Online interpreter training experiences examined through the eyes of trainees and trainers: A case study of a short course for police interpreters in South Korea

This paper examines a short online course for South Korean police interpreters from the perspectives of trainees and trainers. The surveys of 153 trainees and 13 trainers and interviews with six trainees and five trainers demonstrated the efficacy of the online interpreter training program for professional development. A large majority of both groups of trainees and trainers indicated a strong preference for online training, confirming the efficacy and viability of this mode of training. However, some challenges such as class management remained from the perspective of interpreter trainers. The findings suggest that online interpreter trainers need to explore further the question of how to deliver the best pedagogical practice and achieve the intended outcome from the short course. Given that there are very limited training opportunities for community interpreters in South Korea, the positive evaluation of this type of professional development deserves scholarly attention and further stakeholder investment.