Constructivist Approach to Interpreting Teaching
Before examining how utilizing the constructivist approach in an MBL environment benefits interpreting learning，we must firstly examine the source language input form utilized in interpreting teaching.Pöchhacker(2004:1)summarizes the input methods of source language during interpreting training:①Live speeches，including impromptu speeches or on-site reading materials made by teachers，students，or invited speakers.②Auditory input made by teachers or others independently recording original material or speeches and radio programs;③Simultaneous visual and auditory input.These common methods，when used by teachers in interpreting training，are summarized as follows:①teachers reading texts on-the-spot in the classroom;②play recordings of teachers’text materials in advance;③play other people’s previous recordings of text materials;④play recordings of radio programs;and⑤play recordings of conferences.Four of these five need to be implemented with the use of modern multimedia methods.Therefore，Pöchhacker wholly affirmed the important role of multimedia(video/audio)in interpreting teaching(Zeng，2013).
A constructivist approach to interpreting learning is applied within the MBL environment to benefit interpreting learning in ways not possible with the traditional interpreting learning methods.The idea of constructivism is derived from the theory of cognitive processing，and draws on a variety of learning theories such as behaviorism and cognitive theory.It is based on the ideas of Seymour Bruner and others，who have put forward creative teaching ideas.Among them，“Genetic Epistemology”better reveals the cognitive law of the human learning process.For example，the cognitive views of Piaget and Bruner and others，explain how to internalize objective knowledge structures through individual interactions with them into cognitive structures.Vygotsky’s“culturehistory”development theory has become widespread knowledge.The constructivist learning theory believes that the acquisition of individual knowledge comes from a unification of both an objective and subjective process.The learning and teaching of knowledge focus on the conversion and processing of individuals，rather than through“input”or“inculcation”(Vygotsky，1986).There are many similarities between the constructivist learning theory and multimedia-interpreting teaching design.
Constructivism provides a learning theory that is different from the traditional objectivist theory.Constructivist learning theory holds that the learning process is not a process in which learners passively accept knowledge，but a process of actively constructing knowledge.It distinguishes between elementary and advanced learning by criticizing the unreasonable promotion of such elementary teaching strategies as advanced learning methods in traditional teaching，and proposes cooperative learning and situational teaching instead.Therefore， environment， collaboration， conversation， and meaning construction are the four major elements or attributes in the learning environment.In multimedia interpreting teaching，learners’interpreting knowledge and ability is obtained through active construction.
Constructivism emphasizes the design of the learning environment and provides learners with various resources.The learning environment here is mainly summarized as a combination of various resources (not limited to informative resources)that support learners in constructive learning.Among them，learning resources include not only physical resources such as informative resources，but also cognitive tools，teachers，and soft resources such as task scenarios.The task context plays a role in integrating various other learning resources into the learning environment.Multimedia-based interpreting teaching satisfies this requirement by providing and simulating authentic interpreting scenarios.Students can experience the authenticity and urgency of the interpreting process，capture the extra-linguistic knowledge of the original narrator，and even learn how to deal with circumstances that arise abruptly.
The importance of cooperative learning and interactive teaching is reinforced with the constructivist approach transforming traditional one-way teaching into interactive teaching by creating a relaxed，lively，and cooperative teaching environment for teacher-student and student-student based interaction.It is true that the traditional teaching methods can also reflect the above teaching concepts，but require a more extensive investment in (teacher)manpower，and multimedia-based interpreting teaching benefits from an advanced network of technology that can better achieve this requirement，allowing cooperative and interactive teaching to achieve these goals more effectively through human-computer operations and interactions，transforming the original teaching mode of“teacher-led”to“student-centered”.As a result，students’cognitive and practical ability will be simultaneously developed along with their operational skills.