Localization in eLearning – Tips and Best Practices

Organizations opt for localization in eLearning to meet specific expectations of their employees (learning in a language they prefer), or to address new markets.

In this article, I share a set of tips and best practices that can help you manage localization of your eLearning courses effectively and successfully.

What Is Localization in eLearning?

Localization in eLearning is the process of converting the master course (often in English or the first course) into different languages.

• Sometimes, the process may be limited to only translation, and the other assets like the audio, video, images, examples, case studies, and assessments may remain unchanged.
• On the other hand, localization in eLearning can also include the specific adaptation for a region wherein besides the translation, the region-specific nuances are incorporated in the localized eLearning course.
  • This would be reflected in having region-specific audio, video, images, examples, and case studies.
  • It may even include region specific assessments.
  • Besides language translation, this region-specific adaptation also focuses on mapping region-specific cultural nuances into the localized version.

What Are the Key Benefits of Localization in ?

Localization in eLearning accommodates a variety of nuances that are relevant to learners, including but not limited to, language, cultural preferences and regional sensitivities. Doing so can prove to be highly advantageous for organizations, as illustrated below:

• Enhanced learning outcomes across global teams: By ensuring that training content is accessible, relevant, and culturally appropriate for diverse learners, which is what effective localization achieves, learners are able to understand, absorb, and apply the material better. Furthermore, this will also lead to better transfer of knowledge thus also being beneficial for the organization in the long run.
• Improved employee engagement and retention: When localization is applied holistically across the board, in the context of learning styles ( e.g., collaborative learning, individual learning, project- based learning) as well as visual choices, (e.g., colours, layouts) considering cultural sensitivities and preferences, it results in the learner being more motivated to engage with the course as well as retain and apply it.
• Better compliance with local regulations and global brand consistency: Different regions have different standards, requirements, guidelines, and legalities. By taking this into account, the organization can meet the specific criteria of a certain place while also ensuring it is in coherence with its larger brand image and communication.
• Cost-effectiveness in the long run: While the initial costs of localization might be steep, it is necessary to consider the benefits it will provide a long course of time to assess its cost-effectiveness. To invest in localization not only means to be able to access wider markets but also to better access these markets, by enabling learners to absorb and apply the acquired knowledge better, thus having a better equipped workforce.
• Connection to organizational learning ecosystem benefits: Ensuring a thorough implementation of localization boosts cross-regional collaboration and fosters an environment for peer learning where a more diverse sense of skills and perspectives can be accessed, assessed, and also incorporated.

Different Stages of Localization

For localization to be implemented effectively and holistically it must be incorporated in every stage of the process as opposed to being an afterthought once the asset has been developed. The stages of localization are as illustrated below:

• Planning Phase: The elements of consideration in this phase include a cultural assessment and analysis of the audience, an audit and optimization of the content, deliberations of the technology and platform being used, planning of the budget and timelines, as well as the involvement of stakeholders.
• Design Phase: The elements of consideration in this phase include implementing culture-neutral design principles, flexible layouts for different languages, considerations of colors and images, user interface, and strategies for the adaptation.
• Development Phase: The elements of consideration in this phase include the development of content and guidelines, putting together processes for quality control, testing protocols, and considering the various technicalities.
• Implementation Phase: The elements of consideration in this phase include a pilot test with the target audience, the collection and incorporation of feedback, the continuous improvement of the processes put in place to ensure a smooth running, and the integration of the asset with the existing learning ecosystems.

What Tips and Best Practices Can You Use as You Embark on Localization in eLearning?

Localization of eLearning should not be an afterthought. It needs to be identified upfront as you begin the development of the master eLearning course.

Here is my list of top 6 best practices and multiple associated tips that you can use:

Best Practice 1: Plan for Flexibility in the Master eLearning Course

As the length of the sentences in the translated course will not be identical to the master course, you need to have adequate room to fit in the extra sentence length in the same design.

