We work in the distant mode, we live in the distant mode, and we’re starting to learn in the distant mode. In my home country, distance learning is not even in its infancy. But the United Kingdom is passionate about distance learning. And guess what? More and more translation courses, trainings and degrees do offer distance learning mode.
That comes as a surprise, but for a few years you even could do a DPSI preparatory course online (I don’t even want to know how). Today, you can quite easily find distance learning DipTrans courses, MAs in translation, or a wide range of webinars and presentations. So why should you consider distance learning?
Cost
If you live in London and want to do your MA in translation going to uni 2-3 days a week, you have to be prepared to spend at least £6000. If you live in London and you want to do your MA in translation in distance learning, you’ll spend a half of that sum, and you’ll make huge savings on travel. Not to mention the fact that distance learning fits into your workload almost seamlessly.
Pace
Most distance learning courses allow you to decide how much time you spend on reading, practicing and expanding your knowledge. You can easily go back to previous materials and redo them. Or you can divide the whole material into suitable chunks, instead of having a 3-hours long session.
Consistency
It happens all too often that the same uni offers drastically different learning experience for readers of the same course. E-learning offers a consistent message and doesn’t depend on tutor’s ability to deliver on time or to spend half of the lecture on telling stories about one conference in 1998 when…
Currency
Distance, or e-learning, courses are the most up-to-date ones. Any changes to materials can be introduced immediately, and discussions on various topics can take place. Even traditional universities open on-line discussion forums for students to exchange views on certain topics (some courses even mark you for your discussions).
Global access
Well, translators work from all these weird and fascinating locations with wild orchids, waterfalls or polar bears around. That’s one of our perks. And there may be no option to do a specialist course, or to carry on with your CPD, locally. But you can always access the internet and simply do your MA in the meantime…
It makes sense
The most important benefit of distance learning for translators is, in my opinion, that it reflects our profession. In distance learning we don’t see many people, we just get bits of material to work on, we just need to deliver our exercises on time. We can do research, we can write, and we don’t need the university environment to do that. And most of all, who if not translators can be determined and motivated enough to keep up with the freedom of distance learning?
Do you know any reliable distance learning options worth looking at?
Marta Stelmaszak
Marta Stelmaszak is a translator between Polish and English, combining language skills with a thorough understanding of economics and business to help SMEs make as big an international impact as possible, providing translation and interpreting services for the legal, business and marketing sectors.
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8 Comments
Good morning Marta,
I completely agree with you. I will take my first e-learning course in January and I wish I could do my whole MA program online. With a child at home and freelance work, distance learning would be the best solution for continuing my studies. I hope more universities will consider taking this path in the future!
Geneviève
Thanks for your comment, Geneviève!
I think you’re absolutely right - there’s not better solution for freelancers. By the way, some of my friends are still waiting for an opportunity to do they MAs in Conference Interpreting online. Will we see that happening?
Exactly, I was thinking about interpreting when I read your post. I teach interpreting theory online for my students in Norway, but I go there to do the practice session (which are in dialogue mode since it’s a community interpreting course). But I have been playing around with how practice would work online both for conference and community interpreting. I feel I’m still reluctant, but at the same time it would offer so much better possibilities. How would you imagine such a course?
Wow, teaching interpreting to people in Norway! That sounds like my dream job
I used to practise via skype with my friends worldwide, but now I think that Google+ hangouts are gaining popularity. Or perhaps a webinar tool? You could record and play back?
Hi Marta,
I just found this blog though it is a bit old. Nevertheless, I wanted to say that I just completed a correspondence course for English-German translations in Germany. This was actually my second correspondence course. In the first one I studied to become a Management Assistant and I actually finished this when I was living in England. During the second one (now for translation) I was working fulltime.
So I found that correspondence courses always make sense.
Whether correspondence or online, I think they’re great! The only problem is to have enough time to do them all.
Hi Marta,
I’m having a problem finding a translator course locally here in Herefordshire. What can you suggest?
I speak Polish and English but need a qualification to work as an intepreter/translator.
Regards,
John/Janusz
Hi John,
Have a look at this thread: http://www.proz.com/forum/interpreting/248065-dpsi_exam_and_course_in_london.html#2131463 they talk about Hemel Hempstead and Herts Interpreting and Translation Service. Could be useful!