11 Localization Ideas for Global E-learning That Go Beyond Translation
Localized e-learning content is critical for ensuring that everyone who takes your courses or engages with your platform gets the same high-quality material, regardless of where they are. However, many platforms stop translating that content into the user's native language. Language translation services can help make that content more accessible. But they will need to go the extra mile in making it usefully localized for some users. Consider these key localization ideas when determining how you want to create and piece together your educational content.
1. Localized Scenarios
Many educators use scenarios to improve learning and provide deeper insight, and they are sometimes universal. Pay careful attention to the scenarios created on your educational platform and localize them. Then you can make them relevant to different segments of your target audience.
2. Photography
Many photos in your lessons and content may show users engaging with your course materials. Others may offer particular examples of the scenarios or content presented in your lessons. However, those images may only reach some users as well as you had hoped. Consider showing users from different demographics as you localize your content for an international audience. Remember that you may have a diverse group of users, regardless of whether they are from your business or a wider audience, especially as your brand grows. Ensure that your photos include those diverse users for more powerful localization.
3. Video Content
Video content is often a critical part of the e-learning experience. You should sometimes provide subtitles and other clear translation information for that video content. Consider more profound localization efforts in other cases, especially as your international market grows. For example, consider creating unique content for those global users. Take a close look at how users from a diverse target market may respond to your video content and how you can ensure a higher level of engagement.
4. Images
The images in your e-learning content are not all photos. In many cases, images resonate with unexpected intensity for users. Content like flags, outdoor imagery, and even the food presented in those images can make a big difference in how users connect to your content. By using images that actively speak to your target audience, rather than just the generic images that are localized for your home market, you can often create a more profound sense of connection and facilitate better overall learning. That may mean paying careful attention to details like:
Signs used in the background
City images
Nature images
Vehicle designs (including which side of the vehicle holds the steering wheel)
Localized images for individual geographic areas can substantially increase learners’ connections with that content.
5. Colors
The colors used in websites and learning content can make a big difference in how people respond. However, suppose you are only considering how users from your primary demographic respond to those colors. In that case, you may need to use a valuable way to connect with your target audience.
People from different nationalities connect with colors in unique ways and may have different reactions to them. As you design your content, it is crucial to know how users will respond to your logo, background, and other vital elements of your website and app.
6. Gestures
The gestures and positioning in your content may have a more significant impact than you think. Cultures vary on what they consider offensive gestures; some may be offensive to people outside your immediate demographic. For example, different cultures often point with other fingers because of the potentially harmful associations with pointing with the wrong finger. (Some companies, including Disney, gesture with two fingers or a whole hand.)
As you create your content, you must consult with experts who know what gestures are most likely to prove offensive. Then you can avoid things that might offend your target audience and interfere with learning.
7. Values
Different cultures may have vastly different values. For example, while American culture highly values individualism, some Asian cultures often focus heavily on family. Some African cultures value the community above the individual. When creating your content, your lessons, imagery, and other elements must consider those unique values. When your content needs to be in sync with your target audience's values, it may distract them from the lesson's purpose. This can ultimately prevent them from learning what you intended for them to learn from that content.
8. Goals
The goals of users engaging with your content may be as different as their cultures and background. Some users, for example, may aim for individualized learning that will help advance their career—inside or outside a specific organization. Others may focus on improving global knowledge or helping their companies expand. Sometimes, that focus may be different because of cultural values. By localizing your content for that approach, you increase your ability to reach those users effectively and guide them through that vital e-learning content.
9. Power Dynamics and Structure
For some cultures, power dynamics are fundamental. When they perceive someone as being in authority over them, it changes how they interact and connect. Others, however, have a relatively flat structure that focuses heavily on equality. You should carefully examine how that impacts how users perceive and interact with crucial information.
10. Comfort With Ambiguity
It may surprise you that your content's ambiguity level impacts how users interact with it. According to Hofstede's measure of cultural dimensions, some cultures are very comfortable with a high level of ambiguity or not understanding something the first time it is presented to them. They may be more willing to go through e-learning content without a solid understanding of everything given to them. Also, learners may be comfortable accepting a vague assertion instead of more concrete content. Others, on the other hand, prefer those concrete visualizations and "hard" information that will give them a higher level of certainty in their learning.
11. Etiquette
Local etiquette can vary substantially on several issues, from who stands up first at the end of a conversation to what side of the road a car drives on or how fast the driver moves. Having an expert review local etiquette when you localize your content can make a big difference in the way that content is perceived.
Let Us Help With Your Localization Efforts
Effective localization is about much more than translation, it also includes considering the target culture's values, responses to color and language, and imagery preferences. Contact us today to learn how we can help you accomplish your localization goals.