Translation agency for e-learning courses
Translation of
E-learning and multimedia
- Fast and efficient translation of your course content
- Specialist translators for various subject areas
- Translation of videos, subtitles and voice-overs
Translation and localisation of your online courses
Cost-effective translation thanks to AI and translation memories
Why use our translation agency for e-learning courses? The Covid crisis has led to a rapid increase in online courses and online training on all sorts of subjects. E-learning, also known as electronic learning, is now used by many schools, universities and companies. Companies recognize the strategic importance of knowledge and use e-learning in many areas, such as product and software training, e-learning training for sales staff or customer service, further education or marketing. Private providers of knowledge and expertise are also increasingly using e-learning.
E-learning, known as computer-based training (CBT) in the 1980s, offers many advantages, including flexibility, accessibility and cost savings. Learners can participate from anywhere and organize their learning workload according to their own schedule. There are also a variety of e-learning platforms such as Udemy or Coursera and courses geared towards different subjects and target groups.
Much of the e-learning content is either in German or English. For learners who are not native speakers of either German or English, translation offers advantages. Learning new material is hard enough. Language should not be an additional obstacle. Translation of e-learning content, including videos, can help break down barriers to learning for people with limited language skills and for people with hearing impairments. For providers of online courses or online training, translations are a proven way to attract additional customers.
However, translating e-learning content also presents some challenges. The translations must be of high quality and of the same standard as the original. E-learning content usually contains technical or subject-specific terms that are difficult to understand and translate. Specialist translators must have expertise in the subject area being taught and have both didactic and cultural knowledge to ensure that the translations are accurate and easy to understand and that students can fully comprehend the material.
Overall, e-learning has established itself as a learning method and is expected to continue to grow in importance worldwide. This makes it all the more important to work with a qualified translation partner who knows how to go about it.
Translation agency for e-learning courses in all languages
Online courses in English and other languages
Do you need a translation for your e-learning platform? We will send you a quote within a very short time. Send us your request using this quotation form.
File formats for e-learning courses
In e-learning and web-based training, there are various file formats and software products that are used depending on the type of material and the e-learning platform. Some commonly used file formats and e-learning programs are:
Word
Often used for e-learning materials, especially for texts and exercises.
Popular file format for e-learning materials, platform-independent.
PowerPoint
Often used in e-learning courses, especially for visual content such as diagrams and graphics.
Video formats
Videos are very often used in e-learning courses and can be available in various file formats such as MP4 or AVI.
Audio files
Audio files are commonly used in e-learning courses for lectures, explanations, narrations, podcasts, and interviews to engage learners.
Adobe Captivate
Software for creating interactive e-learning content such as presentations, simulations and quizzes. Can create content in various formats such as HTML5, SWF and MP4. The CPTX file format saves Captivate projects.
Articulate Storyline
Tool for creating interactive presentations, quizzes and other e-learning content. The STORY file format saves Articulate Storyline projects.
Lectora Publisher
Software for creating e-learning content such as surveys, presentations and more. Can create content in various formats such as HTML5, SWF and MP4. The AWT file format saves Lectora Publisher projects.
There are many other file formats that can be used for e-learning materials, depending on the requirements of the e-learning platform and the material. We can process most of them.
The challenges of translating e-learning content
- Professional competence: In order to translate the often complex content correctly, the translator must also be able to understand it.
- Terminology: All technical or specialised terms must be translated correctly.
- Technology and multimedia content: The translation of multimedia content, such as training videos or audio recordings, can be difficult and may require the use of special programs and procedures.
- Time and project management: The translation of e-learning courses is time-consuming, especially when several people are involved and many files in different formats need to be translated into several languages. Well-organized project planning and good communication are therefore of great importance.
- Costs and budget: The cost of translating e-learning courses can rise quickly, especially if the materials are extensive or if they need to be translated into several languages. It is therefore important to use cost-effective methods or technologies and to monitor costs.
Management of e-learning course projects in our translation agency
Localisation of your e-learning course: The process
These are the 8 usual steps that an e-learning translation project goes through with us. As the courses and course concepts can vary greatly, the process is always put together individually. If partial deliveries are agreed, steps 5-8 are repeated for each package.
