages as well. Often the material is somewhat dated, the original language may not reflect current usage and the works are often too long to translate in their entirety. Also, well-known content often has existing translations, which has two implications. First, some students might use those translations, gaining a potentially unfair advantage. Second, if the work has already been translated, students will not feel that their effort is of any real value.
Appropedia's content focuses on the topics of environmental sustainability and global poverty, and sharing ideas via open licensing. These are topics of enduring global concern (witness the UN's Millennium Development Goals), and each culture has its own rich perspective on these topics. In past translation projects, instructors have begun by engaging their students in discussions of environmentalism, economics and licensing of intellectual property, and explored the cultural differences relating to these topics. Engaging in today's issues highlights the contrasts between culture more effectively than discussing older works.
In addition, there are numerous articles that need to be translated, and the articles are generally of a size that matches well to translation by one or a small number of students. Students are able to select an article that appeals to them.
The translations are valued
Another benefit comes from students knowing that their work can make a difference. Appropedia's articles are about practical ways of improving lives and sustaining the earth. There is a growing demand for these ideas. Appropedia's software automatically maintains a count of the number of times each article has been read. Students can see which articles are viewed most frequently and use this information to guide their choices. Students can also anticipate checking up on their articles.
The platform is well-suited to course-based work
Appropedia has built in edit tracking capability, which makes it easy for an instructor to see who wrote which words.
As an online resource, Appropedia can be used in a laboratory setting, or in independent homework situations, or a mix of both.