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

L'insegnamento dell'evoluzione nei manuali scolastici di otto paesi costieri del Mediterraneo

I manuali scolastici di biologia di otto paesi mediterranei affrontano il tema dell'evoluzione in modi molto differenti. In Algeria e in Libano, l'argomento non viene trattato o non più. In Tunisia, il tema è trattato nella classe terminale (ovvero nell'ultima classe del Liceo n.d.R.), ma senza un capitolo specifico sull'evoluzione umana. In Maroccco, l'evoluzione è stata appena reintrodotta in classe terminale ma senza l'evoluzione umana. Il tema è più ampiamente coperto a Cipro e a Malta, e sopratutto in Italia e in Francia. Quando esso è affrontato, vi si individuano dei valori impliciti come l'antropocentrismo, il finalismo, l'occidentalismo, il dogmatismo

L'enseignement de l'évolution dans les manuels scolaires de huit pays riverains de la Méditerranée

The topic Evolution strongly differs among the school textbooks of biology in eight Mediterranean countries. In Algeria and Lebanon, it is not (or no more) present. In Morocco also, but it is just now reintroduced (nevertheless without the human origin). Poorly taught in Tunisia, the topic is more present in Cyprus and Malta, and even more in Italian and French textbooks. When it is present, we identified some implicit values as anthropocentrism, goal-ended evolution, occidentalism and dogmatism.Les manuels scolaires de biologie de huit pays méditerranéens abordent le thème de l'évolution de façon très différente. En Algérie et au Liban, il n'est pas ou plus traité. En Tunisie, le thème est traité en Terminale, mais sans chapitre spécifique à l'évolution humaine. Au Maroc, l'évolution vient d'être réintroduite en Terminale, sans l'évolution humaine. Le thème est plus largement couvert à Chypre et à Malte, et surtout en Italie et en France. Quand il est abordé, on y retrouve des valeurs implicites telles que l'anthropocentrisme, le finalisme, l'occidentalisme, le dogmatism

OPINIONS DES JEUNES MAROCAINS RELATIVES AU TABAGISME

Smoking is a major public health problem. Indeed, the tobacco’s impact on health and the environment is well established both in active smokers than among passive smokers. Morocco is considered as one of the biggest tobacco users in the Mediterranean and young children are the main victims of the tobacco trade. The smoking prevalence rate in Morocco is high among young people. Faced with this situation and therapeutic difficulties, prevention remains the best way to educate young people. We ask the following questions: - What are the causes that lead young people to give to smoking? - Do they know that passive smoking? - Are they aware of the anti smoking law? - In their opinion, what is the most efficient way to fight against this scourge? The tool of investigation and collection of information used is a questionnaire to young people (pupils and students) smokers and nonsmokers whose age varies between 13 and 25 years. The questionnaire was validated and tested well before administration. The results we collect might as well argue that young smokers are given to tobacco under the influence of a peer who push them to try cigarettes or other drugs. Family problems and social pressure were also the source of their smoking behavior and that contributed to the aggravation of tobacco use and the resurgence of the scourge. Similarly non smokers youth think also the same causes of smokers addictive behavior. These young people questioned whether smokers or non-smokers seem to ignore what is passive smoking. They are not aware of the anti-tobacco law that bans smoking in public places as well as its sales to minors and the legal provisions on sanctions. The respondents believe that the most effective way to reduce smoking especially among young people is education. Preventive education addictive behavior in the family, at school and on the streets to develop life skills for young people to make informed and responsible choices for themselves as screw towards others and the environment

DIDACTIC IMPLICATIONS OF USING HISTORICALAPPROACH IN TEACHING THE CONCEPT OF GENE

In this study, we present the results of the application of a historical approach in teaching the concept of gene. However, this is one of the most problematic concepts of genetics in both secondary and university levels. The approach consists of identifying and bringing out the conceptions of preservice teachers of biology. It aims in confronting the various historical models of the concept of "gene" built since its invention by Wilhelm Johansen in 1909 until the advent of molecular biology. These pre-service teachers act as scientists by carrying out a critical analysis of each of the six models listed in the literature. Also, they discussed its internal and external consistency as well as its limits. They suggest an alternative model which will be in turn analyzed and modified to reach the current model. Pre-service teachers are well aware of the cognitive processes and historical construction of this concept. They have the opportunity to review their spontaneous conceptions that hinder the construction of knowledge, in the consideration of historical scientific models. A test was administered to pre-service teachers before and after the activity. It consisted of a questionnaire about the concept of gene, its functions, and its related concepts. The same test was administered to a control group of pre-service teachers who received a classical instruction on the same subject. Therefore, this approach is more effective than the classical method because it allows an evolution of the conceptions of pre-service teachers

Les volcans : quelles conceptions des futurs enseignants marocains des sciences de la vie et de la terre?

