Modelling in the scientific approach to teaching life and earth sciences: Views and practices of Moroccan teachers

Modeling is a fundamental tool in the teaching and learning processes of life and earth sciences. It serves as an investigative instrument that enables students to test hypotheses and solve scientific problems. This paper presents the findings of a survey conducted among 96 Moroccan life and earth sciences teachers teaching students at the primary, junior high and high school levels. The study aims to highlight the role of modelling in life sciences instruction and explore teachers' understanding, approaches and perceptions towards models and modeling practices. A questionnaire-based methodology was employed to collect data on teachers' awareness of the significance of models in life sciences and the instructional approaches that are adopted in these models. The findings reveal Moroccan teachers' clear grasp of models' significance in teaching life sciences. Moreover, they employ similar approaches to models and modeling practices. The research highlights instructors' awareness of models' potential to increase the effectiveness and appeal of scientific instruction. It establishes modeling's pivotal role in instructing life sciences, emphasizing the need to incorporate modeling activities into the curriculum to nurture students' scientific inquiry and problem-solving skills. The study's practical implications suggest the value of training programs and professional development initiatives for teachers to promote model use in life sciences instruction. Enhancing teachers' knowledge and pedagogical strategies related to modeling can enrich science education leading to increased student engagement and achievement in the life sciences

Aperçu Sur La Place De La Demarche D’investigation En Sciences Experimentales Dans L’enseignement Du Secondaire Qualifiant Cas De L’academie De La Ville De Fes

The investigative approach (DI) demonstrates more and more its potential in teaching. Indeed, it enables students to develop skills, attitudes and interests, which are necessary to live in a society increasingly dependent on the applications of science. This study falls within the framework of research studies questioning the application of the investigative approach in the teaching of science in Morocco. In this work, we aim to highlight the representations of secondary school teachers about the concept of investigative approach, see whether this approach is adopted or not in the teaching of experimental sciences disciplines (Science of life and earth, Science of physics and chemistry) and determine the constraints and the obstacles to its implementation. In order to achieve these objectives, a questionnaire was drawn up and was the subject of an exploratory study among 45 teachers of experimental sciences practicing in different secondary schools in Fez city. The results of this survey reveal, firstly, that the teachers questioned seem to have confusions about the investigation process and secondly, they highlight the presence of a set of constraints and difficulties which prevent its application in the classroom

Etude Du Savoir À Enseigner Cas De La Liaison Chimique

The objective of this work is to identify the components of the knowledge to be taught relating to the concept of chemical bonding and its associated concepts in specialized reference books intended for the cycle of bachelor's and preparatory classes. The reference works analyzed were chosen in such a way that the publishing years covered a long period. Examination of these works revealed that there is a clear discrepancy in the content of instruction. The definitions of chemical bonding in reference books depend on the dates of publication of each book. In addition, the set of concepts associated with chemical bonding appears to have several definitions that are sometimes different in the background and may cause learning barriers

The Impact of an Interactive Approach on the Evolution of Moroccan University Students’ Conceptions of Neurotransmission

Currently, it is taken for granted that teachers have to take into account the conceptions in order to achieve some efficient learning, the latter are generally resistant and may hinder the learning. Studies have shown that learning amounts to make conceptions evolve which play a determining role in the appropriation of scientific concepts such as neurotransmission, which is the subject of our study. This concept is present in the Life Science syllabus as early as high school. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of an interactive approach on the evolution of students' conceptions of neurotransmission. For this purpose, a questionnaire was administered to the first two years’ students (second year) in the Life Sciences stream at Dhar El Mahraz Faculty of Science in Fez during the academic year 2016-2017. This questionnaire was in the form of a pre-test and a post-test on learning/teaching of neurotransmission. The results of the study showed that the approach which was adopted had a positive effect on the evolution of the students' conceptions of neurotransmission in that it apparently contributed to a conceptual change for them

Correlation between cell surface physicochemical properties of bacterial strains and their chromium removal potential

Physicochemical characterization of microbes has gained recently a great interest by scientific community. It is proved of extreme importance in several fields of science and technology applications such as bioremediation. In this work, we investigated the establishment of a possible correlation between chromium removal capacity of seven bacterial strains isolated from contaminated sites with industrial wastes including tanning processing and their cell surface physicochemical properties. Thus, hydrophobicity and donor/acceptor electrons character were obtained using contact angle measurements. Statistical analysis showed a high significant positive correlation between hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) removal by the strains and their acceptor electron character γ+(r = 0.90). While significant negative correlation between the Cr(VI) removal potential and the ΔGiwi value (r = −0.844) and also with their donor electron character γ− (r = −0.746) were observed. These results may contribute to determine a selectrion criteria of bacteria that can be operated in bioremediation applications

Evaluation of the Analysis of Classroom Practices of Future Moroccan Teachers

The Moroccan education system has undergone several reforms, the latest reform aimed at improving the qualifying training of future teachers by integrating the basis of the teaching profession professionalization; which requires the development of professional competencies. In fact, the future teacher must learn to take a critical look at his classroom practices, to describe his professional gestures and to analyze his teaching practices in order to assess their efficiency. However we can ask the following question: is the future teacher trained in such a way able to question his classroom practices constantly? To answer this question, we developed an analysis grid of teaching practices, which was addressed to primary school trainees, within the city's Regional Center of Education and Training Professions of Fez in Morocco, in order to analyze the teaching practices of a future teacher in full action by peers, this analysis is made based on viewing a video capsule. The processing of the data collected from the grid revealed that the majority of these future teachers have not been able to acquire the capacity to analyze these teaching practices in an efficient manner. The use of the analytical grid has been of crucial importance in determining the profile of future teachers capable of competently exercising their teaching profession

