| Author: | Deng, Huimin |
| Title: | Enhancing problem design in PBL approach to translator training -- an empirical study |
| Advisors: | Li, Dechao (CBS) |
| Degree: | DALS |
| Year: | 2024 |
| Subject: | Translating and interpreting Translators -- Training of Problem-based learning Hong Kong Polytechnic University -- Dissertations |
| Department: | Faculty of Humanities |
| Pages: | 1 volume (unpaged) : color illustrations |
| Language: | English |
| Abstract: | This dissertation joins a vibrant conversation regarding the problem design in the problem-based learning approach (PBL) to translator training. A review of literature on the PBL implementation in and beyond medical education has brought the use of real-world problems into focus, as it received criticism for insufficient content knowledge coverage and inappropriate problem difficulty. Similar challenges arise in translator training. To address these issues, the study devises new PBL problems of four different types and varying levels of complexity, drawing inspiration from Janassen and Hung’s problem typology and theoretical framework for PBL problem design. To assess the applicability of these problems to translator training, an empirical study was carried out in an undergraduate programme to investigate the problem difficulty level and the amenability of these four problem types to translation curricula. The findings suggest that translation learners’ rating of these problems’ difficulty is slightly above average level. Moreover, the hierarchy of difficulty levels of the four problem types derived from this empirical investigation does not conform to the theoretically prescribed level of ill-structuredness, indicating a high degree of flexibility in selecting problem types to meet varying contextual needs of translator training. Furthermore, the new PBL problems, which incorporate a mix of problem types, exhibit a higher level of effectiveness than conventional PBL problems in enhancing translation proficiency. The results also revealed learners’ positive attitude towards the amenability of these new problems to translation curricula, highlighting the acquisition of collaboration skills, problem solving skills and self-directed learning skills. Meanwhile, there are also concerns about the insufficient coverage of content knowledge and diminished learning efficacy caused by ineffective collaboration. This dissertation argues that the mixed-type PBL problems are moderately complex, and effective in improving learner’s translation proficiency, and thus applicable to translator training. The study holds paramount importance as it not only contributes to the theoretical understanding of PBL problem design but also provides empirical evidence regarding problem difficulty. Additionally, it provides insights into the amenability of the four problem types to translation curricula and serves as a testament to the applicability of the PBL approach in translation education. |
| Rights: | All rights reserved |
| Access: | restricted access |
Files in This Item:
| File | Description | Size | Format | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7553.pdf | For All Users (off-campus access for PolyU Staff & Students only) | 1.8 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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