RFQ
Quotation preparation
Fine-tuning and ordering
Start of production
e-learning course.
Translation
Questions are clarified on an ongoing basis.
Quality control and revision
Technical quality control
e-learning apps, etc.
Delivery
e-learning content.
Localiocalisation of CBT and
e-learning courses for
these industries
Our customers work in these sectors
- Architecture and construction
- Automotive industry
- Banking, finance and insurance
- State agencies and organisations
- Education and e-learning
- Electronics and electrical engineering
- Healthcare and medical technology
- Agriculture and agricultural engineering
- Aerospace
- Marketing, advertising and public relations
- Machinery and plant engineering
- Software and information technology
- Transportation and logistics
- Environment and environmental technology
- and a few more
Translation agency for e-learning courses: Our language combinations
Selection from the languages we offer for e-learning localisation
We translate e-learning courses into several languages. Very popular combinations for the localisation of courses are:
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E-learning translation
German - English -
E-learning translation
English - German -
E-learning translation
German - French -
E-learning translation
English - French
-
E-learning translation
German - Italian -
E-learning translation
English - Italian -
E-learning translation
German - Polish -
E-learning translation
German - Turkish - Other languages available
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E-learning translation
German - Portuguese -
E-learning translation
German - Russian -
E-learning translation
German - Dutch -
E-learning translation
German - Chinese
Our translation agency for e-learning courses: Your quality and time advantage
What we pay particular attention to when translating e-learning courses
Cultural aspects of e-learning translations
When translating e-learning content, there are a number of cultural aspects that need to be considered to ensure that the material is understandable and relevant to the target audience. Some examples of these aspects are:
Terminology: It is important that translations are accurate and precise and that all technical or subject-specific terms are translated correctly. In some cases, certain terms may be unknown in the target culture or may be defined or used differently. It is therefore important to inform yourself in advance.
Cultural references: E-learning content may contain cultural references that are incomprehensible or even confusing to the target culture. It is important to adapt or replace these references to ensure that the course content remains accessible to the target audience.
Non-verbal communication: Some e-learning content may contain non-verbal communication such as gestures or facial expressions that may be foreign to the target culture. One should therefore adapt or replace these elements to ensure that the course material remains understandable to the target audience.
Inclusion of local perspectives: E-learning content should also take into account local perspectives and experiences to ensure that the material is better understood by the target audience.
Legal aspects and norms: Some course content refers to norms and laws that need to be adapted to the local conditions of the target group or at least should be explained.
In general, these cultural references include many aspects of everyday communication such as symbols, colours, examples, allusions to events, history and more.
Technical aspects of
e-learning translations
When translating e-learning content, a number of technical aspects must be taken into account in order to ensure the high quality and comprehensibility of the material for the target audience. The learning habits have changed drastically in recent years. Some examples of these characteristics are
- Specialized topics: E-learning courses can cover several specialized topics, some of which may be specific to the target culture. It is important that the specialized content is translated correctly and that the translations are accurate and understandable for the target audience. If necessary, this is done through translator's notes or localisation of the content.
- Didactics: e-learning materials must also be didactically appropriate to ensure that course participants can fully understand the course material. This means, for example, that examples or references are used that are familiar to the target group. For example, products, social media or the like that are known in the target country can be mentioned, or reference can be made to situations that mean something to the learners.
- Terminology: E-learning content sometimes uses technical terms that are difficult for people from other cultures to understand. The technical content is not always identical in all cultures or explained in the same way. Of course, translators should try to use terms and concepts that are as universal as possible, e.g. those described in recognized global norms or standards. However, they must be aware of potential conceptual differences and be able to bridge them.
Quality control of translated e-learning content
Quality control of an e-learning translation is an important part of the translation process to ensure that the material remains both understandable and technically usable for the target audience. There are various steps that should be taken into account when performing quality control on e-learning translations
- Linguistic check: Check the correctness of the translation, e.g. for possible errors of meaning, spelling mistakes or incorrect numbers, possible grammatical errors, consistent use of the correct specialist terminology.
