Current Trends on MA Translation Courses in the UK: Changing Assessment Practices on Core Translation Modules

Assessment underpins all forms of translator training and is an essential element of any teaching and learning process. By looking at university assessment practices, we can gain an insight into current understandings about the nature of translation practice and what issues are foregrounded in translator education. This paper presents the findings of the second stage of our research into assessment practices on core translation modules of MA Translation courses offered in the UK, and follows on from a preliminary case study conducted at the University of Westminster in 2015 and 2016 with MA Translation tutors and students (n=16; n=53). The research presented in this paper was carried out via documentary research into all universities offering MA Translation courses (n=27) and via a survey which asked a representative of each UK university to fill out a questionnaire. The questionnaire was completed by 55% of universities (n=15). The areas explored include universities' learning outcomes, assessment instruments and criteria. In the light of the data gathered, our study aims to discover if and to what extent current assessment practices on the core translation modules reflect the competence-based understandings of the translation process and have adopted new forms of assessment

Elective Cancer Surgery in COVID-19-Free Surgical Pathways During the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: An International, Multicenter, Comparative Cohort Study.

PURPOSE: As cancer surgery restarts after the first COVID-19 wave, health care providers urgently require data to determine where elective surgery is best performed. This study aimed to determine whether COVID-19-free surgical pathways were associated with lower postoperative pulmonary complication rates compared with hospitals with no defined pathway. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This international, multicenter cohort study included patients who underwent elective surgery for 10 solid cancer types without preoperative suspicion of SARS-CoV-2. Participating hospitals included patients from local emergence of SARS-CoV-2 until April 19, 2020. At the time of surgery, hospitals were defined as having a COVID-19-free surgical pathway (complete segregation of the operating theater, critical care, and inpatient ward areas) or no defined pathway (incomplete or no segregation, areas shared with patients with COVID-19). The primary outcome was 30-day postoperative pulmonary complications (pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, unexpected ventilation). RESULTS: Of 9,171 patients from 447 hospitals in 55 countries, 2,481 were operated on in COVID-19-free surgical pathways. Patients who underwent surgery within COVID-19-free surgical pathways were younger with fewer comorbidities than those in hospitals with no defined pathway but with similar proportions of major surgery. After adjustment, pulmonary complication rates were lower with COVID-19-free surgical pathways (2.2% v 4.9%; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.62; 95% CI, 0.44 to 0.86). This was consistent in sensitivity analyses for low-risk patients (American Society of Anesthesiologists grade 1/2), propensity score-matched models, and patients with negative SARS-CoV-2 preoperative tests. The postoperative SARS-CoV-2 infection rate was also lower in COVID-19-free surgical pathways (2.1% v 3.6%; aOR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.36 to 0.76). CONCLUSION: Within available resources, dedicated COVID-19-free surgical pathways should be established to provide safe elective cancer surgery during current and before future SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks

Elective cancer surgery in COVID-19-free surgical pathways during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: An international, multicenter, comparative cohort study

PURPOSE As cancer surgery restarts after the first COVID-19 wave, health care providers urgently require data to determine where elective surgery is best performed. This study aimed to determine whether COVID-19–free surgical pathways were associated with lower postoperative pulmonary complication rates compared with hospitals with no defined pathway. PATIENTS AND METHODS This international, multicenter cohort study included patients who underwent elective surgery for 10 solid cancer types without preoperative suspicion of SARS-CoV-2. Participating hospitals included patients from local emergence of SARS-CoV-2 until April 19, 2020. At the time of surgery, hospitals were defined as having a COVID-19–free surgical pathway (complete segregation of the operating theater, critical care, and inpatient ward areas) or no defined pathway (incomplete or no segregation, areas shared with patients with COVID-19). The primary outcome was 30-day postoperative pulmonary complications (pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, unexpected ventilation). RESULTS Of 9,171 patients from 447 hospitals in 55 countries, 2,481 were operated on in COVID-19–free surgical pathways. Patients who underwent surgery within COVID-19–free surgical pathways were younger with fewer comorbidities than those in hospitals with no defined pathway but with similar proportions of major surgery. After adjustment, pulmonary complication rates were lower with COVID-19–free surgical pathways (2.2% v 4.9%; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.62; 95% CI, 0.44 to 0.86). This was consistent in sensitivity analyses for low-risk patients (American Society of Anesthesiologists grade 1/2), propensity score–matched models, and patients with negative SARS-CoV-2 preoperative tests. The postoperative SARS-CoV-2 infection rate was also lower in COVID-19–free surgical pathways (2.1% v 3.6%; aOR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.36 to 0.76). CONCLUSION Within available resources, dedicated COVID-19–free surgical pathways should be established to provide safe elective cancer surgery during current and before future SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks

