I have read a few discussions/threads on having multiple languages in a course, but like most projects they all seem to be unique.
For this the project I am currently working on, we want to have the learner select their language (8-10 eventually) and begin the course. Is there any way to show the player in that specific language, including the menu for only that language?
In order to prevent LMS issues with having multiple course codes and/or accidental selection and wrong registration to a language, our client has asked to keep the training in one file if possible.
My tip would be to turn off the player controls, prev/next buttons, all of it. Take complete control of the on-screen real estate, use a custom-size slide and then use strips of space on the top and bottom to put in the controls you want in the language "state" the user has selected.
Show and hide your own PREV/NEXT buttons, your own MENU (if that's really even needed), RESOURCE LINKS, all of it.
This way you can control all of your elements the same way, with states.
Looking at exactly that as well, but so far the best solution we came up with is to create a slide with the language selection and have the course in several "strands" from there.
Problem: - This bloats the course enormously! - menu and slide titles and so on are shown for all languages, as Jerry addressed above. Very confusing for the learners.
Idea I have: I could imagine doing this with variables, but my courses are too big for that. Absolute nightmare. Every single text field would have its own variable. (which it kind of gets when you export for translation. A programmer should be able to work with that and create something with that, like an excel sheet from which the correct language is pulled and set into place. Like a serial letter in word that uses adresses from an excel sheet.
@Jerry: Navigation on the slide is a very good idea, we have that anyway
Think I will go to the feature request page and file a request. I can imagine this being a great feature for many people: Choose your language at the start (set a variable) and all test fields in the course are set to that language.
Instead of multiple (duplicated) slides... can you use multiple slide layers instead? You can use a language variable to display the appropriate layer for each language "at timeline start". As for the player, You can use JavaScript to "hack" the player and re-label buttons, course title etc.
Layers, not a bad idea. Need to see how feasible that is with my courses (quite a few slides each and I use layers for interactivity and animations. Afraid it's going to be very messy adding 5-8 language layers.) Could work for simpler courses. Would certainly help with the file size. Still messy with changes / error finding. Thanks for the idea Owen!
Still, I think a feature for multiple languages in Storyline courses would find quite some support among corporate users. I deal with people from over 30 countries in our corporate LMS, if I could cover the 8 most important languages in an easy way it would be great.
If it was only available in 360 it would give me some leverage to get an upgrade :-)
I'm no programmer, I don't even play one on TV, but I would think this wouldn't be too difficult of a feature to implement. I mean, they already identify all of the text elements as part of their translation process. I would think it would be a matter of having the course designer import multiple translation documents but instead of importing them as part of a new course (new language version) creating instead a variable dependent document reference during the publication process that would execute at run time. But again, I'm no programmer.
Me either, but I see it the same way. I think Storyline is half way there as it is. What I cannot tell (as a non-programmer) is how / if this functionality would work in SCORM, but with other variable-dependent text fields it works as well. I have filed a feature-request. I cannot imagine I am the first. Let''s see what comes out of it.
I am on the struggle bus too, trying to figure out how to HTML code a multiple language drop down box and then zipping all the SL languages into one scorm file. I keep searching and searching for help on this one as well. :-(
I can get you part of the way. You will pretty much have to create your own bundle or use a SCORM wrapper. I would use the scorm wrapper. (https://github.com/pipwerks/scorm-api-wrapper) I've attached the HTML that will build the language selector for you. Language selector HTML(attached) Create a file with this code and call it Index.html. The main.js file attached will be called by the manifest file which launches the index.html file, the language selector. it will look in the language folder to find the language with the course ID for that language.
For the languages, you will have to publish each course in the desired language Do not zip it. If you publish a zip file copy all of the content and create a folder name it the language name Paste the code from your published course. Do this for each language then put each language folder into a folder called Languages. The languages folder goes in the root folder NOTE: nothing in the languages folder is zipped.
the main.js goes in the resources/js folder
That's all I have. This should get you on your way. I have used this method several times. SCORM Wrappers are much easier to use than published SCORM.
Since this is an older discussion, Dave might not be subscribed, but you're welcome to contact them directly through their profile by clicking on their name and selecting Contact Me.
