Integrating in-class and online learning activities in a healthcare interpreting course using Moodle.

Abstract

This paper presents and discusses practical ways in which instructors can effectively combine in-class and online learning activities using Moodle, as exemplified by the healthcare interpreting course offered under the Postgraduate Programme in Community Interpreting at Adam Mickiewicz University (AMU), Poznań. It favours a student-centred approach and draws on the social constructivist framework (Duffy & Cunningham 1996; Williams & Burden 1997; Benson 2001; Kiraly 2000, 2003), with instructors acting as "organisers, advisers, and sources of information" (Horváth 2007: 104). Prior to the presentation of selected online resources available for teaching healthcare interpreting (i.e. web sites with 3D anatomy resources, medical glossaries, dictionaries and journals, educational medical videos), this article provides an overview of the healthcare interpreting course design adopted at the AMU, and outlines those practical issues and considerations that should be addressed before integrating online resources into the classroom using Moodle: student learning potential, student and context fit, authenticity, practicality, sense of achievement.