Moroccan Educational System Research Articles

University Students ‘Attitudes toward the Use of Moroccan Arabic and/or Standard Arabic as a Language of Instruction in the Moroccan Educational System Mohammed Rezzaki

The language of instruction is a very debatable issue in Morocco. It is rooted in the Moroccan history since colonization period .It has been controversial during the arabization process which has promoted Standard Arabic (SA) as a language of instruction .In recent years, many voices have risen either to question this process in or to support it. Many attitudes have been raised owing to the historical and current factors that surround this issue. The majority of these attitudes are based on theoretical framework, which has become inadequate way of scientific study, especially in a topic like the langue of instruction. This paper tries to cast light on these attitudes and attempts to construct the grounds from empirical fieldwork trough the use of observation and a questionnaire. The informants are 80 university students of English studies and Islamic studies. The main findings lie in the gap between theoretical and empirical research, the necessity of SA use as a language of instruction in many fields, such as: Islamic studies, the possibility of using reduced Arabic in other domains.

Moroccan Secondary School English Teacher’s Perception: Science and Literary Stream Students’ Performance

The study investigates the perceptions of Moroccan secondary school teachers regarding the academic performance of science and literary stream students aged 16 to 18. Through a combination of mail surveys, unstructured interviews with English teachers, and discourse analysis, the research identifies that English as the second foreign language in Moroccan schools influences the perceived advantages of science stream students over their literary counterparts. The findings align with a previous study and suggest that science students often pursue literary studies at Moroccan universities post-baccalaureate. The research delves into the distinctive characteristics of science stream students and proposes recommendations for governmental and ministerial reforms in the Moroccan educational system. The study underscores the historical incorporation of English in the Moroccan educational system since 1956 and highlights recent developments, such as the expansion of English language teaching to middle schools. It emphasises the impact of English language learning on students’ future orientations and tendencies in higher education. Ultimately, the study aims to draw attention to English teachers’ perceptions to facilitate positive changes in the Moroccan educational system, urging the education ministry and relevant authorities to consider reforms.

Extracurricular Activities in Environmental Educational Clubs: A Way to Improve Learning and Anchor Environmental Culture In Qualifying Secondary

The recent wave of reform in Education brought with it a lot of important changes to the teaching of science in secondary school, in particular by favouring the integration of new disciplinary and priority fields such as environmental education (EVE). However, it appears that, concretely, EVE actions are rather rare in our educational institutions given the lack of initial teacher training in this field. The context of this work is interested in showing how environmental education clubs can contribute to the improvement of environmental learning and education in qualifying secondary schools. The difficulty of combining environmental education with the teaching of life and earth sciences is associated with the difficulty of linking all school disciplines within a reformed national curriculum. However, it appears that, concretely, EVE actions are rather rare in our educational institutions given the lack of initial teacher training in this field. The context of this work is interested in showing how environmental education clubs can contribute to the improvement of environmental learning and education in qualifying secondary schools. The difficulty of combining environmental education with the teaching of life and earth sciences is associated with the difficulty of linking all school disciplines within a reformed national curriculum. The difficulties raised regarding the institutionalization of the EVE are very real and internationally encountered, but remain diluted through the sum of all the problems related to the new curricula. Despite all the socio-educational, political and economic constraints, it is important to insist that environmental education has its place in the fundamental education of young citizens today in a world they contribute to building. The systematic integration of the environmental dimension in the Moroccan education system can be conceived in two parallel ways: the disciplinary contents that must ensure the construction of skills and solid theoretical knowledge on the environment in the learners by providing them with the necessary knowledge as well as the practical and extracurricular activities provided by the clubs of the environment, considered a crucial and compulsory field, which allows multidimensional teaching linked to the concerns of society.