In my experience in an international organization (we have 6 official working languages) using a Moodle based LMS, the simplest solution is to have separate courses in different languages (in our case one language is Arabic, so LTR and the other 5 are Latin-characters' based and RTL, which makes it even more complicated). The LMS logic (Boolean) can easily handle CourseLanguageA OR CourseLanguageX when it comes to recording the completion. Also, when you have multiple languages and a built-in assessment (not separate SCORM) it can become a real nightmare (particularly if you use certain configurations of assessment). So whilst elegant, the best solution in my experience is to handle these aspects on the LMS, which is what it does best. Keep SCORM simple and nimble also helps with maintenance, which can become an ordeal otherwise (think also when it is someone else - not you who are building it up now - in future, that has to handle that. Best practice for me is simple and separate and then LMS. Also, having lost a few weeks work already with Storyline and big files getting instable and then corrupted, I would suggest the above. My personal opinion but simple is rarely wrong, at least where there is a simplest way with little functionality lost.
We use multi languag SCO’s all the time. Very easy to manage, reporting is great and easy. We have no trouble and support 15 languages. We use Cornerstone.
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Hi Andy. Exactly my experience. We have found a way now with our LMS (LMS365), which makes it very easy to have several separate SCORM packets in one language each in a course. The learners only complete the modules in their preferred language and the LMS recognises the course as completed.
Translations are also easier if you have one language per learning package (esp. with Rise, which only gives out XLIFF for translations, but that is another discussion without end...)
We could even have quizzes (LMS-based) in separate languages, but in that case, it is not possible to get a complete overview (all languages) without tricks.
How exactly do you do it? A language choice slide at the start and then branching out in different strands? How do you manage the translations (as in: are you doing them outside Storyline / Rise)?
Since this is currently a big thing for is, I would love to hear more how other people do it. Although we have found a way which wirks for us, there is never any harm in looking out for better solutions...
17 Replies
My tip would be to turn off the player controls, prev/next buttons, all of it. Take complete control of the on-screen real estate, use a custom-size slide and then use strips of space on the top and bottom to put in the controls you want in the language "state" the user has selected.
Show and hide your own PREV/NEXT buttons, your own MENU (if that's really even needed), RESOURCE LINKS, all of it.
This way you can control all of your elements the same way, with states.
Hi Kaitlin,
Looking at exactly that as well, but so far the best solution we came up with is to create a slide with the language selection and have the course in several "strands" from there.
Problem: - This bloats the course enormously!
- menu and slide titles and so on are shown for all languages, as Jerry addressed above. Very confusing for the learners.
Idea I have: I could imagine doing this with variables, but my courses are too big for that. Absolute nightmare. Every single text field would have its own variable. (which it kind of gets when you export for translation. A programmer should be able to work with that and create something with that, like an excel sheet from which the correct language is pulled and set into place. Like a serial letter in word that uses adresses from an excel sheet.
@Jerry: Navigation on the slide is a very good idea, we have that anyway
Think I will go to the feature request page and file a request. I can imagine this being a great feature for many people: Choose your language at the start (set a variable) and all test fields in the course are set to that language.
Instead of multiple (duplicated) slides... can you use multiple slide layers instead? You can use a language variable to display the appropriate layer for each language "at timeline start". As for the player, You can use JavaScript to "hack" the player and re-label buttons, course title etc.
Layers, not a bad idea. Need to see how feasible that is with my courses (quite a few slides each and I use layers for interactivity and animations. Afraid it's going to be very messy adding 5-8 language layers.) Could work for simpler courses.
Would certainly help with the file size. Still messy with changes / error finding. Thanks for the idea Owen!
Still, I think a feature for multiple languages in Storyline courses would find quite some support among corporate users. I deal with people from over 30 countries in our corporate LMS, if I could cover the 8 most important languages in an easy way it would be great.
If it was only available in 360 it would give me some leverage to get an upgrade :-)
I'm no programmer, I don't even play one on TV, but I would think this wouldn't be too difficult of a feature to implement. I mean, they already identify all of the text elements as part of their translation process. I would think it would be a matter of having the course designer import multiple translation documents but instead of importing them as part of a new course (new language version) creating instead a variable dependent document reference during the publication process that would execute at run time.
But again, I'm no programmer.
"I'm no programmer,..."
Me either, but I see it the same way. I think Storyline is half way there as it is. What I cannot tell (as a non-programmer) is how / if this functionality would work in SCORM, but with other variable-dependent text fields it works as well.
