The Digital Training Library (DTL): relevant training for a global workforce

Different communities and individuals have varying expectations when it comes to training for Bible translation — what should be included and how should it be done? Recent global restrictions on travel combined with exciting developments in digital innovation have prompted new ways of working, training, and mentoring translators and consultants.

As we accelerate the pace of Bible translation, we need to ensure that quality keeps pace with quantity. In response to this challenge, the Digital Training Library (DTL) is being developed as an integrated online learning platform designed to provide relevant training to Bible translators around the world in order to improve quality assurance for the entire Bible translation movement. The DTL consists of two parts: a modular training platform of certificates delivered in major gateway languages and a repository of library resources.

This paper explores the guiding principles and underlying assumptions of the DTL, the nature of sound online pedagogy, the characteristics of this collaborative effort of ETEN implementing partners, the delivering of online training content to a global audience of MTTs, higher-level exegetes and consultants-in-training, the place of competencies in curriculum design, the role of cohorts, mentors and group functionality, the importance of offline access, and the nature of evaluating success against learning objectives and outcomes. The goal of the DTL is to take beginner translators from around the world on a professional development pathway to become competent translators, exegetes, and consultants.