Moroccan Universities Research Articles

Revisiting the use of hedges and boosters in scientific research articles in Morocco: Caution that does not exclude conviction

The ways in which researchers present the results of their research and make claims about them are determined by the conventions of academic writing held by the scientific community. This article examines the use of hedges and boosters in the published articles of PhD students in a Moroccan university, and to what extent these students are conscious of their semantic and pragmatic meanings and use them adequately following established conventions. Textual analysis was implemented to study the use of these discourse markers in the published articles. We additionally carried out qualitative and quantitative research in the form of questionnaires and semi-structured interviews to gain a better understanding of hedge and booster use. While the students may use hedges in contexts in which the results are deemed uncertain and unsatisfactory, expressing conviction through boosters is a common practice. These results indicate a lack of appropriate adherence to academic conventions and that cultural influences and other contextual variables are in play. Thus, revising textbooks and methodologies in Moroccan universities based on scientific data and conventions is required.

Perceived Barriers to Critical Thinking Development: The Student’s View

Recent research in language learning and teaching has prompted revived attention to developing learners’ critical thinking skills. Training learners to think critically serves as a significant opportunity to improve their knowledge and skills, yet it is still a key issue in need of enormous research in terms of its application. Despite its evident importance, the way to enhance students’ thinking skills is challenging and impeded by numerous barriers. This survey study sets out learners’ perceived barriers to critical thinking in two state Moroccan universities. Surveying 110 EFL students, the respondents were invited to openly comment on the obstacles that hindered their reflection. By way of qualitative content analysis, the results displayed that enhancing critical thinking skills is governed by factors related to teaching, learning and the education system. Amongst the nine challenges the Moroccan students face, lecturing and student content knowledge were reported to be the two major obstacles that significantly influenced the development of critical thinking.

Students’ Perceptions towards E-Learning as a Method of Instruction during Covid-19 Pandemic in Moroccan Universities

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, e-learning has become a required component of all educational institutions such as schools, colleges, and universities worldwide. The offline teaching process has been severely disrupted due to this unexpected event. E-learning is a powerful instructional tool that helps pupils achieve their full potential. This paper aims to investigate the E-learning process among semester 6 English department students of Moulay Ismail University in Meknes, Morocco who have experienced online learning as well as the challenges they faced. To find out the students’ perceptions towards e-learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, primary data has been collected from Moulay Ismail University in Meknes, Morocco (semester 6 students of the English department) through a Google forms survey questionnaire. The findings demonstrate that most students are dissatisfied with remote learning and believe it has negatively impacted their academic performance. The results lead us to the realization that a tremendous reform has to be made to the Moroccan educational system.

From Protecting the Environment to Fostering Innovation: Moroccan Universities in the Era of Territorial Competitiveness

It has been acknowledged that Moroccan universities have ample opportunity to enhance regional competitiveness through the Sustainable Development Goals. Yet, little is known about how professors and students perceive universities’ role in stimulating innovation, partnership, and sustainability within their backyards or communities. By exploring how much Moroccan universities are thought to be participating in territorial competitiveness via the realization of the SDGs, this study aims to bridge that gap. It is through this work that we aim to emphasize the perceptions of Abdelmalek Essaâdi University’s (AE University) students, graduates, and professors regarding the role of a Moroccan university in fostering territorial innovation through the lenses of relevant Sustainable Development Goals. Furthermore, we strive to highlight links between the aforementioned university and plans for territorial competitiveness. This will help pinpoint areas for improvement in university practices and achievements in relation to territorial development. The plan is to carry out an exploratory study via an online survey. The collection of data will be conducted on the perceptions of AE University students and professors about the role(s) of their university in fostering innovation and achieving SGDs. It is upon the survey data that we will strive to analyze connections existing between universities and territorial competitiveness via SDGs in order to further emphasize the likely role of universities in broadening territorial innovation practices in Morocco. It is through this analysis that we will discuss the findings and main results of the study in the hope of enriching the existing literature on the matter while helping to assist concerned stakeholders in territorial development areas, including universities and SDGs.