Résumé : Cette étude vise à identifier les conceptions des professeurs stagiaires : futurs enseignants des Sciences de la Vie et de la Terre (SVT) à propos des volcans avant tout enseignement de ce concept au Centre Régional des Métiers de l’Éducation et de la Formation (CRMEF) de Meknès. L’outil d’investigation utilisé est un questionnaire auprès d’un échantillon de 24 professeurs stagiaires des SVT au cours d’un test de positionnement au début de leur formation en 2013 au CRMEF. Les résultats obtenus montrent une insuffisance dans l’acquisition de notions élémentaires, et que la plupart des professeurs stagiaires gardent toujours leurs conceptions initiales fausses sur les volcans. La reconnaissance de ces conceptions pourrait nous orienter à concevoir un processus de formation et à déterminer le mode de notre intervention en tant que formateurs.ملخص: تهدف هذه الدراسة إلى تحديد تصورات الطلبة الأساتذة، شعبة علوم الحياة والأرض، بالمركز الجهوي لمهن التربية والتكوين بمكناس حول مفهوم البركان قبل بدء التكوين، كمنطلق لبناء مفاهيمي سليم بطريقة تشاركية خلال فترة التكوين المرتبطة بمفهوم البركان؛ وذلك بتعزيز التمثلات الصائبة وتعديل أو تغيير الخاطئة منها. ولتحقيق هذا الهدف تم الاعتماد على الاستبيان كأداة للبحث وجمع البيانات. تكونت عينة الدراسة من 24 طالبا(ة) أستاذا(ة) بسلك التعليم الثانوي الإعدادي تابعوا تكوينهم بالمركز خلال السنة التكوينية 2013/2014. وقد أظهرت نتائج البحث احتفاظ أغلبية أفراد العينة بتصورات أولية خاطئة حول مفهوم البركان فضلا عن نقص في المعلومات الأساسية المرتبطة بهذا المفهوم

Conceptions of Moroccan secondary school students in relation to the “Integrative Concept” of plate tectonics

The study of learners’ conceptions of geological concepts has been the subject of several studies in the field of earth science didactics. The majority of these studies show that learners have misconceptions that can be an obstacle to learning Earth sciences. The present work aimed to identify the views of second year undergraduate students on plate tectonics to identify some of the barriers to teaching this unifying scientific theory across the different disciplines of the Earth sciences. The data was gathered with questionnaire administered to students in the second year of the Baccalaureate before teaching about plate tectonics. The results of our study confirmed that student learners do indeed have conceptions of plate tectonics and associated phenomena but have great difficulty in mobilizing their knowledge to explain geological phenomena related to plate tectonics. These difficulties may have several origins: the nature of the geological knowledge transposed, and the very limited knowledge of teachers with a bachelor’s degree in Biology.

Les valeurs transmises par les manuels scolaires marocains et par les enseignants à travers l'éducation à la santé et à la sexualité

Atelier 8 : transmission et genreLa conception actuelle de l'Éducation à la Santé est au coeur de l'éducation de la personne et du citoyen (WHO, 1997, 1999), dans une perspective d'apprentissage de la liberté et du " vivre ensemble ", plutôt que d'intégration de préceptes normatifs. L'Éducation à la Santé et à la Sexualité est directement conditionnée par les pratiques pédagogiques scolaires, mais également par les conceptions que les enseignants se sont construits sur les questions de santé, de sexualité et sur leur mission. Ce travail présente, dans un premier temps, une analyse de contenu de manuels scolaires traitant des sujets ayant trait à l'Éducation à la santé et à la sexualité, dans le but d'identifier les valeurs transmises par ces manuels. Dans un deuxième temps, nous avons cherché à analyser les conceptions d'enseignants et de futurs enseignants à propos de l'éducation à la santé et à la sexualité et à identifier les valeurs qu'expriment ces conceptions. Les données nécessaires ont été collectées à l'aide d'un questionnaire. Des résultats détaillés sont présentés et discutés

University students' conceptions about the concept of gene: Interest of historical approach

International audienceConcepts of genetics are often difficult to teach, specifically the central concept of gene. Even the scientists disagree when defining this concept. This paper investigates university students' understanding about the gene and its functions. The results show the dominance of two conceptions of the gene: the Neoclassical model and the Mendelian model. The existence of hybrid conceptions and the lack of the modern model show that students are unable to mobilize the knowledge taught in biology. These results suggest to improve the teaching methods of genetics, for instance, by developing activities that bring students face to face with their conceptions

POINTS DE VUE ET PERCEPTIONS D’ADOLESCENTS MAROCAINS SUR L’ALIMENTATION ET L’OBESITE

This research aims to identify the representations of pupils about diet and obesity in the outlook for of health education. We have tried to understand the dietary practices through their representations on feeding. Interpretation and discussion of the data could lead to the idea that the viewpoints and perceptions might be connected with social representations. In order to collect data to answer to our problem namely, "what are the perceptions of diet and obesity, how to analyze and to describe them ? " we selected a sample of pupils from private secondary education and another among public school students and we used the questionnaire as a data collection tool. In the practice, paradoxically, young people do not necessarily act in relation to the definitions they give of eating well. The definitions encountered a healthy diet come from common norms in our society. Pupils perceive the food implication in the development certain disease (obesity, diabetes). They consider themselves well informed about the dangers of obesity and consequences of overweight. The results of our research showed that teens surveyed do not seem to be disparaging glances towards obese children