Course Development

Welocalize's eLearning Localization Guide

New York, NY (USA), February 2024 - The need for reskilling, continuing education, and professional certifications is driving the corporate segment of the eLearning market. Worldwide, companies are increasing their investments in eLearning due to its efficiency, accessibility, and cost-effectiveness over in-person learning. For global brands, eLearning allows them to provide a consistent, accessible, and centrally controlled training environment for their teams.

To assist organizations in creating eLearning platforms and courses that resonate with employees and audiences worldwide, Welocalize, one of the world's largest language services providers, has produced a complimentary guide, Multilingual eLearning: Localize for a Global Audience.

"When translating and localizing eLearning content for non-English speaking audiences, there are numerous challenges and obstacles to overcome. This guide is a starting point for organizations interested in creating seamless eLearning content that can engage a global audience," comments John Madden, Head of Technical Operations at Welocalize. "eLearning localization is adapting course content to the linguistic, cultural, technical, and legal standards of a country or region. By adapting the content to the language and cultural context of a country, learners can better comprehend the materials, relate to the content, and increase retention."

However, a critical challenge remains: how to effectively engage multilingual audiences. A study by LearnUpon LMS that involved 200 organizations indicated that 71% found engagement the most challenging aspect of training. This is where the importance of eLearning localization comes into play, tailoring content to meet the linguistic, cultural, and technical norms of various regions.

Key insights and takeaways from Welocalize's guide include:

  • Seven best practices to follow for successful multilingual eLearning platforms
  • How generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and Google Bard make it easier and faster to automate multilingual content creation
  • What to localize, including adapting symbols, icons, images, photos, and colors for cultures and regions. Plus, how AI can streamline the localization workflow.
  • Steps to localizing eLearning courses and content for multilingual audiences - from planning and translation to review and delivery. The four-step process is detailed in the guide.