Exploring Daily Daka assignments in online interpreting teaching: evidence from Chinese undergraduates

The ongoing digital transformation has accelerated the use of internet technologies in language interpreting education. However, in contrast to various studies on online interpreting teaching in class, research on the out-of-class line is limited. This study addressed this gap by exploring an effective online interpreting format for Chinese BTI (Bachelor of Translation and Interpreting) undergraduates outside of their regular scheduled classes. Daily Daka assignments have been proposed, in which students are required to complete a certain amount of interpreting practices daily within defined criteria and a designated timeframe through active participation in a virtual community. A quasi-experimental comparison design was used to test their feasibility and effectiveness. Sixty third-year BTI undergraduates from a Chinese university participated in the study. Data were collected through pre-test/post-test interpreting assessments, pre/post-self-assessment questionnaires, and a perception questionnaire. After controlling the effects of pre-test and pre-self-assessment scores, ANCOVA results indicated that in comparison to traditional assignments, Daily Daka assignments could (1) better enhance students’ understanding of the interpreter’s knowledge structure and interpreting assessment criteria, (2) more effectively facilitate the development of interpreting skills such as working memory, note-taking, and linguistic transfer, and (3) contribute to higher levels of learning motivation, self-discipline, reflection, and psychological well-being. The Daka mechanism, characterized by compulsory daily practices, interactive community engagement, and ongoing monitoring and feedback, aligned with undergraduates’ initially preferred behaviorist approach and gradually guided them towards constructivist learning of skills and knowledge. This synthesis significantly enhanced their general interpreting competence. Moreover, descriptive statistics and correlation analysis results suggested that students generally held positive attitudes towards Daily Daka assignments, affirming their usability in the specific context. Theoretical and practical implications were also discussed.