There is a wealth of high-quality educational materials available in various languages. To save time and resources, teachers can often use these materials in their classrooms. However, localisation is crucial for ensuring that content resonates with local audiences by addressing their specific needs and preferences. This process goes beyond mere translation; it involves adapting content to fit cultural differences and regional tastes to ensure the message is both relevant and engaging. By tailoring materials to local contexts, educators can enhance the student experience, build stronger connections, and improve overall effectiveness.
The two-year EDUmake project (October 2022 – September 2024), led by VRT (the public broadcaster in Belgium), underscores the essential role of localisation. Throughout the project’s duration, existing educational resources were adapted for audiences in the Netherlands and Croatia, and a new joint educational resource on politics was created in preparation for the EU elections 2024. This new resource was also tailored to meet the specific needs of audiences in each country.
In this blog post, we will explore the localisation of EDUbox Politics, outlining the process involved, sharing feedback from teachers and students, and offering recommendations for those looking to adapt educational resources to their own contexts.
Background
Before delving into the localisation processes, it’s essential to outline the key terms and project background.
Consortium partners: De Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroeporganisatie nv (VRT) (Belgium), Interuniversitair Micro-Electronica Centrum (IMEC/Mediawijs) (Belgium), Stichting NTR (NTR) (The Netherlands), Sveuciliste U Zagrebu Fakultet Politickih Znanosti (FPZG) (Croatia), Media & Learning Association (MLA) (International)
EDUbox: Developed by VRT, EDUbox introduces secondary school students (12-18 year olds) to pressing social topics, such as fake news, sexting, and cybersecurity. These EDUboxes are not just educational tools; they’re gateways to deep learning experiences, meticulously crafted to blend technology, didactics, and storytelling into an interactive journey.
EDUbox Politics is an educational resource designed for secondary school students. It helps them understand how decisions are made, how ideas become policies, and how persuasion works. By exploring their own concerns and ideas for the future, students learn how these can be realised through politics.
Localisation Process
Initial Development
VRT led the creation of EDUbox Politics through a collaborative process, beginning with a consortium meeting in Zagreb from May 15-17, 2023. The team developed both Flemish and international versions simultaneously: the Flemish version focuses on the Belgian/Flemish system, while the international version, produced in English, covers the European system. Both versions take approximately 80-90 minutes to complete. Launched in Flanders on October 11, 2023, these versions served as models for NTR and FPZG in their regional adaptations.
Adaptations
Belgium (Flemish version): The Flemish version highlights the Belgian/Flemish political system and included local examples.
Duration: 80-90 min
The Netherlands: Schooltv has developed a new interactive learning resource inspired by the EDUbox format to teach Dutch students about politics, voting, and persuasion. The resource replaces the original PDF and video structure with an engaging chat-based approach to better suit the needs of Dutch learners and improve accessibility. This version includes features like screen reader compatibility and dyslexic-friendly fonts. With Dutch political reporter Marleen de Rooy as their guide, students explore the material through interactive content, including videos featuring diverse perspectives from voters and politicians. Based on the EDUbox Politics, the resource includes adapted exercises, a tailored game, and additional videos with Marleen to enhance understanding for all students in the Netherlands.
Duration: 55 min
Croatia: The FPZG team aimed to familiarise young Croatians with politics, the electoral process, and the significance of voting by implementing several key changes. These included translating all materials into Croatian, with two-level proofreading, and adjusting the narrative to be more relatable to the audience. Croatian political examples, newspaper headlines, and politician posters were incorporated for contextualisation, and generic visuals were replaced with images familiar to Croatian students. All relevant videos were translated. Additionally, the memory game was excluded due to time constraints and its complexity.
Duration: 90 min
Impact and Feedback
Belgium: Students appreciated the interactive assignments and videos, finding them more engaging than traditional lessons. However, they suggested more videos to explain theory and simpler language. Teachers found the EDUboxes easy to use but noted the need for more technical improvements, adjustments for different learning levels, and additional lesson materials.
The Netherlands: Students responded positively to interactive and gamified elements, which increased engagement. However, they experienced decreased engagement with text-heavy content.
Croatia: evaluations revealed several areas for improvement, including challenges with workshop duration (original was 90 minutes), the need for more guidelines for teachers and librarians, and a reduction in theoretical content on European institutions. Additionally, more time was needed for group work and assignments.
Feedback from a librarian:
“The EDUbox workshop was very instructive for our students and opened up a number of questions that they mostly do not think about or at least do not bother with in relation to politics. The most important problem that has opened up for them, is the issue of social responsibility of all of us. The workshop approached our students in a very simple and accessible way. As a teacher, I am happy that our students and teachers had the opportunity to participate in the workshop, regardless of age and experience, we all had something to learn. Some interesting questions and perspectives have opened up that significantly influence our decisions. EDUbox content should really be available more often to students and citizens.” – librarian from Croatia
Our 10 Localisation Recommendations ⤵️
- Engage Local Experts: Collaborate with local educators and students to ensure relevance.
- High-Quality Translation: Ensure accurate translations with careful attention to linguistic details.
- Contextual Adaptation: Use local examples and scenarios for better relatability.
- Local Imagery: Incorporate images and visuals familiar to the local audience.
- Accessible Multimedia: Translate and adapt videos and other multimedia content for accessibility.
- Interactive Content: Include interactive elements like games and quizzes tailored to local educational contexts.
- Curriculum Alignment: Ensure content and duration aligns with local educational standards and curricula.
- Teacher Resources: Provide guides, lesson plans, and training materials for teachers.
- Simplify Language: Use clear, simple language to ensure accessibility for all students.
- Collect and Iterate on Feedback: Gather feedback from users and make continuous improvements based on their insights.
By adapting existing resources, we encourage sharing, save time, and reduce duplication of efforts, making the educational process more efficient and collaborative. Localisation also allows for the incorporation of culturally relevant examples, addresses specific local needs, and enhances engagement by making content more relatable to students, ultimately leading to improved educational outcomes and a more inclusive learning environment. The experiences from Belgium, the Netherlands, and Croatia highlight the benefits of this approach.
Editor’s note: Would you like to learn more about localisation? Then make sure to join our free online event “Unlocking the power of localisation: creating engaging learning experiences” on 11 September from 14:00 – 15:30 CEST.
