The eLearning industry is, without a doubt, booming. In fact, according to a Forbes article, the global eLearning market will be worth more than USD 325 billion in 2025 (up from USD 165 in 2014.) No wonder, given how beneficial and cost-effective eLearning is to a company’s bottom line. IBM alone saved around USD 200 million after utilising online learning. In addition, 98% of corporations in the USA admit that they plan to incorporate online learning into their program this year. And now you begin to get the picture.

eLearning is here to stay. And it’s becoming more convenient by the day with tools like time management, task management, and data visualization apps. Indeed, one can only imagine the possibilities that open up.

eLearning Localisation for Educational Purposes

eLearning is becoming an integral component of education. And it’s becoming an accessible option via platforms and Virtual Learning Environments. Without a doubt, it offers an unprecedented level of reach and flexibility to students across the world. Seminars, courses, and lectures are no longer classroom confined. Both students and instructors now have an impressive range of digital tools at their disposal. These tools range from virtual learning systems and mobile devices to digital textbooks and online courses. The learning process is now more effortless and enjoyable than ever before. It comes as no news that so many secondary and tertiary institutions have already embraced this way of education.

eLearning Localisation for Corporate Needs

The benefits of eLearning in the workplace are many. They include improved revenue, enhanced product visibility, and customer opportunities. It is thus not surprising that so many firms and global organisations are spending significant resources developing eLearning content. Mainly in the form of training courses. This is to support their mission of improving the knowledge of their collaborators, employees, and clients. Siemens, for one, has recently invested EUR 58 million in a new educational and training centre.

Why Invest in eLearning Localisation Services?

The list of benefits tied to professional localisation services is long. Some include:

• They offer a superb way for companies that want to grow globally. With this, they can train their non-English-speaking employees with cultural relevancy.
• eLearning localisation services also allow new hires to familiarise themselves with the company’s mission and vision and learn the responsibilities of their role faster and easier.
• They allow corporations to prioritise the satisfaction of customers and employees. It also enables them to improve communication and assure quality.
• Delivering training in one’s native language boosts productivity and enables organisations to get significant ROI (return on investment).
• Opportunities from development and training can boost job satisfaction for staff members.
• eLearning localisation services allow employees to have access to guidelines, laws, and regulations in their languages.
• It’s easier to learn and retain eLearning material when the company translates and localises it into the learner’s native language.

Why Is Localising Content a Big Deal?

First, let us say a word or two about what localising content refers to. To put it in simple terms, it involves transforming or translating information from one language into another one to improve end-user engagement. However, instead of stopping at the translation of the written text, localisation goes further. It involves adapting images, audio and video elements, signs, and formats (i.e., currency, units of measure, addresses, time, and dates) to the local culture. The goal is to make these elements acceptable to end-user(s) and avoid offending them in any way. Sometimes people use the terms localisation and translation interchangeably. Nevertheless, they bear significant differences.

Considering that most of today’s companies employ a global workforce, getting things across to people of different backgrounds is often a challenge. Especially if you do not offer the translation of the eLearning material in a culturally appropriate fashion.

#OptimationalTip: Remember that it’s paramount to go beyond a word-for-word translation of the content at hand. This can make all the difference in delivering compelling content.

Global Businesses Are Relying on Localisation: The Reasons

Some of the reasons why top international companies assure that their corporate processes, policies, and strategies are available in the native language of their employees include:

• The dominance of English in the global economy is undeniable. But it’s not the native language most businesses around the world use to communicate. This means that companies that need to educate their target audience or employees in another country must ensure they convey their message correctly. Achieving that opens the way for best comprehension and engagement.
• 90% of individuals want to learn in their mother tongue so that they can contribute to the company’s prosperity and growth. By learning in their native language, they have the chance to retain information faster and fully comprehend it.
• According to Harvard Business Review surveys, 90% of European consumers (and 72% of Americans) prefer to access websites that are in their native language. Also, over 70% of them are more likely to purchase after receiving all relevant information about a product in their mother tongue.
• The localised training content has a dramatic impact on soft costs. This means it enhances employee retention, mitigates injury claims, reduces lost time, and accelerates productivity.

Getting Help from Skilled Professionals: An Essential Step

Localising eLearning is no walk in the park. It requires the implementation of a complex process that calls for experts’ input. This is what makes eLearning translation and localisation a success. From evaluating the entire material (to identify technical and cultural viewpoints that are truly relevant) to translating, recording voice-overs, and more. You should design and take care of everything. And all that must be displayed in an appealing way to enhance readability.

#OptimationalTip: The translation process needs to include multiple steps of quality assurance to solve nuances of the target language.

What Is New about eLearning?

eLearning has such tremendous potential that breaks the boundaries of just Academia and Business. It can help millions of people across the world while also alleviating world hunger. Take Africa, for example, which is quickly catching up at an astonishing rate with its European and Northern American counterparts. In 2019, eLearning Africa used eLearning technology to roll out discussions and seminars about food production and farming, which are vital components of the African economies. 

That aside, industry analysts expect the self-paced e-learning market to be worth nearly USD 16 billion, in the USA alone, by next year. Last year, the US Federal Government generated more than two billion in revenues via self-paced eLearning products. And let us not forget that eLearning has already entered adulthood, being over 20 years old, which means that it’s a constantly evolving sector.

One of the biggest growing eLearning areas is in gamification, with Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) leading the way for virtual classrooms and courses. Another key trend that is also expected to make headlines in the coming years is microlearning—learners choose to interact with educational content via small-sized learning modules.

Final Thoughts

Being able to keep up with the times, evolve, and adjust to the current trends is key to success. eLearning localisation is tied to an impressive array of benefits. Some of them include business and personal growth, improved revenue, employee satisfaction, and enhanced productivity. Given its wondrous effectiveness, though, it is critical to ensure all eLearning materials are accurately translated. In addition, they should be matched with visually appealing graphics and presented with cultural relevancy in mind. 

If you are looking for eLearning localisation services, contact us!