Tools and Tips for Translating Online Courses

Translating online courses widens target groups and deepens learning

When one is able to study a course in a language they understand fluently, they will understand the content on a deeper level and learn it better. Reading in one's mother tongue or another fluent language is also more efficient and motivating. These factors are beneficial for both the course's attendee and arranger: both parties can be certain that the course content will actually be understood.

In many organisations the target groups for training are versatile in their language profile and translating courses to multiple languages is beneficial. This way the target groups can be widened, the courses become more accessible and they can be provided to a larger number of people.

The Vuolearning platform has been translated into multiple languages so the functionalities can be used in different languages. There are many different tools and ways for translating the course content, and in this text, we will present you with some that will make translating course content simple.

Translating images, videos, and infographics

In cases where it is known that the course will be translated, it is useful to take a few things into notice already when creating the course in the original language. Translating processes include more than just the text contents, so considering other elements is necessary as well.

It simplifies the translating process to choose images that do not contain text. In that way, they don't need to be translated later or replaced. The locality of the images should also be considered. Sometimes there can be cases where certain images cannot be used when the course is attended from other locations. If you are making infographics for the course, you should make the files and save them also without text contents, so they can be easily filled with translations later.

Videos on courses don't necessarily need to be filmed again, they can simply be subtitled. There are many different software and services for creating or even automating subtitles.

An example of these tools is an AI-based subtitling software called Sonix.ai that works in over 35 languages. Sonix automatically converts audio and video into text, which can then be automatically turned into subtitles in any of the languages the software contains. The program places and times the subtitles automatically, and they are then easy to edit if needed. Of course, it is necessary to notice that automated software like this cannot fully replace the translation process made by a human and the translations should be checked before publishing them, but the automation takes you a long way already.

Translating course content internally

Many organizations translate their content internally. In a situation where no external translator is used, the simplest way to conduct the translation is to do it directly on the Vuolearning platform.

This is how it is done:

1. Click open the desired course and choose Admin.

Now a copy of the original course is formed on the platform. You can edit the copy without making any changes or losing the content of the original course. The next step is to add the translations.

We recommend that you keep the original text elements in the course hidden, at least until the course is ready so that you do not accidentally miss any parts of the course or mix up the order. When the original text elements are hidden, only the translations will be visible in the actual course.

Translating course content with an external translator

When the help of an external translator is used to translate the course, the simplest way to conduct the process is to send the course to the translator as a JSON file. What this means is that the course is transcribed to a text format file, of which the original text parts are translated, and which is then downloaded to the server. Using the JSON file is a practical way of translating the course because importing the translated file to the server will automatically build the course in the same format and structure as the original course was.

Here you can see step by step how the JSON file can be exported and later imported on the platform. This feature can be used by the main users of platforms with three user levels.

After this step, the data can be delivered to the translator in text format. Only the original text parts of the original course (highlighted in the photo) will be changed, and the rest of the data will be left untouched.

After this step, the system will create a new, translated version of the course on the Vuolearning platform. The system will keep all elements and features in place as they were. Only the content will be changed, the structure will remain.

Outsourcing the translation process to Vuolearning

The mentioned tools are great ways for simplifying the translation process. but to make it even more simple, it is possible to outsource the entire translation process to Vuolearning. We conduct translations in cooperation with professional, high-quality translators and do not use machine translations.

The translated content will be built as a course on the customer's platform and delivered to the customer ready-to-use.

By outsourcing the translation process the organization saves the struggle of finding a reliable translator and receives the translated course content in a form that is ready to be taken into use. Our sales team will be happy to tell you more about our translation services!