Teaching and Learning of Experimental Science: The Case of Chemistry in Secondary Qualifying Morocco

AbstractTeachers and students are the main actors in the educational action. The teacher is primarily responsible for the transmission of knowledge. The action of teaching is essentially to bear on the mental representations of students in order to find an entry in their cognitive systems developed. However, achieving this goal is not obvious, and common methods of teaching are not always effective. Thus, obstacles persist with regard to the education of students and hinder the educational action. Thus we conducted observations in classroom situations. We stopped with volunteer teachers who had scheduled sessions with their pupils. The research was based on an observation checklist dealing with the following topics: the approach taken by the teacher throughout the lesson, the user operating and alternation and the quality and appropriateness of the content. The analysis of the results of these observations shows the existence of a large number of obstacles to the realization of effective teaching of chemistry in Moroccan schools

Synthesis of pyrazolo-enaminones, bipyrazoles and pyrazolopyrimidines and evaluation of antioxidant and antimicrobial properties

A novel pyrazolo-enaminones, bipyrazoles and bipyrazolopyridines from 1-(5-hydroxy-3-methyl-1-phenyl-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)butane-1,3-dione and 4-methyl-2-phenyl-2H-pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridine-3,6(3aH,7H)-dione have been synthesized by assisted heating with microwave radiation without any catalyst. The pyridine and pyrazole ring formation has been developed from easily accessible enamino keto esters by formylation followed by intramolecular cyclization. The general applicability for the synthesis of the important pyrazolo-enaminones, bipyrazoles and pyrazolo-pyridines heterocycles was attributed to simplicity of operation, synthesis without catalyst, energy efficiency (shorter reaction time under microwave irradiation), good yields, more environmentally friendly and more cost-effective procedure. The antioxidant activity of new heterocyclic compounds was evaluated by free radical scavenging by DPPH assay. Several of these compounds showed good activity against both Gram-positive (S. aureus) and Gram-negative (E. coli) bacteria

Assessment of Heavy Metal Contamination of the Environment in the Mining Site of Ouixane (North East Morocco)

International audienceThis study aims to assess the metallic contamination of soils and water resources in the environment of the Ouixane mining area (North East Morocco). Six metallic elements (Fe, Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, and Cd) were analyzed by ICP-AES and ICP-MS. To evaluate the contamination of the soils, three contamination assessment methods were used as follows: enrichment factor (EF), pollution index (PI), and geo-accumulation index (Igeo). The results showed that the soils of the studied area are highly enriched in metallic elements Cd, Cu, Zn, and Pb. Thus, the enrichment factor (EF) revealed an anthropogenic contamination of the majority of studied soils with an extreme contamination by Cd (EFm = 59.29), Cu (EFm = 45.93), and Zn (EFm = 44.73). The results of PI revealed extreme contamination by Cu (PIm = 7.12) and considerable contamination by Zn (PIm = 5.61), Cd (PIm = 4.83), Fe (PIm = 3.09), and Pb (PIm = 3). The Igeo results showed strong contamination for most of the metallic elements and extreme accumulation for Cu and Zn in the Axara-Imnassen lake and the valley located downstream from the Ouixane deposit. Depressions and lakes are highly contaminated by heavy metals due to the leaching phenomenon of surrounding geological formations rich in sulfides. The significant leaching of metallic elements (Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni…) led to significant acid mine drainage (AMD). On the other hand, the geochemistry of the water samples revealed the transfer of metallic pollutants to the water resources which become very acidic locally. Using the contamination degree index (Cd), surface water was found to be highly contaminated by heavy metals (Cd > 3) compared to well water (1 < Cd < 3). Contamination assessment indices combined with the geographic information system (GIS) have been used successfully to identify the most polluted sites

Geomorphological Classification of Monogenetic Volcanoes and Its Implication to Tectonic Stress Orientation in the Middle Atlas Volcanic Field (Morocco)

