Tele-teaching and e-learning in interpreter training - a pilot experience

The new structure of University courses resulting from the recent reform of the Italian university system known as the Bologna process, with the introduction of a BA/MA system, has resulted in a reorganization of interpreter training courses in SSLMIT (Forlì, Italy). The reform has led to a reduction in the number of teaching hours, a wider range of language combinations and a new approach to the overall organization of courses. The working environment for interpreters has also radically changed, with considerable broadening of the required professional profile. It follows that successful interpreter training courses must now include aspects like responsible self-learning, self-evaluation, autonomous (group) work and the active use of IT. In order to satisfy these new needs, in 2004 the authors introduced a holistic approach to their MA course in conference interpreting (Italian-German). In addition to teaching interpreting-specific skills, this multidisciplinary approach includes team teaching, communication skills, goal setting, stress management, e-learning and distance teaching. Tele-teaching was offered in addition to traditional classes, providing training sessions, discussion rounds, goal setting meetings and mock exams using Skype (VoIP). This also involved the extensive use of an e-learning platform for knowledge sharing, training material and instructions for exercises (mp3-recordings, transcriptions of speeches and parallel texts in the two languages, written and oral cloze-texts, background information, research articles, etc.). The platform was also used for group work, trainer feedback, and as a forum for sharing students’ learning experiences, approaches and methods. The experience has shown that the combined use of traditional training with one or both teachers present, e-learning and tele-teaching produced strongly motivated students who were encouraged to take greater responsibility for how they learned, with consequent improvements in autonomous self-study, problem solving and team work. The learner groups are in fact still active and successfully continuing their activities even after the end of the course that instigated them. In conclusion, tele-teaching and e-learning have proved a valid tool for improving numerous aspects of interpreter training.