Enhancing Translation Performance through E-Learning Platforms: A Case Study Using Blackboard

Abstract

In translation education, the emergence of e-learning has facilitated a move away from the traditional teacher-centered approach in which the instructor takes full responsibility for what goes on in the classroom to a more learner-centered approach whereby learners participate actively in the learning process.  This study aims to investigate the impact of allowing translation students to provide feedback on their classmates’ work through the Blackboard Learning Management System (LMS). By employing a pre-test/post-test design, the study compares the performance of two groups of students: an experimental group in which students provided feedback on their classmates’ work and a control group in which feedback on the students’ translation was only provided by the course instructor. The study results indicated that students in the experimental group outperformed their counterparts in the control group in the post-test, suggesting that the treatment (i.e. giving the students the opportunity to give feedback on their classmates’ translation) had a positive impact on their learning. The students in the experimental group were interviewed to find out about their experience in taking part in the learning process. They generally showed a positive attitude toward being active in their own learning.