- Stylistic and didactic check: Is the text formulated in the target language in a way that is understandable for the target group? For example, are examples and references understandable and appropriate?
- Technical examination: Are the technical contents correctly understood and correctly implemented?
- Technical check: Do the files, scripts and multimedia content work in the target language? Are tags or other elements in the translation implemented correctly?
- Checking the localisation aspects: Have the date formats, address formats, telephone number, list sorting etc. been correctly adapted for the target language?
Connectors and automation of
e-learning courses
Several e-learning platforms offer APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) that make it possible to export or integrate content from the platform. Many of these platforms are compatible with SCORM (Sharable Content Object Reference Model). SCORM is a set of standards and specifications for the creation and delivery of e-learning content. These APIs allow developers to connect to the e-learning platforms and access specific functions and data.
Accessing content from a learning management system (LMS) such as Moodle, ILIAS or OLAT via an API involves several steps, such as logging in with the API key, using the API functions to retrieve content from the platform and making the content available for translation. APIs can also be used to integrate the e-learning platform with other systems, such as learning content management systems (LCMS) or content management systems (or CMS).
The use of APIs in e-learning platforms can speed up the translation process.
EFFICIENT Localisation OF YOUR CBT COURSES
Cooperation with our translation agency for e-learning courses
We have developed tools and methods to handle all aspects of localisation in an efficient and cost-effective way. Here are the top five reasons to work with us:
- We have been working for years with experienced resources for various tasks: Translators, educators, software developers, designers, video editors, voice actors ...
- We have the right tools and technologies to localize your courses.
- We store all translations in translation memories, which makes regular maintenance of course content efficient and cost-effective.
- Our quality assurance meets and exceeds the DIN EN ISO 17100 standard.
- We have a large pool of technical translators who specialize in a wide range of fields, from mathematics to international law.
FAQ to our translation agency for e-learning courses
These questions about the localisation of e-learning courses are frequently asked
There are various technologies and tools that can help with the localisation of an e-learning course, such as translation memory (TM) software, machine translation (MT) tools, terminology management programs, quality assurance programs and project management and workflow tools.
Translation memory technologies store all translations, ensuring consistency of course translation, while machine translation applications focus on cost and speed. Post-editing according to ISO 18587 ensures appropriate quality of the machine translation. Terminology management systems such as LookUp help to maintain consistent terminology, while quality assurance systems such as ErrorSpy detect errors. Project management tools such as XTRF facilitate collaboration and enable the localisation process to be monitored. D.O.G. has developed ErrorSpy and LookUp and provides access to project information via its customer portal.
Search engine optimisation must be considered throughout the localisation process to ensure that the course is visible and easy to find for users in different languages.
First, it is important to understand the local search engines and the search habits of the target audience. This includes using localized and keyword-rich titles and descriptions, translating and optimizing meta tags, URLs and hreflang tags, and searching for relevant keywords in the target country.
It is also helpful to have translators who live in the country of the target language, as they can conduct local SEO research to ensure the course is visible and easy to find for users in that language.
The scope of the course, the complexity of the material, the number of languages to be translated into and the availability of translation resources are just some of the variables that affect the time required to localize an e-learning course. Involve the localisation provider as early as possible. They can provide useful advice in advance that can speed up the process.
In general, it’s a good idea to allow at least a couple of weeks for the localisation process, as it can be a labour and resource intensive process. You can arrange partial deliveries and prioritize the deliveries. This way, you can give the translation service provider feedback that they can take into account for the remaining packages.
The cost of localizing e-learning depends on the size and complexity of the course, the number of languages it needs to be translated into and the specialisation of the translation resources required.
The translation volume, language and technologies used (such as MT) can affect the cost, as can the use of translation memories and glossaries and the amount of project management required. Costs can be lower when translation memories or machine translation systems and glossaries are used and higher with more languages and additional tasks such as SEO optimisation for specific markets.
Technical aspects such as file formats and API as well as testing the localized course can also have an impact on costs. We take all these factors into account when calculating e-learning localisation costs and discuss the options with our clients.
