• Offered for Year: 2024/25

• Module Leader(s): Mrs Phoebe Yu
• Lecturer: Dr Ya-Yun Chen, Dr Fred Wu

• Owning School: Modern Languages
• Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus

• Capacity limit: 30 student places

Semesters

Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.

Aims

This module is designed to bring students up to date with the latest developments in technology within the interpreting industry. With interpreting becoming more and more technology-dependant, it is important to provide students with an understanding of the role technology plays in the profession, as well as an opportunity for them to experiment with different interpreting tools.

This module aims to give students:

• an advanced understanding of both current academic theory and professional application of technology in different interpreting modes, including simultaneous interpreting, consecutive interpreting, liaison interpreting, and remote interpreting.

• skills and experience required to evaluate the benefits and risks various interpreting software or tools pose against specific working scenarios, such as remote interpreting via telephone or video/audio applications.

• knowledge and understanding of how to capitalise various interpreting tools to facilitate the execution of an interpreting assignment.

• objective evaluation of the influence and implications of technology, especially digital tools/developments on the working environment as well as the continuous professional development of an interpreter.

Outline Of Syllabus

This module is taught in the form of lectures and seminars.

The lectures aim to give research-based introduction to the influence of technology on interpreting. Specifically, they look at different degrees of technology involvement in interpreting, including technology-supported interpreting (for example virtual booth in RSI), technology-mediated interpreting (remote or distance interpreting), and artificial intelligence in interpreting (technology replacing interpreters). The lectures will integrate academic theories (interpreting studies) and industrial knowledge via relevant case studies. These will be led by the lecturers but will involve consolidation of learning via group work and class discussion. The existing and new knowledge will be integrated, demonstrated, and assessed in the final assignment.

The seminars focus on the application of knowledge gained from the lecture sessions. The seminars will feature practical exercises, where students experience various modes of technology-integrated interpreting, experiment with different interpreting tools (individually or in teams), evaluate the strength and weakness of the technology, and identify and compare skills unique to specific interpreting modes via technology. The existing and new knowledge will serve as a foundation upon which new skills will be forged and demonstrated in formative group work and presentations.

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

The teaching methods adopted in this module are a combination of lectures and seminars. The former is used to help students acquire relevant knowledge while the latter helps students assimilate relevant knowledge through discussion and some hands-on experience in designed scenarios and simulated contexts of interpreting.

In the lectures, students will gain advanced knowledge about how technology is used in interpreting. This will be delivered through the presentation of various case studies, which will be discussed in relation to both interpreting studies theories and professional contexts. This knowledge will be further consolidated through small group activities and class discussions.

In the seminars, students will engage in various scenarios designed to contextualise the knowledge gained from lectures. They will develop skills to perform interpreting with various interpreting tools/software and under the influence of different degrees of technology involvement. Students are expected to work in small groups and share their findings in class in order to further enrich their learning. Lecturers will provide feedback on group activities and further consolidate student learning by relating the activities back to theory and industrial practice.

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Other Assessment

Formative Assessments

Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The assessment has two components: a formative group presentation and a summative portfolio assessment.

The 20-minute small group presentations in seminars will be centred around the evaluation of one particular piece of interpreting technology (such as Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR), Zoom or virtual booth). Students will be expected to give a short demonstration using technology followed by a discussion on the benefits and challenges of working with the selected piece of technology as an interpreter. Oral feedback will be provided.

The portfolio assessment is aimed to encourage the student to reflect on the various professional and academic aspects of the module. These may include an academic approach to a simulated interpreting task, reflections and analyses of the administrative aspects of the practice. The formative assessment by means of small group presentation will provide a basis and guidance for students in the summative portfolio.

Reading Lists

• CHN8038's Reading List

Timetable

• Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
• CHN8038's Timetable