Miao Hui

An Integrated Project-Based Approach to Translation Teaching

The translation industry is constantly changing. It is generally felt that translation education is stuck in a dilemma that it is driven by the industry but is always behind the beat. Focusing on the essential competence of the translator as well as the translation in a fast-changing and increasingly technical translation industry, this study is based on a teaching experiment of combining two practice-based translation modules and immersing students in an integrated learning environment. Teaching is designed based on two different modules – Audio-visual Translation and Translating Chinese Culture. These are two completely different modules that could readily run separately. However, in this experiment, the two modules are combined and taught as a whole, including the assessment. Based on the author’s previous research on project-based teaching/learning, this study examines the effectiveness of this teaching approach in terms of creating a collaborative and interactive learning environment. It also explores how best to help students gain confidence in managing future translation projects, especially when translation modules are combined. By integrating modules, students can gain a better understanding of the overall purpose of these subjects and the relationship between different skills within translation practice, rather than thinking of them as separate and unrelated because of compartmentalised module instruction. 

In this paper, I argue that in order to ensure the effectiveness of this integrated teaching approach, it is essential to fully consider the selection and arrangements of the projects, the size and amount of projects to be included to maximise the learning outcome, the type and range of assessment, together with consideration of targeted facilitation and instruction in this teaching experiment. As different CAT tools are integrated within translation projects, reflection on computer-aided training systems is also provided. As an ongoing piece of research, periodic conclusions will be proposed to invite further discussion at the conference.

Dr. Miao Hui holds a PhD in Film Studies from the University of Birmingham, UK. She is a Lecturer in Translation and Interpreting at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, where she teaches journalism translation and audio-visual translation. She was teaching specialised translation at the University of Surrey before joining XJTLU in Sep 2017. Her research interest lies in translation and interpreting pedagogy and film remake.