Factors and requirements for learning enhancement inside and outside the school
Morocco
Case study
Abstract
With renewed focus on the quality of education, there is increased international interest in whole school approaches and in in-school and out-of-school factors that enhance learning. This case study examines the role of factors related to classroom practice, school management, and the link between the school and its environment in explaining high student achievement in a sample of eight private and public primary and lower secondary schools in both urban and rural areas of two regions in Morocco. The case study is based on a combination of methods including the study of student records, questionnaires and semi-structured interviews administered to a total of some eighty school directors, administrative staff, teaching personnel and students across the sample. This was complemented by a limited number of classroom observations and in-depth interviews with key respondents. In examining the relative weight of factors that impact positively on student performance, the study also sought to identify areas of possible intervention to further enhance the quality of learning. The results of the case study confirm the relevance of a global approach to the quality of education that links the various dimensions of classroom practice, school life, school management, and interactions between school and its surroundings. In particular, the study confirms the essential role of the teacher in enhancing the quality of learning by ensuring the essential link between the classroom, school life, and the immediate social environment of the school. The study recommends the need for further in-depth research focusing on the teacher and pupil relationship both within as well as outside of the class.