To ensure consistency between the different versions of an e-learning course, we have our standard procedures. These include the use of a translation memory system and the creation of a specialized terminology. In addition, an experienced proofreader is assigned to a client so that they have already reviewed previous versions of the translations and are aware of the style guidelines established in the process. The style guidelines define the preferred style and language level as well as terminology and formatting requirements.
The use of a TM contributes to the consistency of translations by suggesting translations for similar text segments, which also reduces translation time. The quality assurance process is supported by our quality assurance software ErrorSpy, which accesses the defined terminology and remembers error messages from previous projects. It is also useful to test the updated course.
Customer testimonials
What our customers say
KOCH Pac-Systeme GmbH
Andrea Fischer
Documentation
"At a tekom event for technical documentation 15 years ago, we got to know the founder and owner of D.O.G. Dokumentation ohne Grenzen GmbH, Dr. François Massion, as an excellent speaker for the areas of translation and terminology, among others. Since then, we have had our complex and extensive technical documentation projects translated by D.O.G.. We particularly appreciate the high level of efficiency, quality and reliability with which D.O.G. fulfils our specific translation and terminology requirements in the medical technology, consumer goods and contact lens industries. The extremely competent and committed specialists at D.O.G. organize and implement our translation orders quickly and reliably without any problems. Our technicians can also rely on D.O.G.'s flexible and professional support for machine start-ups abroad when translations are required at short notice. Thanks to our many years of trusting and successful cooperation, we can recommend D.O.G. without reservation as an ideal partner in the field of technical documentation, translation and terminology management."
Krones AG
Marga Hellerbrand
Head of Translation and Terminology, GDDM Content Management
"Our technical texts in particular, which contain specific specialist terminology, require translators who are familiar with the content and can render it correctly. D.O.G. has always proven itself to be a reliable and competent partner that meets precisely these requirements."
SMS group GmbH
Isabel Baumgardt, Nadja Gluch
Translation Services Hilchenbach (IQT)
"D.O.G. GmbH has been our proven and reliable partner for translations of all kinds in more than 60 language combinations for ten years. Our translation orders are handled quickly, smoothly and carefully by the project managers. Even large volumes, complex jobs and tight deadlines are always handled with aplomb."
Checklist for the localisation of
e-learning courses
- Have you explained technical terms and abbreviations?
- Have you created a style guide to support the localisation process?
- If you are explaining or using software, are the commands and interface already localized?
- Have you checked metaphors, idioms and humour?
- Do the examples need to be localized?
- Have you considered translation memory software?
- Are PDF files editable?
- Can graphics be edited/localized?
- Are images language-neutral?
- Are fonts compatible with the target language?
- Have scripts been checked for localisable strings?
- Do videos have subtitles that need to be translated?
- Do you have requirements for selecting speakers in other languages?
- Is the e-learning platform user interface and messaging translated into the target languages?
- Would you consider machine translation with or without post-editing for course-related chat groups?
- Do all standard browsers in the target countries support the localized version of your course?
- Does the length of the translated text cause problems with the layout or a software interface?
- Does the sort order need to be adjusted in the target languages?
- Do the scripts for checking emails or postal addresses take into account the specifics of the target country?
- Is the instructional style appropriate for the local audience?
- Are references to institutions, laws, norms and people adapted?
- Do you need to update texts and images to take into account cultural sensitivities?
- Have you checked the cultural implications of colours or images?
- Have currencies, prices and monetary references been converted?
- Are date formats correct for the target country?
- Have measurements or numbers been converted to the units of measurement of the target language?
- Have the exercises been adapted for cultural appropriateness?
- Have you checked the appropriateness of national symbols, flags and maps?
- Have local data protection standards been taken into account?
- Does the content comply with the legal requirements of the target market (e.g. GDPR)?
- Have the instructions and exercises been adapted to the educational systems of the countries?
- Have the workflows been analysed from a cultural perspective?
Are you thinking about translating your online courses?
Then you should talk to us about it, because there are many possibilities and options for localizing your content. Do not hesitate to contact us. We will respond to your individual needs and discuss the possible production alternatives with you.
