Assessing the Effectiveness of Professors’ Teaching Methodologies at Moulay Ismail University: Insights from Postgraduate Students
Abstract
This study investigates the effectiveness of the teaching methodologies employed by professors at the open-access institutions of Moulay Ismail University (UMI), namely the School of Arts and Humanities (FLSH), the School of Sciences (FS), the School of Law, Economics and Social Sciences (FSJES), and the Polydisciplinary School of Errachidia (FP). Utilizing an embedded research design, a questionnaire was administered to 742 postgraduate students, and semi-structured focus group interviews were conducted with 28 doctoral students. The findings revealed a significant level of dissatisfaction among the students regarding their professors' teaching practices, which are predominantly characterized by traditional methods of lecturing and dictating. Students also expressed concerns about the lack of interactive and student-centred approaches in the classroom. Based on these insights, the study proposes several implications aimed at enhancing classroom practices and fostering the development of professors' instructional performance. The recommendations emphasize the need for a shift towards more engaging, participatory teaching methods that better address the learning needs and preferences of students. These findings contribute to the ongoing discourse on pedagogical improvement within higher education, particularly in the context of the open-access institutions of the UMI.
References
Alonzo, A. C., Kobarg, M., & Seidel, T. (2012). Pedagogical content knowledge as reflected in teacher–student interactions: Analysis of two video cases. Journal of research in science teaching, 49(10), 1211-1239.
Andrews, T. M., Leonard, M. J., Colgrove, C. A., & Kalinowski, S. T. (2011). Active learning is not associated with student learning in a random sample of college biology courses. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 10(4), 394-405. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.11-07-0061
Ben Ajiba, I., & Zerhouni, B. (2019). Student engagement for quality enhancement and responding to student needs in the Moroccan University: The case of the English studies track. Arab World English Journal (AWEJ), 10.
Benzehaf, B. (2018). Teaching excellence in higher education in Morocco: English students' perceptions of teaching effectiveness. Journal of Applied Language and Culture Studies, (1), 25-41.
Brosseau, M. J. (2000). University students' preferences for a teacher and teaching style: A case study of Moroccan students (Doctoral dissertation, Concordia University).
Bryman, A. (2012). Social Research Methods. Oxford University Press.
Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative and Mixed Methods Approaches (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Danielson, C. (2007). Enhancing professional practice: A framework for teaching. ASCD.
Darling-Hammond, L. (2010). The flat world and education: How America's commitment to equity will determine our future. Teachers College Press.
Datnow, A., & Park, V. (2014). Data-driven leadership. Jossey-Bass.
Echchafi, I., Bachra, Y., Benabid, A., Berrada, M., & Talbi, M. (2021). Evaluation of Higher Education Pedagogy for Continuous Improvement: A Case Study. Chemistry, 60(36), 96.
El Hammoumi, M. M., El Youssfi, S., El Bachiri, A., & Belaaouad, S. (2021). Active learning in higher education: a way to promote university students' autonomy and cognitive engagement in Moroccan universities. Journal of Southwest Jiaotong University, 56(6).
El-Kogali, S. E. T., & Krafft, C. (Eds.). (2019). Expectations and aspirations: A new framework for education in the Middle East and North Africa. World Bank Publications.
Fatmi, H. (2011). The impact of the GENIE training program on teachers' readiness to integrate ICT in the classroom. In M. Najib, A. Chaibi, & N. Bendouqi (Eds.), English language education for social learning: An evaluation of contents and methods (pp. 83-92). Proceedings of the 31st Annual Conference of the Moroccan Association of Teachers of English (MATE), Morocco.
Fisher, D., & Frey, N. (2014). Better learning through structured teaching: A framework for the gradual release of responsibility. ASCD.
Freeman, S., Eddy, S. L., McDonough, M., Smith, M. K., Okoroafor, N., Jordt, H., & Wenderoth, M. P. (2014). Active learning increases student performance in science, engineering, and mathematics. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111(23), 8410-8415. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1319030111
Fullan, M. (2011). Change leader: Learning to do what matters most. Jossey-Bass.
Gess-Newsome, J. (2013). Pedagogical content knowledge. In International guide to student achievement (pp. 257-259). Routledge.
Ghaicha, A. (2018). Moroccan higher education system: Reality and prospects. Higher Education of Social Science, 14, 10-17.
Guskey, T. R. (2002). Professional development and teacher change. Teachers and Teaching, 8(3), 381–391.
Hattie, J. (2009). Visible learning: A synthesis of over 800 meta-analyses relating to achievement. Routledge.
Knight, J. (2007). Instructional coaching: A partnership approach to improving instruction. Corwin Press.
Loughran, J., Berry, A., & Mulhall, P. (2012). Understanding and developing scienceteachers’ pedagogical content knowledge (Vol. 12). Springer Science & Business Media.
Marzano, R. J. (2003). What works in schools: Translating research into action. ASCD.
Ministry of Higher Education. (2021). Brochure des Statistiques 2020-2021. Retrieved fromhttps://www.enssup.gov.ma/sites/default/files/STATISTIQUES/5656/Brochure%20des%20statistiqus%2 02019-2020%20%20VF_16092020.pdf
Nachit, B., Harraq, J., & Hattaf, K. (2021). Difficultés de la transition du lycée à l'université: Cas de l'enseignement des mathématiques au Maroc. In ITM Web of Conferences (Vol. 39, p. 01006). EDP Sciences.
Prince, M. (2004). Does active learning work? A review of the research. Journal of Engineering Education, 93(3), 223-231. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2168-9830.2004.tb00809.x
Rasmy, A., St-Amand, J., Nabil, A., & Courdi, C. (2022). Improving the Effectiveness of Teacher Assessment in Higher Education: A Case Study of Professors' Perceptions in Morocco. doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-1942986/v2
Sbai, A. (2015). Issues in Higher Education in Morocco. Journal of North African Studies, 20(4), 530-545. https://doi.org/10.1080/13629387.2015.1072490
Stronge, J. H. (2018). Qualities of effective teachers. ASCD.
Tamer, Y. (2009). The educational reform: The Department of English at Ibn Zohr University as a case study. In H. Bennoudi and Y. Tamer (Eds.), the educational reform: pedagogical considerations and practical recommendations (pp. 21-31). Publications of the Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, Conferences and Seminar Series.
Times Higher Education. (2023). World university rankings 2023. Retrieved from https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/2023
Timperley, H. (2008). Teacher professional learning and development (Educational Practices Series No. 18). International Bureau of Education.
Wiliam, D. (2011). Embedded formative assessment. Solution Tree Press.
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
Copyright (c) 2025 Abdelaziz OUCHAIB
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
