The Global Text Project: Spanish Translation Phase
The Global Text Project (GTP) was initiated in 2006 to provide free, high quality, open content textbooks to university students in developing economies. In 2011, the GTP refocused on marketing and distribution of its own and other open content textbooks, and in 2013 involved students and other volunteers in translating textbooks into Spanish. Translation and content localization is an ongoing issue in the Global delivery of information. The case follows a graduate student project leader managing a complex Spanish translation effort. The case encourages readers to reflect upon how the process of translation could be improved. Finally, it poses questions about how the translated textbooks could be promoted for use by professors in Spanish speaking countries, particularly those in Latin America. The issues in this case relate to volunteerism, information systems and technologies, project management, translation methodologies, and textbook adoption. Readers are encouraged to consider if machine translation, computer aided translation, or the application of computer game elements in distributed translation might increase productivity and provide high quality translated content.