ABSTRACT
In a digitalized world disinformation can spread in multiple languages. In translation, this information chaos becomes even more apparent. Transmissionist approaches to translator education and training, based on my experience, are still predominant in the region of Central and Eastern Europe, where I live and work. Such approaches, in my estimation, fail to address these complexities. Donald Kiraly emphasized the need for a social-constructivist approach in 2000, moving beyond teacher-centred methods to cooperative, real-world learning, more than two decades ago, yet in my experience Central Europe seems to be lagging. In this chapter, I argue that translator education must train free-thinking, critically engaged professionals, extending beyond conventional translation competence models. In politically volatile regions such as Central Europe, wavering between a Soviet past and a European future, fostering this kind of education is crucial. I thus propose an activist, empirical approach to translation education, grounded in social constructivism, which encourages student engagement and activism. Using practical examples, including a case study from Matej Bel University, I illustrate how active student participation in translation helps bridge societal divides. Ultimately, I call for a shift from traditional classroom-based learning to real-world knowledge-building spaces, promoting deeper social and political awareness in translation education. I aim not to provide answers, but to provoke questions and discussions. My goal in this chapter is to break out of the isolation of our teaching and translation profession and go beyond that, wherever our escape velocity may lead us.