The Challenges Experienced by Visually Impaired Students in Moroccan Universities

The current study aimed to investigate the challenges and barriers faced by visually impaired students in an educational environment, particularly in Moroccan universities. To identify these challenges and barriers, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 visually impaired students from the majority of Moroccan universities to explain the challenges these students experienced in their studies, mainly during the exam. Equally important, this research examines the impact of these challenges on the academic performance of this kind of population with disabilities in Morocco. The study found that visually impaired students experienced four main challenges in Moroccan Universities: administrative, academic, environmental, and social difficulties. Based on these findings, a set of recommendations to Moroccan policymakers was made to respond properly to the needs of persons with disabilities and deal with the challenges that visually impaired students face when learning and taking exams in higher education regularly. Indeed, this research will play a crucial role in raising the awareness of Moroccan universities about the meaning of inclusive education and the importance of creating an inclusive and diverse environment in which visually impaired students can lean equally as their non-visually impaired peers can.

Introducing Project-Based Climate Education in Moroccan Universities via a New Air Quality Monitoring Network in Rabat

Morocco’s economy has recently seen an unprecedented growth, which made the country emerge into the 5th strongest economy of the African continent. As other countries at the same stage of development, Morocco is also undergoing rapid urbanization, which results in increased anthropogenic air-pollution levels. The geographical location of the country makes it vulnerable to both short and longterm impacts of climate change. Despite the elevated risk and vulnerability, the current air pollution and climate change monitoring strategy of the country needs improvement. The present paper introduces a novel strategy to improve the air quality monitoring system in the capital combined with developing a project-based climate education curriculum, and promises to raise public awareness to the risks related to air pollution and climate change. The sustainability of the project is guaranteed by the low cost of instruments and the educational aspect which ensures that future experts are well-trained for the maintenance of the system that we propose to install.

Evaluating Machine Learning Models for Predicting Graduation Timelines in Moroccan Universities

Evaluating Machine Learning Models for Predicting Graduation Timelines in Moroccan Universities

Students’ Perceptions towards E-Learning as a Method of Instruction during Covid-19 Pandemic in Moroccan Universities

Students’ Perceptions towards E-Learning as a Method of Instruction during Covid-19 Pandemic in Moroccan Universities

Public management at the service of improving energy optimization: Case of Moroccan universities

Public management can play an important role in improving the energy optimization of Moroccan universities. By adopting efficient management practices and implementing appropriate energy policies, universities can reduce their energy consumption, decrease their carbon footprint and realize financial savings., while taking into consideration the examples or the cases of the universities having shared their experiences. Among the elements that we have noticed present in the majority of university establishments is the presence of a long-term energy strategy for universities, setting clear objectives in terms of reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. This strategy should include specific measures such as installing energy efficient lighting systems, using renewable energy sources, improving the efficiency of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. In this article we will try to emphasize the key elements of the success of public management with reference to energy optimization by taking into consideration the case of Moroccan universities.

Improving the effectiveness of teacher assessment in higher education: a case study of professors’ perceptions in Morocco

Teacher assessment in higher education is a widely used strategy in Western countries, but it is not common practice in Moroccan academia. In consequence, the establishment of a new assessment policy in higher education creates a new dynamic in teaching practices, teacher assessment, and professional career development. This type of major change, however, is likely to generate anxiety among staff regarding the learning of new practices, and uncertainty regarding their involvement in the process of teacher assessment. The objective of the present study was thus to explore the perceptions of professors concerning the implementation of teacher assessment in Moroccan universities through a survey and interviews carried out among the professors. The majority of professors expressed a positive attitude toward the usefulness of teaching evaluations. According to them, teacher assessment helps them identify strengths and weaknesses in their teaching. In contrast, there is a recurring issue among the respondents, namely the crisis of trust toward the parties involved in the evaluation process and apprehension regarding consequences of these evaluations’ results on faculty status and rank progression. The majority were very suspicious of using student assessment for administrative purposes.

Platform for hands-on remote labs based on the ESP32 and NOD-red

Not only in Morocco, throughout the walks of the world covid 19 pandemics has seriously questioned policymakers from different sectors. Think-tank in the educational sector notably higher education addressed by such a wide range of challenges brought about by covid 19. The characteristic concern that educationalists in Moroccan universities have to reconsider in this pandemic period should not be beyond rethinking new pedagogical alternatives including approaches, methods, techniques and didactic materials which can successfully assist practioners of the teaching and learning process to keep up with the current alterations. Practical work (PW) is an indispensable type of teaching in scientific and technical training and meets a real complementary need through real, remote or virtual laboratories. Students can consolidate what they have learnt and develop analytical skills by comparing experimental results with those obtained during the manipulation. In this context, the Laboratory of Engineering Sciences and Energy Management (LASIME) at the Superior School of Technology of Agadir has developed a low-cost platform called LABERSIME installed in the cloud (LMS, IDE) and equipped with an embedded system to drive real laboratory equipment and perform experiments qualitatively more efficient than those in face-to-face mode. The ultimate goal is to stimulate self-learning motivation in students through a creative approach.

