Project Work in Moroccan EFL Classroom: between the Official Guidelines’ Recommendation and the Challenges of Implementation

Project work is used in several educational settings, including foreign and second language teaching contexts. In the Moroccan English as a foreign language (EFL) classroom, the Moroccan Ministry of Education recommended implementing project work, and it is a common component of the Moroccan textbooks of English. Yet, there is a scarcity of studies conducted on the use of project work in Moroccan EFL classrooms. The main aim of the study is to investigate students’ and teachers’ attitudes towards project work. The study addresses the question about students’ and teachers’ attitudes towards project work and the factors behind those attitudes. It was conducted with sixty students and eight teachers belonging to two different high schools (Moulay Rachid and Abbas Sebti high schools) in Tangier. To collect data, the researcher made use of two data collection methods, namely the questionnaire and the interview. The results of the study showed that both students and teachers had positive attitudes towards project work. The results also revealed that not all teachers follow the steps of using project work. Based on the results, it was clear that the lack of technology is one of the most severe challenges that hamper the use of project work. The findings of this study could form the basis for further research and contribute to improving the learning and teaching situation in Moroccan high schools.

Research on the Ethnic Minority English Teachers in Middle Schools’ Perplexity of Professional Development and Its Solution

This study makes an empirical study on the professional development of ethnic minority English teachers in middle school. Four ethnic minority English teachers of different ages who volunteer to participate in qualitative interviews are selected to conduct the in-depth interviews to analyze their professional development. According to the analysis of research results, it is found that the main puzzles of ethnic minority English teachers’ professional development are how to balance the gap between the content of teaching materials and the actual teaching situation; how to avoid the emergence of teaching tendency in teaching; how to realize the positive transfer of professional development in mother tongue cultural environment. Finally, the solutions are put forward to solve the confusion from the social level and personal level.

Project Work in Moroccan EFL Classroom: between the Official Guidelines’ Recommendation and the Challenges of Implementation

Project work is used in several educational settings, including foreign and second language teaching contexts. In the Moroccan English as a foreign language (EFL) classroom, the Moroccan Ministry of Education recommended implementing project work, and it is a common component of the Moroccan textbooks of English. Yet, there is a scarcity of studies conducted on the use of project work in Moroccan EFL classrooms. The main aim of the study is to investigate students’ and teachers’ attitudes towards project work. The study addresses the question about students’ and teachers’ attitudes towards project work and the factors behind those attitudes. It was conducted with sixty students and eight teachers belonging to two different high schools (Moulay Rachid and Abbas Sebti high schools) in Tangier. To collect data, the researcher made use of two data collection methods, namely the questionnaire and the interview. The results of the study showed that both students and teachers had positive attitudes towards project work. The results also revealed that not all teachers follow the steps of using project work. Based on the results, it was clear that the lack of technology is one of the most severe challenges that hamper the use of project work. The findings of this study could form the basis for further research and contribute to improving the learning and teaching situation in Moroccan high schools.

Teaching Culture through Language

One socio-cultural aspect of the Korean language that foreign learners may encounter early is the extensive use of kinship terms in communicative situations. Korean kinship terms are carriers of important cultural information, thus misunderstandings or even breakdowns in communication are likely to happen if one lacks exposure to the cultural conceptualizations of these terms. Following the paradigm shift towards emphasizing intercultural communicative competence development in foreign language classrooms, the present study explores why teaching kinship terms in a Korean language classroom is important. The study presents an overview of the kinship terminological system and its relation to the cultural concepts and value system of Koreans, examines the current teaching situation of kinship terms primarily through language textbooks, and considers specific aspects that may affect the teaching of these terms. The study finds that insufficient attention is given to kinship terms, even though they are one of the most frequently used terms of address and reference. It is proposed that greater emphasis should be given to teaching kinship terms; furthermore, it is suggested that teachers should actively guide students to acquire the essential cultural knowledge about kinship terms.

The peer teachers’ perception of intrinsic motivation and rewards

Peer-assisted learning (PAL) is an educational method commonly applied in academic teaching. It is characterized by the interplay between peer teachers and learners who are at a similar academic level. Although it has been shown that peer teachers benefit from participating in PAL, little is known about their perception of motivation and rewards. Here we designed a questionnaire and measured the perception of intrinsic motivation and rewards of peer teachers from three different PAL programs. Overall, peer teachers were highly intrinsically motivated. The reward category Supporting Others was appreciated the most, followed by the reward categories Self-Improvement, Feedback, and Financial. The perception of rewards reflected the features of the three PAL programs. For example, the item “learning the teaching matter themselves” was most valued by peer teachers who were enrolled in a PAL program that deployed their peer teachers primarily to convey knowledge. In contrast, “actively shaping the teaching situation” was appreciated most by peer teachers of the PAL program that enables their peer teachers to conceive their teaching sessions independently. These findings go toward recommendations of the implementation and further development of PAL programs. If PAL programs clearly define their features and aims, they could specifically attract (and select) peer teachers and meet their needs as well as expectations, providing opportunities to gain knowledge and teaching experience. Ultimately, these PAL programs could better support the learners.

Three’s Company: China and Taiwan Vying for Mandarin Education in India

With decades of stupendous growth and political détente between India and China, Mandarin has become an important human capital for Indians. India clearly shows a preference of Taiwan over China, when mediated between them for different Mandarin resources, even before the epidemic and Sino-India border conflicts. Recently, there have been suggestions to replace Confucius Institutes with Taiwanese institutions, and Taiwan has urged for strengthening cooperation with India in Mandarin education. This paper aims to discuss the feasibility for Taiwan Education Centre to monopolize the Mandarin education market of India. Through data collection and detailed analysis of literature by scholars of Taiwan, China and India, this paper argues that Taiwan alone is incapable of occupying the whole Indian market due to the inadequacy of Mandarin teaching resources and complex tripartite political relations. Moreover, the current trilateral strategies adopted by China, India and Taiwan dissuade the common interests. We propose a customization, cooperation and supervision model to advance Mandarin education in India, and further analyze the feasibility and potential resistance towards the cooperation. This paper is helpful to understanding the Chinese teaching situation in India. It addresses a timely question and offers possible resolution not only to India but also to other countries who are skeptical of Confucius Institutes.

Application of Virtual Reality in the Teaching of Interior Design

With the rapid development of computer technology, a new technology – virtual reality has arisen at this historical moment. This technology mainly creates a real scene through simulation so as to reflect the changing form of objects. As a complex art form, the characteristics of interior design cannot be displayed only through pictures and words but with the effective application of virtual reality, the development of interior design can be promoted. This article mainly analyzes the current teaching situation of interior design and puts forward specific application strategies of virtual reality in the teaching of interior design, which have guiding significance in improving the teaching effect of interior design.

How Did Students with Different Learning Profiles Experience ‘Normal’ and Online Teaching Situation during COVID-19 Spring?

This study compares university students’ approaches to learning and experiences with the teaching–learning environment in general and during online studying as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. It examines students’ learning profiles and how students with different learning profiles experienced the teaching–learning environment during COVID-19 as well as their approaches to learning and study-related burnout in general. The participants were 665 first- and second-year students. The profiles were examined using K-means cluster analyses and the differences in learning profiles using one-way ANOVA and the Tuckey Test. The results show changes in students’ approaches to learning and their experiences with the teaching–learning environment and study-related burnout within the different profiles when comparing a normal situation to the COVID-19 pandemic. We suggest that changes in study-related burnout can be different among different study profiles. The results imply that students with a fragmented knowledge base and difficulties in managing time and effort would require special attention in online teaching situations.