Tips

1. It is a good practice to validate this and plan for the required spacing upfront during your master course development.
2. Also, it pays to avoid too many boxes in the master courses that may cause content spillages in the localized versions.
3. Additionally, keeping the sentences concise helps you manage the run length of the translated sentences to a large degree. This also reduces your effort on formatting.

Best Practice 2: Provisioning for Effort on Formatting

Given the differences in sentence length across languages, you need to maintain the formatting of sentences across the course.

Tips

1. Do plan for extra effort on this formatting exercise.
2. It is a good practice to have a linguistic review done at this stage to ensure that during formatting you break sentences at an appropriate and logical point.

Best Practice 3: Addressing Specific Aspects for Certain Languages

For languages like Arabic that read from right to left, you need to plan for the related aspects that are specific to this format.

Tips

1. Along with the master course design, also create the localized version design (including the banner, footer, menu and so on). This validation will help you identify any changes that may be necessary in the master to handle the localized version.
2. During this exercise, do validate the placement of instructions and prompt texts and ensure that they map as effectively in the localized version.

Best Practice 4: Using Universally Recognized Imagery and Icons

Even though you are addressing the employees of the same organization in different countries, it is important to select images and icons that are universally understood to avoid misinterpretation. Otherwise, the learners will miss what they convey or get an altogether different meaning (not what you had planned).

Tips

1. During the development of the master eLearning course, identify these aspects (images and icons) and ensure global imagery or maintain a tracker that you can use to identify equivalent instances in respective languages.
2. At the beginning, do identify any acronyms or any specific terms that would not be translated into the respective languages. Maintain this list for an easy validation.

Best Practice 5: Maintaining Cultural Appropriateness

This is a highly significant aspect of localization that needs an expert’s validation.

Tips

1. Work with cultural consultants or localization specialists to validate the content’s cultural sensitivity.
2. Run focus groups with native speakers to assess the cultural relevance of your localized content.
3. Similar to the other best practices, cultural considerations should be integrated into your project plan from the start to avoid last-minute adjustments.

Best Practice 6: Selecting Authoring Tools That Are Localization-Friendly

Today, you have a choice of several authoring tools that ease off the process of localization of eLearning courses. With a single click, you can export your content in various formats (Word document, XLIFF, and Text file), localize them, and place them back into your eLearning courses with minimal effort.

At EI, we support a wide range of responsive design tools that provide rapid design development, tools that apply a multi-device layout-based design approach, and adaptable design tools.

Responsive authoring tools that offer development to design

• Adapt Learning
• Articulate Rise
• dominKnow – dominKnow ONE
• Elucidat
• Evolve Authoring
• Gomo Learning

Responsive authoring tools that use a multi-device layout-based approach to design

• Adobe Captivate 2019
• Trivantis – Lectora 19
• Custom HTML5

Adaptive authoring tools

• Articulate Storyline 360
• iSpring 10

Future Trends in eLearning Localization

Some developments we can expect in the eLearning space in the context of localization are as follows:

• AI for translations: The use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) is revolutionizing eLearning localization. AI-powered tools will become increasingly accurate in translating content, making it more cost-effective and faster to localize learning materials. These tools can automatically detect context and cultural nuances, leading to more reliable and natural translations.
• Automated localization tools: Automated localization tools leverage machine learning and deep AI algorithms for fast content translation and the localization for different languages. This lightens the process, saves money, and drives better translations in general by continuous self-learning.
• Adaptive learning systems: AI based adaptive learning systems observe learner dynamics and behavior to offer a personalized level to learners by adjusting the experience. By applying this model, each learner gets the content that works for them at their pace and knowledge deficiencies, leading to an increase in engagement and retention.

Summary

I hope this article provides practical pointers that you can use to successfully localize your eLearning courses. Localization of training makes it more contextual and engaging for employees of different regional and cultural backgrounds. Ensure your learning experience hits the pulse of your audience by localizing the content to local languages, culture, and tastes. With technology constantly advancing, integrating trends such as AI enabled translation tools and adaptive learning systems will ensure your content remains effective, adds value for your learners, and stays ahead of the game.