I have filed a feature-request. I cannot imagine I am the first. Let''s see what comes out of it.
Thanks for the support!
I am on the struggle bus too, trying to figure out how to HTML code a multiple language drop down box and then zipping all the SL languages into one scorm file. I keep searching and searching for help on this one as well. :-(
I can get you part of the way. You will pretty much have to create your own bundle or use a SCORM wrapper. I would use the scorm wrapper. (https://github.com/pipwerks/scorm-api-wrapper) I've attached the HTML that will build the language selector for you. Language selector HTML(attached) Create a file with this code and call it Index.html. The main.js file attached will be called by the manifest file which launches the index.html file, the language selector. it will look in the language folder to find the language with the course ID for that language.
For the languages, you will have to publish each course in the desired language Do not zip it. If you publish a zip file copy all of the content and create a folder name it the language name Paste the code from your published course. Do this for each language then put each language folder into a folder called Languages. The languages folder goes in the root folder NOTE: nothing in the languages folder is zipped.
the main.js goes in the resources/js folder
That's all I have. This should get you on your way. I have used this method several times. SCORM Wrappers are much easier to use than published SCORM.
Dave, It would be great if you can also provide the wrapper.js and style.css mention in language selection page.
Hi, Krishna.
Since this is an older discussion, Dave might not be subscribed, but you're welcome to contact them directly through their profile by clicking on their name and selecting Contact Me.
Thanks Maria.
In my experience in an international organization (we have 6 official working languages) using a Moodle based LMS, the simplest solution is to have separate courses in different languages (in our case one language is Arabic, so LTR and the other 5 are Latin-characters' based and RTL, which makes it even more complicated). The LMS logic (Boolean) can easily handle CourseLanguageA OR CourseLanguageX when it comes to recording the completion. Also, when you have multiple languages and a built-in assessment (not separate SCORM) it can become a real nightmare (particularly if you use certain configurations of assessment). So whilst elegant, the best solution in my experience is to handle these aspects on the LMS, which is what it does best. Keep SCORM simple and nimble also helps with maintenance, which can become an ordeal otherwise (think also when it is someone else - not you who are building it up now - in future, that has to handle that. Best practice for me is simple and separate and then LMS. Also, having lost a few weeks work already with Storyline and big files getting instable and then corrupted, I would suggest the above. My personal opinion but simple is rarely wrong, at least where there is a simplest way with little functionality lost.
Cheers
Andy
We use multi languag SCO’s all the time. Very easy to manage, reporting is great and easy. We have no trouble and support 15 languages. We use Cornerstone.
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The contents of this email and any attachments are confidential to Dentsu International Limited, its affiliated companies and the intended recipient(s) and may also be attorney-client privileged or otherwise protected by work product immunity or other legal rules. Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of or taking action in reliance upon this information by persons or entities other than the intended recipient(s) is prohibited. If you have received this email in error please contact the sender and delete the material from any computer.
Dentsu International Limited is registered in England and Wales No.01403668. Registered office: 10 Triton Street, Regents Place, London, NW1 3BF VAT No. GB 523 2013 06.
Hi Andy.
Exactly my experience. We have found a way now with our LMS (LMS365), which makes it very easy to have several separate SCORM packets in one language each in a course. The learners only complete the modules in their preferred language and the LMS recognises the course as completed.
Translations are also easier if you have one language per learning package (esp. with Rise, which only gives out XLIFF for translations, but that is another discussion without end...)
We could even have quizzes (LMS-based) in separate languages, but in that case, it is not possible to get a complete overview (all languages) without tricks.
Hi Dave, great to hear it works for you.
How exactly do you do it? A language choice slide at the start and then branching out in different strands?
How do you manage the translations (as in: are you doing them outside Storyline / Rise)?
Since this is currently a big thing for is, I would love to hear more how other people do it. Although we have found a way which wirks for us, there is never any harm in looking out for better solutions...
Thanks and have a good week!
Hi Felix,
Thanks for your message.
Now I am venturing in a French/Arabic programme (7 modules)...so wish me luck. ;-)
I want to look into LMS365 but also Moodle handles this really easily.
Bis bald
Ciao
A
Hi Krishna, just checking if you managed to achieve what you're looking for here?