The Middle Atlas Volcanic Field (MAVF) covers an area of 1500 km2, with a total erupted volume of solid products (e.g., Dense Rock Equivalent or DRE) estimated to be more than 80 km3. The MAVF comprises 87 monogenetic basaltic volcanoes of Tertiary-Quaternary age as scoria cones (71%) and maars (29%). These monogenetic basaltic volcanoes have various morphologies (e.g., circular, semi-elliptic, elliptic in map views). They can be isolated or form clustered monogenetic complexes. They are largely grouped in the Middle Atlas, in an intraplate geotectonic context forming two distinct major alignments (N160–170° and N40–50°), each closely associated with regional structural elements. By the best estimates, the preserved bulk pyroclastic products do not exceed 0.7 km3, and they show large textural and componentry diversity (e.g., bedded/unbedded, coarse/fine, dense/scoriaceous fallout and pyroclastic density current deposit, etc.). Lava flows also demonstrate great variety of preserved surface textures, including pāhoehoe, ‘a’ā, and clastogenic types. Morphostructural features of lava flows linked to lava flow dynamics have also been recognized, and the presence of hornitos, columnar jointed basaltic flow units, lava tubes, tumuli, and clastogenic lava flows have been recognized and mapped. Some half-sectioned dykes expose interior parts of magmatic shallow feeding pipes. The current morphology of the volcanoes of the MAVF reflects various syn- and post-eruptive processes, including (1) erosional features due to weathering, (2) gravitational instability during and after volcanic activity, (3) vegetation impact, and (4) successive burial of lava flows. The documented volcanic features of this typical monogenetic volcanic field form the core of the region’s geoheritage elements and are considered to be unique in the new African geoheritage context. Hence, they will likely form the basis of future geotourism, geoeducation, and geoconservation ventures

The Effect of Parental Social Status in Academia: Comparative Case of the Public/Private University in Morocco

In the education system, the different parental resources of university students are linked to social inequality by distinct mechanisms, they are reproduced and legitimized.&nbsp; The socio-economic status (SES) of students assumed to be indexed, by the level of education, parental occupation, or family income, is a predictor of educational outcomes.&nbsp; The implementation of interventions that reduce the gap in the achievement of Socio-Economic Status (SES), can face significant ideological obstacles.&nbsp; In a purely sociological approach, our comparative study analyzes through a questionnaire survey, the socio-economic and cultural environment of the students of two Moroccan universities, the Faculty of Sciences Ben M'Sick (FSBM) of Casablanca, a public institution, and a private institution located in the same city but geographically in an upscale neighborhood.&nbsp; The results obtained attest that the social and cultural heritage of parents transmitted to students has effects on social reproduction, as well as the strong significant involvement of social origin in the learning process

Geomorphological Classification of Monogenetic Volcanoes and Its Implication to Tectonic Stress Orientation in the Middle Atlas Volcanic Field (Morocco)

The Middle Atlas Volcanic Field (MAVF) covers an area of 1500 km2, with a total erupted volume of solid products (e.g., Dense Rock Equivalent or DRE) estimated to be more than 80 km3. The MAVF comprises 87 monogenetic basaltic volcanoes of Tertiary-Quaternary age as scoria cones (71%) and maars (29%). These monogenetic basaltic volcanoes have various morphologies (e.g., circular, semi-elliptic, elliptic in map views). They can be isolated or form clustered monogenetic complexes. They are largely grouped in the Middle Atlas, in an intraplate geotectonic context forming two distinct major alignments (N160&ndash;170&deg; and N40&ndash;50&deg;), each closely associated with regional structural elements. By the best estimates, the preserved bulk pyroclastic products do not exceed 0.7 km3, and they show large textural and componentry diversity (e.g., bedded/unbedded, coarse/fine, dense/scoriaceous fallout and pyroclastic density current deposit, etc.). Lava flows also demonstrate great variety of preserved surface textures, including p&#257;hoehoe, &lsquo;a&rsquo;&#257;, and clastogenic types. Morphostructural features of lava flows linked to lava flow dynamics have also been recognized, and the presence of hornitos, columnar jointed basaltic flow units, lava tubes, tumuli, and clastogenic lava flows have been recognized and mapped. Some half-sectioned dykes expose interior parts of magmatic shallow feeding pipes. The current morphology of the volcanoes of the MAVF reflects various syn- and post-eruptive processes, including (1) erosional features due to weathering, (2) gravitational instability during and after volcanic activity, (3) vegetation impact, and (4) successive burial of lava flows. The documented volcanic features of this typical monogenetic volcanic field form the core of the region&rsquo;s geoheritage elements and are considered to be unique in the new African geoheritage context. Hence, they will likely form the basis of future geotourism, geoeducation, and geoconservation ventures

Impact of Anthropogenic Facilities on the Morphodynamic Evolution of an Estuarine System: The Case of Oum Er-Rbia Estuary (Azemmour, Morocco)

