Top 5 issues with Localizing E-Learning courseware

TL;DR

E-Learning, simply put, is huge. As a result, localizing E-Learning is quite a task.

In addition to E-Learning platforms, like those mentioned above, there are companies that rely on E-Learning distribution to educate their clients, resellers, partners, and staff around the world. And when we look to eCourseware that is being offered on every continent, or just in different countries, language will be a big part of your eCourseware rollout strategy.

5 Issues with respect to E-Learning Localization are:

1. Exporting Data
2. Re-Importing Translated Data
3. Layout
4. Quality Assurance
5. Voice-Overs and Additional Assets like images, downloadable documentation.

E-Learning, simply put, is huge. As a result, localizing E-Learning is quite a task.

From Coursera to Udemy, there are loads of platforms that offer pay to play access for a plethora of e-courses. The majority however are in English.

In addition to E-Learning platforms, like those mentioned above, there are companies that rely on E-Learning distribution to educate their clients, resellers, partners, and staff around the world. And when we look to eCourseware that is being offered on every continent, or just in different countries, language will be a big part of your eCourseware rollout strategy.

The services are usually involved in E-Learning Localization are:

• Project Management
• Translation (Editing, and Proofreading + QA)
• Transcription of audio files
• Translation of audio file script(s)
• Recording of audio for localized eCourseware
• OCR or Transcription of image content
• Graphic Design for images requiring translation
• Linguistic Quality Assessment
• Final Proofing

Let’s look at the top 5 issues companies and Content Developers face when wanting to localize their eCourseware.

Number 1: Exporting and Assets

Depending on your platform, whether Articulate, Captivate, or other, the export process is one of the things that need to be done well. Why? Well simply put everything in localization will depend on the quality (and accuracy) or your export. This is the first challenge and issue people usually encounter.

We should export in an XML format referred to as XLIFF. The extension of the file may be .xml, .xlf, or even .xliff.

Note that this XLIFF file will usually be defined as XLIFF, version 1.2 and needs to be provided to your language service provider for processing or through a translation platform.

Additionally, you’ll want to ensure you prepare all your assets to be localized as well. Assets refer to things like audio files, if your eCourseware included any voice-overs or narrations, images, downloadable documentation, etc. All these will have translated, so you’ll have to include them in the translation process.

*Remember – source formats are always best for Language Companies.

We can talk about best practices and the actual process of localization for a long time in addition to what “processing” these file formats mean.

Because the assets are usually quite heavy, transferring everything in a clear method for the localization process sometimes has its hiccups. Look to collaboration platforms, data repositories like Google Drive, One Drive, etc. or services like WeTransfer to easily transfer the files.

Number 2: Re-Importing

Once you’ve managed to have the content of your eCourseware translated, you’ll need to ensure that everything was done properly. Failing to re-import your content properly can lead to having overwritten the original course, or other headaches that will add delays to your launch date.

Advice: Until you’re comfortable with the process of exporting, translating, and re-importing, make a backup copy of your course prior to re-importing any content.

If processed properly, your new XLIFF file should include <source> and <target> content within the <trans-unit> tags. If I’ve just lost you while referencing tag structure, fear not. You should basically be able to do a text search for “source” and “target” within the XML structure and find your eCourseware content in its original and translated states.

Note: Understanding basic XML is a great asset when localizing eCourseware.

Then it’s a matter of re-importing that file and seeing what happens.
Typically, after a few clicks and following prompts, the on-screen content should appear in the translated (i.e. target) language.

Number 3: Layout

At this point, if you’ve successfully re-imported your content and are witnessing the glory of localized eCourseware content before your eyes, pat yourself on the back.

Now, comes one of the nuisances of much localized content. The issue of re-adjusting the layout to accommodate for text expansion. Although the translation platforms tend to do a good job at respecting structure/formatting, you’ll likely need to go through and adjust text positioning while ensuring there is no odd or missing text.

During the translation process, one of the most common issues that occurs is CAT platforms and tag management. Tags, represent for all intended purposes the layout/formatting of the content and there can be some hiccups if tags are mismanaged or simply not respected by linguists.

You’ll know quickly enough post-import if things like spacings seem off – bold texts are missing etc.
Ask your translation provider what happened – it’s usually a quick and easy fix for the providers to run through. The objective of course is to have less to do when you re-import your content.

Number 4: Quality Assurance (Non-linguistic)

During your process of looking through and adjusting layout-related elements would be an ideal time to perform your Quality Assurance verification. This would consist of verifying there were no missing elements left out like diagrams, images containing text or what have you that were not localized.

While you’re doing this, it’s critical to keep the translation provider in the loop. Why? Simply put the changes you make on your end, don’t make it back to the provider, or into your “translation memory”. If you ever send your eCourseware out for an update, you’ll likely run into the same problems you had the first time around, unless you’ve provided your changes back to the provider.

Remember they keep track of how they translated your content, so the changes you made post-delivery, will not have made it back into their records, unless you’ve let them know.

Number 5: Voice Overs and additional Assets like images/graphs etc.

Audio files are another tricky item because of the multiple steps involved. First and foremost, if there is no written form of the audio, there will have to be a step whereby the written form is produced. This is called transcription. From there, the translation of the script is done, and rerecorded back into audio format.

Because it is audio, and translated audio scripts differ from that of documentation, there may be some refining required to ensure a fluidity of the audio being recorded and how it fits into the course.

Once a final and satisfactory result is achieved, the audio needs to be either re-inserted into the eCourseware or provided back to the client, depending on where the responsibilities may lie.

Also, any graphics including text will also need to be translated and updated in the localized version of the eCourseware. Again, this follows a similar process of text extraction, translation and the requirement to recreate or modify graphics.

Wrap Up

As you can see from the above, we’ve only address 5 of the possible issues with E-Learning localization. There are many other pitfalls too. Our recommendation is that before you venture to exporting your content and sending it off for localization. Discuss the project with your preferred language provider.

This will likely enable you to save hours of frustration and use the proper process the first-time round.

Happy Localizing.