Outcomes from elective colorectal cancer surgery during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

This study aimed to describe the change in surgical practice and the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on mortality after surgical resection of colorectal cancer during the initial phases of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

Procedures for assessing the acquisition of cultural competence in translator training

The aim of this article is to present different procedures (instruments and tasks) for assessing the acquisition of cultural competence in translator training. First, we outline the basis of competence assessment in translator training, advocating a dynamic, multidimensional, criteria-based approach to assessment and explaining the need to use a wide variety of assessment tasks and instruments. Second, we define the concepts of culture and cultural competence and set out different proposals, before breaking cultural competence down into four sub-competences (cultural knowledge, cultural knowledge acquisition abilities, culture-related contrastive abilities, and attitudinal sub-competence) and specifying their respective components, which can be used as indicators for assessment purposes. Lastly, we put forward various procedures for assessing the acquisition of cultural competence. We organise these procedures on the basis of nine instruments, such as translation reports, catalogues of cultural references, translation process recordings and cultural portfolios. For each instrument we describe possible assessment tasks, identify assessable aspects, and state which sub-competences of cultural competence it can be used to assess

Translation competence acquisition. Design and results of the PACTE group\u2019s experimental research

This issue provides a study on translation competence acquisition (TCA). The study consisted of an TCA experiment involving 129 first to fourth year trainee translators and recent graduates. The experiment was conducted in November 2011, when the first-year subjects had just begun their degree course; the graduates had completed their studies in June 2011. Firstly, the conceptual and methodological framework of the research is described. Then the study's measurements and results beginning with translation acceptability (a cross-cutting indicator whose results are brought together with those of most of the other indicators) are presented, and followed by the different study variables: knowledge of translation; translation project; identification and solution of translation problems; decision-making; efficacy of the translation process; and use of instrumental resources. Finally, the study's conclusions, defining features of TCA, are presented. The publication also includes six online appendices containing the hypotheses, the main instruments used, the statistical test results and a glossary of key terms from the research

Competence levels in translation: working towards a European framework

This paper presents the research project the PACTE group is carrying out on \u2018Establishing Competence Levels in the Acquisition of Translation Competence in Written Translation\u2019. A continuation of PACTE\u2019s previous experimental research on translation competence and its acquisition, the project aims to propose level descriptors as a first step towards developing a common European framework of reference for translation\u2019s academic and professional arenas, both of which are represented among its participants. The project is organized into three stages, the first of which involved the production of a first level descriptor proposal, including a three-level scale with sub-levels and five descriptive categories (language competence; cultural, world knowledge and thematic competence; instrumental competence; translation service provision competence; and translation problem solving competence). In the second stage, the proposal produced is to be evaluated by experts from the academic and professional arenas. In the third stage, the data obtained through the expert judgement process will be analysed and the proposal revised. This paper sets out the project\u2019s objectives, our grounds for undertaking it, its conceptual framework and its methodology, as well as the results obtained in the first stage and the future direction of the research

Establishing levels of competence in translation: First results of the nact project

This paper presents the research project the PACTE group is carrying out on "Establishing Competence Levels in the Acquisition of Translation Competence in Written Translation". The project aims to propose level descriptors as a first step towards developing a common European framework of reference for translation's academic and professional arenas. The project is a continuation of PACTE's previous experimental research on translation competence and its acquisition. Representatives of both academic and professional arenas participate in the project. It is organized into three stages, the first of which involved the production of a first level descriptor proposal, including a three-level scale with sub-levels and five descriptive categories (language competence; cultural, world knowledge, and thematic competence; instrumental competence; translation service provision competence; and translation problem solving competence). This proposal produced is to be evaluated by experts from the academic and professional arenas. This paper sets out the project, as well as the first level descriptor proposal