Prospective study of tobacco consumption and its impact on caloric balance and stress behavior among students from some Moroccan Universities

Prospective study of tobacco consumption and its impact on caloric balance and stress behavior among students from some Moroccan Universities

An analysis of students’ satisfaction with distance learning in Moroccan universities during the COVID-19 pandemic

PurposeIn Morocco, universities have opted for online courses as a national effort to contain the coronavirus since the early stage. This article aims to analyze university students’ satisfaction with their distance learning experience during the COVID-19 pandemic.Design/methodology/approachThis article is based on the statistical analysis of a survey conducted in 2020 at the national level among 800 university students from all disciplines enrolled in open access and regulated access institutions in Morocco. Econometrically, the authors used the ordinal logistic regression model after checking several conditions justifying its use.FindingsFindings from analysis reveal that students lacking basic computer skills have a negative perception of this new mode of learning. The results also show a certain sensitivity of the students to the way in which the courses are taught. The satisfaction of the learners largely depends on the duration of the courses, the interactivity, and the teaching methods adopted. In designing, developing, and delivering distance education courses, students’ needs should be taken care of.Originality/valueThis article suggests that for public policies, professional training for teachers should equip them with the pedagogical skills so that they can adjust their teaching according to students’ levels. Training in digital tools must also be provided to bridge the digital divide and accelerate positive change and adaptation to this new mode of training. In addition, this article highlights the role of interactivity in increasing adaptation to distance learning.

Evaluation of medical assays by multiple-choice questions: Example of 10-years’ experience of a North African Country

Construct: Authors examined the use of multiple choice question tests in assessment of undergraduate students, and made a docimological evaluation of the quality of the tests. Background: Moroccan universities are gradually integrating multiple-choice questions as a method of evaluation. At the Faculty of Medicine of Marrakech-Morocco, this type of test is used to assess medical students’ knowledge, in addition to easier large-scale assessments and automatic correction, test reliability and validity are major qualities of multiple-choice questions, their important disadvantage is that they are difficult and time-consuming to construct. The aim this study was to report the authors experience in assessment of undergraduate students and to make a docimological evaluation of the quality of the tests.Approach: we conducted an observational study on tests used for the assessment of semiology and pathology tests in urology and nephrology, during 10 years (2007 to 2017), we performed the analysis of the different criteria for writing an assay. Results: six-hundred and forty questions were analyzed in the pathology modules, 56,2% of questions addressed level I of Bloom's modified taxonomy, level II (28,8%), level III (15%)

Management control in Moroccan universities: between practices and implementation difficulties

Management control in Moroccan universities: between practices and implementation difficulties

Strengthening the Teaching of Soft Skills in the Pedagogical Architecture of Moroccan Universities

The objective of this article is to initially build indicators that can measure the soft skills of students from Moroccan universities and to study the degree of homogeneity of these soft skills between students from different fields, then to study the correlation links that may exist between these soft skills. Our study has shown that communication is correlated with other soft skills, namely risk aversion, perseverance, self-esteem and sociability. Hence the interest of intervening in the training of students and the provision of the educational resources necessary to strengthen their soft skills such as the deployment of training workshops, as part of the activities of career centers and skills certification via partnerships with the Economic, Social and Environmental Council, which aims to develop the exchange of experiences and data and to mutually benefit, as well as with other cultural, scientific and foreign partners in order to support the reform of the Bachelor's cycle and the revision of the pedagogical architecture that results from it. The objective is to facilitate professional integration and promote the employability of young graduates of Moroccan universities. The construction of soft skills curricula, the training of trainers for teaching and the development of soft skills modules, the development of the educational tools necessary for the teaching of soft skills, training in the creation of online courses on soft skills are among the priority areas.

