Teachers’ Perception of Distance Learning during the Covid-19 Pandemic: The Moroccan High School as a Case Study

Abstract

Due to the rapid spread of Covid-19 in Morocco and other corners of the globe, several countries have resorted to the implementation of distance education as an alternative to guarantee learning continuity and save the academic year. Laying the ground for an effective online learning environment was a noticeable challenge for both Moroccan teachers and students, especially those underprivileged ones. Given the limited availability of information technology tools, distance learning in Morocco is not quite appealing and it is not well-encouraged by a number of practitioners. In this regard, the present paper aims to investigate the extent to which Moroccan high school teachers are satisfied with the implementation of online learning. It also endeavors to question the impact of distance education on students’ learning. Besides, the present study attempts to raise and answer a set of research questions like: What are the challenges encountered by EFL teachers in dealing with distance learning? What are the types of online platforms used by those teachers? What is the impact of distance education on students’ learning? And what are the teachers’ perception of this type of learning? To answer these questions, both quantitative and qualitative approaches are employed. The Former consists of the use of questionnaires which are administered to high school teachers adopting online learning. The latter takes the form of an interview that is carried out with the same teachers. The rationale behind is to dig further in their teaching experiences and obtain insightful data regarding their beliefs as well as perceptions of online learning. A close analysis of the findings revealed that the majority of teachers face numerous challenges when conducting distance learning such as students’ lack of interest, connection issues, etc. Another obtained result showed that a huge number of teachers were frustrated when delivering their lessons because of the limited number of attendees.