The Importance of Localising Your eLearning Content

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What is eLearning?

eLearning relates to a specific category of digital learning which is conducted solely through the internet. It comes in various forms: text-based materials, videos, interactive simulations, assignments, and quizzes, for instance. A good example is ‘eLearning for healthcare’ — a partnership between NHS England and professional bodies, providing online education and training for health and social care professionals. 

What is localisation?

Localisation is the process of adapting a product, service, advertisement, or indeed eLearning content, to a targeted market or region. It’s often tied to translation, but here’s how it goes beyond the traditional conversion from one language to another: 

  • Localisation ensures content resonates with the target audience by considering cultural nuances, local norms, and context. It often involves adjusting terms for currencies, units of measure, dates, time formats, fonts, and capitalisation to align with local practices. 
  • Content localisation has become an industry in itself. For instance, eLearning content development involves the localisation of eLearning content materials across the board to suit different languages and markets — bridging the gap between education and linguistic requirements. 
  • As part of a global business strategy, localisation matters: Localisation by eLearning content services reinforces brand awareness, smooths the pathway into new markets, expands the global footprint, and reaches a wider audience. 
  • Engaging with diverse cultures and regions can bring increased sales through tapping into a rich seam of potential new customers. 

It’s important to remember that localisation is not only about words, but also making connections with people across borders and clearing language barriers. 

How does the localisation of eLearning content affect the user experience?

Localisation has an impact on the user experience in several ways:

  • Translating eLearning content into the user’s native language ensures clarity and comprehension. eLearning content development through localisation services allows users to engage with the eLearning materials without language barriers. 
  • Adapting eLearning graphics, symbols, and idiomatic expressions to match local culture enhances resonance. For example, in China, the colour red is viewed as being lucky, but in the West it can mean danger. 
  • Localised user interface elements — buttons, menus, labels, etc. —  make the user experience more comfortable and convenient. 
  • Showing dates and times in alignment with local conventions (e.g. day-month-year vs. month-day-year) prevents confusion. 
  • Displaying prices in local currency and using familiar units of measure feels more intuitive.
  • Adhering to local laws, privacy rules, and accessibility standards ensures trust and compliance.

Ultimately, good localisation services bring user satisfaction and loyalty.

Why it’s important to localise your eLearning content

Localising eLearning content is crucial for several reasons:

  • When eLearning content resonates with learners’ cultural benchmarks, it engages the user more effectively. Providing locally relevant examples, visuals, and scenarios helps with comprehension. 
  • Translating eLearning content into native languages ensures inclusivity — meaning that students can focus on learning rather than overcoming language barriers. 
  • Adapting eLearning content to the target region’s legal requirements ensures there are no issues with compliance or the authorities. 
  • A professionally localised eLearning experience provides the learner with satisfaction, motivation, and fosters student retention. Learners feel valued when content speaks their language and fits their cultural context. 
  • Localised eLearning content development allows organisations opportunities to expand their global reach. 

For an inclusive and valuable eLearning experience, content localisation services are essential.

About Us

At TW Languages, our translation and localisation services are geared unerringly towards accuracy, as a lack of clarity could have serious repercussions. Our translators are not just professional in-country translators, they’re also qualified and experienced in specialist fields and take pride in their localisation skills. 

TW Languages is a multi-lingual localisation, translation, and transcription service provider, specialising in technical and scientific translations in up to 250 languages.

We are a UK registered company, based in Cheshire and a full member of the ATC & EUATC. We manage large projects, focusing on innovation, quality and meeting customers’ deadlines. We are a friendly and agile business with an ethos for ‘honesty, integrity, and transparency’. Our goal is to provide the highest quality in each translation we produce within the agreed time schedules.

TW Languages is part of the Future Group; Future Group is an international translation company with operations in Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Asia. TW Languages Ltd represents an investment initiative by Future Group in the UK market.

Mission

To continue to grow the business and use our passion and desire to ensure every translation is of the highest quality and delivered on time. In doing this, we are committed to working with our clients in supporting them to achieve their global strategy.

Vision

To develop and extend our services globally, which we can do by working together as a collective.

Contact Us

Use the contact form here to give TW Languages the opportunity to impress with their translation and localisation services. 

Contact the team at our UK-based head office by calling +44 (0)161 826 8777.

You can also send an email to info@twlanguages.com