The Oum Er-Rbia estuary is located on the Atlantic littoral of Morocco. It undergoes severe clogging due to the sand deposition in its outlet. The current study examined the indicators of the morphodynamic evolution in the littoral system including the Oum Er-Rbia estuary and the neighboring beaches over 1970&ndash;2017. The methodology adopted was based on the analysis and the interpretation of aerial photographs and Google Earth images under a GIS environment and field work. The morphodynamic evolution was discussed by taking into account the evolution of hydraulic facilities installed in the watershed area, especially the construction of dams, as well as the dredging works in the Oum Er-Rbia estuary. The results highlight the morphologic evolution estimated in terms of surface units observed in the estuary and the neighboring beaches. The evolution of the littoral system was mainly influenced by the closest dam location and by the dredging works, in addition to the regulation of the river flow by the installation of hydraulic facilities upstream

Molarity Dependent on CVD Misted ZnS Buffer Layer Performance

This paper manifests the synthesis and characterization of zinc sulfur (ZnS) thin films combined with numerical simulation (SCAPS-1D). The synthesis has been done by mixing and depositing Zn and S precursors on a preheated glass substrate (450 °C) with different molar concentrations. X-ray diffraction (XRD) shows the formation of polycrystalline ZnS with a mixed hexagonal/cubic structure. Raman spectroscopy analysis validates the films purity with a predominant peak at 348 cm-1 corresponding to the cubic structure. Composition elements and atomic ratio have been confirmed by the energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). Scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) images show uniform and well-arranged spherical grains on the samples surface with a non-neglected roughness variation. The optical results show high transparency in the visual field of light (≃80%) and a sharp absorption edge in the UV domain. The optical band gap has been considerably decreased with increasing the concentrations reflecting its high dependency on the molarity rate. Numerical modeling results using SCAPS-1D software show that samples corresponding to 0.06 and 0.08 molarity present better performance with an efficiency of 8.94% and 8.9%, respectively

Groundwater Vulnerability and Potentially Toxic Elements Associated with the Iron Mining District of Ouixane (Northeast of Morocco)

International audienceThis study aims to investigate the groundwater vulnerability concerning potentially toxic elements in the vicinity of the abandoned iron mine of Ouixane (Morocco). A modified DRASTIC method (DRSTI) is proposed with satisfactory results. High vulnerability zones represent 40% of the study area, while medium and low vulnerability represent, respectively, 42% and 18% of the study area. These results have been validated by groundwater geochemical analyses of potentially toxic elements carried out in the framework of previous studies in the same area. Thus, the superposition of the waste rock and tailings map with the vulnerability map showed that the latter is located in areas of high to medium vulnerability and therefore constitutes the main cause of the deterioration of the geochemical quality of groundwater. Otherwise, the vulnerability method showed that the main parameters that significantly affect the vulnerability are: the depth of water (D), net recharge (R), and the unsaturated zone (I), while the other parameters do not significantly affect the model used and do not have much influence on the results of the vulnerability assessment. The method used allowed us to locate the most vulnerable areas to potentially metallic toxic elements pollution resulting from the abandoned iron mine of Ouixane, and it constitutes a tool for decision support and for developing effective action plans to mitigate and monitor the effects of the transfer of potentially toxic elements pollution to groundwater.</jats:p

Groundwater Vulnerability and Potentially Toxic Elements Associated with the Iron Mining District of Ouixane (Northeast of Morocco)

This study aims to investigate the groundwater vulnerability concerning potentially toxic elements in the vicinity of the abandoned iron mine of Ouixane (Morocco). A modified DRASTIC method (DRSTI) is proposed with satisfactory results. High vulnerability zones represent 40% of the study area, while medium and low vulnerability represent, respectively, 42% and 18% of the study area. These results have been validated by groundwater geochemical analyses of potentially toxic elements carried out in the framework of previous studies in the same area. Thus, the superposition of the waste rock and tailings map with the vulnerability map showed that the latter is located in areas of high to medium vulnerability and therefore constitutes the main cause of the deterioration of the geochemical quality of groundwater. Otherwise, the vulnerability method showed that the main parameters that significantly affect the vulnerability are: the depth of water (D), net recharge (R), and the unsaturated zone (I), while the other parameters do not significantly affect the model used and do not have much influence on the results of the vulnerability assessment. The method used allowed us to locate the most vulnerable areas to potentially metallic toxic elements pollution resulting from the abandoned iron mine of Ouixane, and it constitutes a tool for decision support and for developing effective action plans to mitigate and monitor the effects of the transfer of potentially toxic elements pollution to groundwater