Distance Learning in Moroccan Universities during Confinement Period from the Students’ Viewpoint

This study aims to assess the reality of distance learning in Moroccan universities in exceptional circumstances imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced the Moroccan government to suspend face-to-face study and compensate for it by distance learning for preserving the students’ pedagogical continuity. The inclusion of interactive platforms for the benefit of students to ensure pedagogical communication with professors and the monitoring of lessons through them is among the most important decisions in Moroccan universities. However, this teaching style has defined several obstacles and problems, which we have tried to assess through a student opinion survey questionnaire to identify their opinions on the extent to which university distance learning has achieved the objectives set by the Moroccan education system. The importance of the study lies in the fact that the student is the center of the teaching-learning process, which makes knowing his attitudes towards distance education one of the things that must be studied and analyzed. This may enable officials to monitor realistic data and restructure the education system to achieve successful educational outcomes. First, the study concluded that the students encountered material and financial difficulties related to the logistical means and Internet connection, which negatively affected the students’ motivation toward distance learning. Then, the study concluded that the digital content available to students was ineffective. Finally, the researchers concluded that the distance learning option could not compensate for face-to-face teaching in Moroccan universities.

Microcomputer-Based Laboratory Role in Developing Students’ Conceptual Understanding in Chemistry: Case of Acid–Base Titration

For the past five years, all Moroccan universities suspended practical work activities in the subject of chemistry for the first year due to a decision made by the Ministry of Higher Education. This study explores the effect of using a Microcomputer-Based Laboratory (MBL) on students’ performance and investigates the desirability to convert first-year university-level practicals in chemistry from experimental demonstrations in lectures to the MBL. The study sample comprised 100 students attending the first year at the faculty of sciences of the Cadi Ayyad University (UCA) in Morocco. Students in the experimental group (N = 50) received a 1 h active engagement tutorial on acid–base titration using a microcomputer-based laboratory, in contrast to the control group (N = 50) who received the same instruction with a demonstration of the experiment. The experimental and control groups got randomly selected, and the same instructor trained both groups. The two groups of responders were compared based on their performance in a written exam that assesses the skills of processing, analyzing, and interpreting qualitative and quantitative experimental results of acid–base titration. As a result, the analysis of the obtained results showed that the experimental group performed significantly better in using appropriate mathematical skills for quantitative data analysis; and they were actively engaged in the acid–base titration experiment. The obtained results, together with similar findings from other studies, indicate the positive impact of using MBL on learning outcomes and support the adoption of the proposed learning environment in laboratory educational procedures as an alternative to traditional laboratories.

First-Year University Students’ Embryonic Identities Through Foreign Languages: English Language as A Case Study

Language plays diverse significant roles in identity construction. It is not just a means of communication but can also be used to express oneself through a given language in a given community. The English language is essential in shaping first-year university students’ identities. This case study explores how these students construct their identities by following a group of first-year university students who attend the English studies at Moulay Ismail University, FLHS, Meknes in Morocco. This study mainly examines the relationship between identity construction and English language learning. It employs Lave and Wenger’s (1998) framework of communities of practice as the theoretical foundation to investigate how these university students’ identities are constructed. It also followed a qualitative research design involving semi-structured data collection interviews. A thematic analysis was used to understand how first-year university students constructed their identities in English language learning in the university context. The study findings indicate that first-year university students perceived English language learning as an investment, displaying a close relationship between English language learning and their identity construction. This paper also suggests that English language learning is a complicated practice of obtaining a set of language abilities and knowledge through which these students’ identities are continually constructed and reconstructed. The results of this study have substantial implications for English teaching and learning in Moroccan universities.

Development of Moroccan University Students’ Intercultural Competence -Department of English Studies

This article attempts to analyze the development of intercultural communicative competence in Moroccan universities to identify whether the pedagogy administered by teachers and educators caters to the intercultural competence goals and teaching objectives and whether students manage to develop their competencies over their undergraduate program. The researcher conducts questionnaires with 875 university students from three different English departments in three different universities and 40 observation classes. Besides, investigations are implemented on the curriculum content, the materials, and the teaching strategies involved in developing intercultural competence. Findings generated from data demonstrate that most Moroccan university students partly develop their intercultural competence from S2 to S6 on particular intercultural components, including attitudes, skills, and values. Conclusions attest that more efforts are to be considered by policymakers and educators to rethink the factors halting this development and design more advanced strategies and syllabi that contribute to the improvement of all intercultural components central to adequate and appropriate foreign communications.