Trainee translators' perceptions of cooperative teamwork

Abstract

In practice, translator training generally combines two well-established approaches to teaching/learning: project-based learning and cooperative/collaborative-learning. In the Professional Approach to Translator Training, these didactic models have been merged and adapted to the teleworking context of professional translation and presented through the medium of blended e-learning. In this context, translator training has embraced the full range of competencies specified in the undergraduate program currently taught at the University of Granada (Spain) and opens up the learning experience to cover areas often ignored due to the difficulties inherent in both teaching and assessment. Instrumental and personal competencies such as teamwork and interpersonal communication skills, decision-making and organization skills are seldom taught explicitly and even less often assessed despite our attempts to fulfill the requirements of the Bologna process. A social constructivist approach to tertiary education appears to take these competencies for granted rather than incorporating them into the wider learning experience. The present study focuses on small group composition and learners’ perceptions of small groups and teamwork. The role of the tutor in team composition is crucial if teams are to work efficiently and learners are to benefit from the experience. However, while research has been undertaken at primary and secondary level, little has been published about this issue in the university; moreover, that which is available draws heavily on the school experience. In response to unexpected results, we have taken a proactive role in small group formation by using a random selection process, with subsequent manipulations. This has been followed by using structured activities designed to create qualitative responses from learners from which we have constructed a corpus of group and individual reflections. Our analysis of this corpus leads us to conclude that group composition has little influence on product-based assessment but can improve learning and an often ignored component of tertiary education. Our learners’ perception of small group formation and teamwork focuses on issues of task, team, attitude, process, and conflict about which they indicate substantial concern which, we consider, merits a comprehensive response from tutors.