Assessing the Adequacy of Contemporary Life and Earth Textbook in Morocco: A Case Study of Blood Glucose Regulation

Blood glucose homeostasis is a fundamental concept in biology. Yet, in the Moroccan education system, it is only covered in the 11th grade. This might explain why the majority of students struggle to understand this complex notion. Fingers of blame are also pointed to textbooks and how they didactically (mis)transposed this knowledge from its academic form to its teachable one. In fact, the significance of textbooks in education is indisputable. Hence, analyzing them may provide insights on students (mis)conceptions. In this study, we aim to critically analyze the sections on blood glucose regulation in two widely-used Life and Earth Sciences textbooks in Morocco, intended for students enrolled in the experimental sciences track. To do so, the present study follows the findings and recommendations of the intriguing systematic review of literature by Vojíř & Rusek (2019) which urges for the need for science textbooks research in different local contexts around the globe. In the same vein, the absence of such research in the Moroccan context makes this study an obligation. Methodologically, this study adopted Bernard et al’s.,(2007) contrastive approach. According to our findings, the juxtaposition of these two textbooks reveals several shortcomings, errors, and inconsistencies. By taking the didactic transposition of blood glucose homeostasis into the heart of its exploration, this study –though rooted in its Moroccan context- advocates for a wider applicability of its findings.

Impact of Gender Inequalities on Education in Morocco: An Economic Analysis of Barriers and Opportunities

Gender inequalities in the field of education pose a major issue that continues to challenge development efforts in Morocco. Despite significant progress made in the education sector over the past decades, persistent gender disparities hinder equitable access to quality education. This study aims to examine the economic impact of these gender inequalities on the Moroccan education system, focusing on the barriers that impede girls' access to education and the potential opportunities associated with promoting gender equality.Drawing on an exhaustive review of recent economic literature, this research explores the socio-economic determinants of gender inequalities in education in Morocco. It also examines the economic consequences of these disparities, both in the short and long term, with an emphasis on their impact on productivity, economic growth, and poverty reduction.The study employs a rigorous quantitative methodology, analyzing empirical data from various national and international sources. An advanced econometric model is applied to assess the extent of the impact of gender inequalities on educational performance and the country's economic outcomes.Through this analysis, we hope to provide relevant insights for policymakers, researchers, and development stakeholders concerned with promoting gender equality and improving the education system in Morocco. The findings will contribute to guiding public policies aimed at strengthening equitable access to education and creating an enabling environment for the development of all individuals, regardless of their gender.

An In-Service Teacher Training Model as a Basis for an Effective Integration of ICT in Education in Morocco

This article presents a descriptive study of the in-service Teacher training program that aims at integrating ICT in the Moroccan education system, which is one of the missions of the GENIE program - Generalization of Information and Communication Technologies in Education, led by the Moroccan Ministry of National Education, Preschool and Sports. The main objective of this work is to assess the in-service teachers training and highlight its contribution in the process of integrating ICT in the Moroccan education system, as well as the limitations and challenges of its implementation in the absence of any reliable and outstanding benchmarks. The study is conducted within a mixed approach for the data collection based on a survey, a focus group and a documents analysis.

Phonetic interference between L2 and L3 in qualifying cycle: interlingual approach

The Moroccan education system favors French at all levels, while English is taught only for three years during the qualifying cycle, creating a detrimental disparity in learning this foreign language. Learners often pronounce English with a French accent due to phonetic interference. Pronunciation difficulties are exacerbated by socio-psychological factors such as lack of motivation and an education system focused on quantity rather than quality. Teachers also play a crucial role in improving learning by addressing these challenges and managing classes appropriately. Students who make pronunciation errors may be ridiculed by their peers, leading to decreased self-esteem and disinterest in school activities. Special attention should be given to teacher training and creating a positive learning environment to promote better English proficiency and enhance students' performance.

The Status Quo of Hybrid Education at Moroccan Universities: The Case of Engineering Classes

The pandemic has undoubtedly forced educational systems across the world to change face-to-face education practices forever. On the other hand, it has also forced online education system practices among Moroccan higher education institutions. With the spread of COVID-19 all over, the Moroccan education system circumstances did not allow face-to-face education, nor did it allow online education as a solution. As a matter of fact, hybrid learning remains the best-proposed alternative, as suggested in the literature. The present paper's main objectives were to investigate higher education English learners' attitudes towards hybrid education and examine the efficacy of hybrid education among higher education learners. After using a qualitative method, a questionnaire of 24 Likert Scale items delivered on Google Forum, and an interview of 18 learners, the findings suggested that Moroccan higher education learners showed that hybrid education does not support the majority of participants' learning process. However, hybrid learning was, to an extent, a successful experience for a number of other participants. The unsatisfying quality of the internet remains an issue to be sorted out in the future, and laziness in attending online morning classes was also evidence of why hybrid learning remained challenging. Learners favoured face-to-face classroom-based instructions over blended learning regardless of the advantages of the latter. A great portion of the population favoured face-to-face rather than online learning. The learners also got confused using the hybrid model. Last, it was evidence that the learners preferred the face-to-face model as their best model to use in many cases.

