Distance Learning in Moroccan Higher Education during the Covid-19 Pandemic: The Case of Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University Students

Abstract

With the spread of Covid-19, several countries, including Morocco, have declared the status of a health emergency. This caused schools to stop giving classes and block the Moroccan educational system. The Ministry of Education resorted to implementing distance education as an alternative to guarantee learning continuity. This includes applying some measures, such as broadcasting classes on TV and encouraging teachers to use online platforms like Microsoft Teams and Zoom. However, the online experience was not an easy task due to a lack of digital training and internet access. In this regard, the present paper aims to investigate the extent to which Moroccan university students are satisfied with the implementation of online learning. It also investigates the main challenges students encounter in their virtual experience. This study is significant as it provides us with a clear understanding of distance learning as a novel experience in Morocco and the challenges that hindered its success. It is also important because it would add to the accumulation of human knowledge. Both quantitative and qualitative approaches were employed through means of questionnaires and interviews, respectively. Questionnaires were administered to students from Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University in Fes who belong to different departments. As for interviews, they were conducted with the same students to give them the chance to elaborate on their answers. The findings of the study revealed that the majority of Moroccan university students were not satisfied with their distance learning experience as it was hard for them to interact due to connection issues. The study also showed that most of the students were confused and unmotivated to learn.