Effects of long-term heavy metals contamination on soil microbial characteristics in calcareous agricultural lands (Saiss plain, North Morocco)

International audienceSoil is a natural resource and support for all economic activities. Its role is particularly crucial in agriculture. However, agro systems are vulnerable to all natural or anthropogenic disturbances such as erosion, organic or inorganic pollution. In this study, conducted in the region of Fez (Morocco), effects of irrigation with contaminated watercourses were investigated on soil heavy metal contents and microbiological characteristics, in comparison with a control soil. The total heavy metal concentrations of contaminated soil samples were 63.4, 201.2, 291.2 and 33.2 mg/kg for Cr, Cu, Zn, and Ni respectively. Quantitative analysis of soil microbial populations showed that certain groups of soil microbes (actinomycetes and fungi) were particularly sensitive to long-term contamination and revealed a strong negative correlation with Cr, Cu and Zn. While a notably higher number of cultivable bacteria was observed in the contaminated soil compared to the control

Evaluation of the Analysis of Classroom Practices of Future Moroccan Teachers

The Moroccan education system has undergone several reforms, the latest reform aimed at improving the qualifying training of future teachers by integrating the basis of the teaching profession professionalization; which requires the development of professional competencies. In fact, the future teacher must learn to take a critical look at his classroom practices, to describe his professional gestures and to analyze his teaching practices in order to assess their efficiency. However we can ask the following question: is the future teacher trained in such a way able to question his classroom practices constantly? To answer this question, we developed an analysis grid of teaching practices, which was addressed to primary school trainees, within the city's Regional Center of Education and Training Professions of Fez in Morocco, in order to analyze the teaching practices of a future teacher in full action by peers, this analysis is made based on viewing a video capsule. The processing of the data collected from the grid revealed that the majority of these future teachers have not been able to acquire the capacity to analyze these teaching practices in an efficient manner. The use of the analytical grid has been of crucial importance in determining the profile of future teachers capable of competently exercising their teaching profession

Impact analysis of the toxic metals emitted to agricultural soil from industrial activities in Fez area, in the frame of Life Cycle Assessment

Contamination by trace metals in agricultural soils in the Fez region are linked to irrigation water used from the Oued Fez. This one is the direct receiving environment of industrial and urban effluents that have a high pollution load in spite of treatment and risk minimization efforts. Several reports and studies in this region confirmed a state of high metallic pollution at the Oued Fez and its confluence with the Oued Sebou. The effluents of the tannery and textile industries as well as those of the metal finishing industry, present the greatest risk in this type of pollution, because of the use of some metals in their processes. This work aims to translate the metals quantities which are emitted during the industrial activities life cycle in potential impacts on water, soil and human health. The life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was adopted as multi-criteria methodology for identifying and quantifying the majority contributions related to various local industries metal emissions. In particular, there is question to analyzing the aquatic and terrestrial ecotoxicity and human toxicity. The characterization of these impacts takes into account the fate of trace metal emissions from industrial sources until their presence in water/sediment and agricultural soil through irrigation water; and their toxic effects on aquatic species and human health.The fate of metals emissions were determined by a geochemical study in the areas with different pollution states. The analysis of total concentrations and bioavailable fractions was conducted on the industrial effluents and the three environmental compartments: water, sediments and soils. The effect factor is based on the effect concentrations HC50 of the Impact2002 + database and by specifying some parameters such as the partition coefficient of trace elements, the density and the moisture content of the soil. At this stage analysis, the trace elements Cr, Ni, Cu and Zn are the major contributors to the terrestrial ecotoxicity. This is due to several causes combined or separated: high total concentrations in the soil, a greater mobility with higher bioavailable fractions and lower concentrations of toxic effect

Heavy Metals Effects on Agricultural Soil Enzyme Activities of Fez, Morocco

Enzyme activities in soils are influenced by soil characteristics and pollutants and could be indicator of soil quality. This study was undertaken to determine the relationship between physicochemical characteristics, heavy metals contents and enzyme activities (EA) in agricultural soils in the Saiss plain (Morocco). The analysis of six agricultural soil samples (sites1-6), collected from urban and periurban agricultural soils of Fez region, showed that soils are generally alkaline with high CaCO3 that rich 46%, EC (525-703µS/cm), rich in Organic matter (3.14-5.80%). The Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn concentrations in the studied area are generally greater than the Upper Continental Crust, with a deceasing order: Zn> Cr> Pb> Cu> Ni. Geo-accumulation index (Igeo) showed that soils are unpolluted to moderately polluted except site 5 and site 6 that are moderately to strongly polluted by respectively Cu, Pb, Zn and Pb. Potential ecological rіsk factors (Er) were below 40, which means low potential ecological rіsk except site 5 that has moderate potential ecological risk by Cu and Pb. Soil potential ecological risk indices (RI) were found PHOS>GALA. Pearson’s correlation showed significant posіtive correlatіon between studied soil EA and between these EA and heavy metals (Cu, Pb and Zn), and significant negative correlatіon between EA and heavy metals (Cr and Ni). The results of this study enrich and provide data base of the impact of heavy metals on soil enzyme actіvities in agrіcultural soils in the Saiss plain