Use of Modeling in Solving Mathematical Problems in the Moroccan Educational System

Use of Modeling in Solving Mathematical Problems in the Moroccan Educational System

Impact of using computer-assisted experimentation on learning physical sciences in secondary schools in Morocco

This research is part of the integration of information and communication technologies (ICT) in the Moroccan education system, our objective being to evaluate the use of computer-assisted experimentation (CAEx) in learning to encourage the authorities of the Ministry of National Education, Vocational Training and Sports to adopt the CAEx program in the teaching and learning of physics so that it becomes compulsory for all high schools. To evaluate the impact of using CAEx in the study of free oscillations of an RLC circuit (a linear circuit containing an electrical resistor, an inductor, and a capacitor). A study was conducted with 40 Moroccan students in the second year of the scientific baccalaureate option life and earth sciences at the high school Abdellah Laroui in the city of Fez, as this work aims to highlight the effect of the use of CAEx on the learning of students. Using the methodology of pre-test and post-test with an experimental group (20 students) and a control group (20 students). The results of both groups are analyzed with IBM SPSS 21 statistical analysis software the results obtained from the post-test show that the average of the tests addressed to both control and experimental groups has a significant difference. In addition, non-directive and directive interviews were conducted with the students of the experimental group. Indeed, the content of the grid of open and closed questions was elaborated in agreement with the teachers of physical sciences of the high school Abdellah Laroui, concerning the use of CAEx in learning and to know the degree of satisfaction of the integration of CAEx in the study of free oscillations in an RLC circuit. In addition, the data were processed by Sphinx v5 software. This study showed that CAEx integration had a positive effect on student learning. It can be said that CAEx plays an important role in the grasp and assimilation of scientific concepts, and it represents a solution to make the student more attentive and serious. Computer Aided Instruction can develop a spirit of initiative in the learner.

What Moroccan schools can learn from Japanese moral education?

The aim of this research is exploring and adapting Japanese moral education policies and practices to enhance the Moroccan education system without interfering with its historical, geographical, and sociocultural context. 
 Using a comparative approach and content analysis method, we identified shared and distinct features in both systems, highlighting the strengths of the Japanese side.
 The research concerns an in-depth analysis of four Japanese elementary school moral education lessons. Its shows that teachers employ a constructive learning theory, acting as facilitators, encouraging students to construct their own knowledge. Positive feedback and absence of punishment for incorrect answers were observed.
 Formative assessment is a formal practice where students provide comments at lesson end, allowing precise evaluation of understanding. Japan's moral education offers flexibility for teachers to customize materials as needed. Emotional engagement and depth in moral education classrooms are noteworthy.
 Drawing from one year-long research at Naruto University of Education in Japan, we attribute Japan's moral education success to distinct practices, regular curriculum updates, and textbook revisions. However, the cooperation of homes and communities and the societal promotion of moral education are equally vital for this achievement.

TEACHERS AS FACILITATORS

This study examines the essential role of educators as facilitators of personalized learning environments in moroccan schools. As education systems around the world increasingly recognize the importance of personalized learning to meet the various needs of students, understanding the specific role of teachers is becoming paramount. This research examines the practices, challenges and potential opportunities faced by educators in implementing personalized learning approaches in moroccan classrooms. The study uses a mixed-method approach, combining qualitative and quantitative data collection methods. Qualitative data is obtained through in-depth interviews with teachers exploring their views on personalized learning and the associated roles and responsibilities of educators. In addition, a survey questionnaire is distributed to teachers to collect quantitative data, which allows a broader understanding of the prevalence and effectiveness of personalized learning practices in different school contexts. The data collected will be analyzed using thematic analysis and statistical techniques to identify emerging themes, models and correlations. The results of this study will contribute to all existing knowledge on personalized learning and highlight the specific challenges and opportunities faced by educators in moroccan schools. By exploring the role of teachers as facilitators in personalized learning environments, this research will inform education decision-makers, administrators and teachers themselves on effective strategies to promote personalized learning approaches in moroccan classrooms. The expected implications of this research include the identification of best practices and strategies to integrate personalized learning into the moroccan education system. The results of the study could lead to the development of teacher training programs, professional development initiatives and policy recommendations that meet the needs of educators and students in personalized learning environments. Finally, this research aims to support the improvement of educational practices in moroccan schools, by promoting a student-centered approach that promotes personalized learning experiences.

Distance Mathematics Teaching and Academic Performance in Morocco

In this article, we discuss the academic performance and impact of distance teaching of mathematics in the Moroccan education system. This educational science research, based on exploratory thinking, aimed to show the impact and challenges of distance teaching of mathematics within the Moroccan education system through examining this fundamental question: How could school programs, pedagogical organization, and the performance of pupils and teachers in Morocco best address the challenges of distance teaching of mathematics? The answer is based on a qualitative analysis of the content of the documentation that frames the teaching-learning process and the evaluation of mathematics in Morocco and, on the other hand, on the projection of research hypotheses in the field through various strategies inspired by our research objectives.

Feminist initiatives in the SWANA region: fighting the patriarchal education with feminist knowledge

ABSTRACT This research analyses the way in which the majority of the formal school education system in the SWANA region reproduces and reinforces gender stereotypes. Through a discussion of the idea of feminist pedagogy and comparing it to classroom practices in predominant public education, it becomes clear that feminist pedagogy is almost absent from schools in most countries of the region. I interviewed ten women who received their school education within different countries of the region, and employ their lived experiences as a primary source of data to support the argument of this research. It is essential to highlight that said formal education systems are beginning to change in some countries of the region, for instance, the Moroccan education system has introduced a gender equality curriculum. However, there is currently no published research on the implementation methods and viability of such initiatives. Finally, this research displays a few feminist platforms and podcasts that aim to spread feminist knowledge to fill in the gap created by formal education in terms of gender equality.

Deconstructing Radical Otherness through Education

The Moroccan educational system has inherited the 19th century axiological spirituality. A synthesis of Islam oriented morals together with the permanent call for resistance against different colonizers along the last two centuries and the influence of such historical and cultural Genesis is still shaping the strategic choices of values and orientations within the current learnings' modernization. Some paramount cases have become quite classic, namely when learners are called to react ethically to the historical events concerning the Jews destruction during the Second World War. Students are led to express less moral interest neither in learning nor in sympathizing with the victims or the survivors. Thus, moral education practice and orientation are challenged by the students' inability to develop a neutral stance of moral humanitarian arguments of a universal value.
 This study exposes the historical Genesis of the Moroccan cultural spiritualism to put across how otherness was structured through the traditional institutional moral learning. The lack of authentic humanitarian ethics is due to the hegemony of an institutionalized moral spiritualism at the detriment of empowering moral psychology of multicultural ethics. A pattern of moral imagination is therefore suggested to re-open the humanitarian ethics through genocide reconstruction and ethics.

Exploring the Moroccan EFL High School Teachers’ Feedback Practices as a Form of Formative Assessment: Opportunities and Challenges

This paper aims to explore the extent to which Moroccan EFL secondary school teachers use feedback as a form of formative assessment. It also aims at identifying the main challenges that render such practice difficult. Feedback is crucially important in the learning-teaching process. It is considered a key strategy of formative assessment. Despite the existence of several studies that recommend the use of formative assessment, it has not been properly addressed by research in the Moroccan educational system. Thus, exploring the Moroccan EFL teachers’ feedback practice can provide a clear picture of the opportunities and challenges of its implementation in the Moroccan context. The study follows a quantitative research design in which data were collected from 100 EFL secondary school teachers through questionnaires. Results revealed that the majority of teachers implement feedback as a formative tool to assess their students. However, they reported that workload, lack of time, and school regulations are the main obstacles which render formative feedback practices challenging. The findings will benefit policy makers, practitioners, researchers, and teacher trainers as well.

Effectiveness of Real and Computer-Assisted Experimental Activities in Moroccan Secondary School Physics Education

Experimental activities are widely recognized as an essential pedagogical tool in physics education that enables students to learn fundamental physical concepts. Experimentation sets physics apart from other disciplines by motivating learners to acquire knowledge, methods, scientific attitudes, and manipulative skills. Most current research focuses on the importance of conventional experimental work in the learning process or the contribution of new technologies to this process without pinpointing the experienced limitations hindering the two tools from achieving the pedagogical objectives for which they were originally designed. To gain a better understanding of what these issues are, we have performed the survey presented in this paper. First, the analysis investigated the challenges that impede the experimental approach from playing its vital role in the Moroccan education system and evaluated the efficiency of this approach in achieving its original pedagogical objectives. In doing so, the study indicates that the majority of Moroccan secondary physics teachers do not achieve the required rate of experimental activities due to several challenges, including the need for coaching and training, the lack of coordination between decision-makers and practitioners regarding the practical use of scientific laboratories, a shortage of necessary materials, and a lack of maintenance and repair of laboratory equipment. Thus, we conclude this paper by providing several solutions, implications, and limitations as potential directions for future research.

The Backwash Effect of the National Exam on Upper Secondary Moroccan Teaching

This study aims to investigate the issue of assessment in the Moroccan educational system. Precisely, it aims at exploring the washback of the Secondary national English examination on English teaching and learning practices in the context of upper secondary education in Morocco. To attain the objective of the study, questionnaires are distributed to 70 teachers, and a focus group protocol with 20 students was conducted in three high schools. The findings reveal that the examination has a strong negative influence on the students and the teachers. The main harmful washback effect of this exam is found to be the neglect of teaching the skills of listening and speaking as they are not assessed. Moreover, the results of the study show that the contents of teaching are highly influenced by the exam. Even though the syllabus was changed from grammar-based to communicative-based, English Examinations are still grammar-ruled and reading-based. Similarly, students are also affected by the washback effect of the national exam because it brings anxiety that can distort their progress and performance, and students might not be able to learn real-life knowledge but instead learn discrete points of knowledge that are assessed. On the basis of these results, a new English exam is suggested, hoping to prompt positive washback and refine the English-speaking performance of Moroccan highschoolers.

Distance learning in the wake of COVID-19 in Morocco

The integration of information and communication technologies (ICT) has been one of the priorities of the Moroccan education system that date back to pre-COVID-19 period. Since 1999, the National Charter for Education and Training has accorded great importance to distance education (DE) and learning. Several programmes and initiatives (such as GENIE, NAFIDA, Telmidtice, Lycée Attahadi, …) were launched and funded by the government to promote the use of ICT in schools. With the outbreak of COVID-19, the shift to distance education was mandated to ensure pedagogical continuity. In the current study, a mixed-method research approach was used to assess the extent to which the adoption of distance learning in public educational institutions can ensure pedagogical continuity in Morocco during the outbreak period started from April to June 2020. The Analysis of the data collected from the quantitative study showed that the COVID-19 pandemic, DE was used occasionally due to the lack of technological equipment or knowledge and expertise to use it. During the COVID-19 crisis, 1teachers resorted to self-training and used available social media tools to support learners by sharing various resources with them. In addition, the data collected from the participatory observation of two virtual classes on the «Zoom» and «Teams » platforms showed that the use of videoconferencing in Morocco contributed, even partially, to solving the problem of pedagogical continuity. The experience of lessons broadcast in synchronous mode showed promising results at the technical level in terms of student participation and interactivity, resource sharing and transfer and a favorable classroom climate. However, there is still a lot of work to be done at the pedagogical and didactic level to better exploit the potential of this technology. On the other hand, the Ministry of Education is expected to make a huge effort to guarantee equal access to technology and the internet in order to ensure equitable education, especially in rural areas.

IMPACT OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF SCHOOL-GOING ADOLESCENTS: SPORT AND SCHOOL PERFORMANCE

According to various national and international reports, the Moroccan education system still suffers from recurrent dysfunctions reflected in low student achievement. Indeed, different factors influence the scores of students including the rate of physical inactivity. The objective of this study is to evaluate the relationship between physical activity, sedentary behaviours and school outcomes.689 students enrolled at Moroccan secondary schools, aged between 14 and 25, were randomly recruited from each grade. For each student, the overall average for the first semester was calculated and classified into three levels: high, medium and low.The school performance of girls is significantly higher (p< 0.05) than that of boys while boys are significantly more active (p<0.05) than girls. Physically active students have high er overall school mark averages than inactive students. Indeed, significant positive associations between the level of physical activity and school performance (r=0.176; p<0.001) and with physical education and sports performance were noted. In conclusion, the practice of physical activity should be encour- aged among Moroccan students.It has beneficial effects on health in general and especially on the school performance of children and adolescents.