DEVELOPMENT OF PRE-SERVICE AND IN-SERVICE DISTANCE TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAMS IN MOROCCO

Distance training environments (DTEs) are considered as the next generation ways and means for teacher training in Morocco. They present a valuable solution to sustain the increasing need for pre-service and in-service training of a very large number of teachers, especially those in remote areas. In this paper, we will describe Morocco’s first experience towards establishing DTEs in teacher training programs. We will outline the successes and challenges of developing distance teacher training. The project first targeted teacher trainers from twelve regional training centers for jobs in education and training (CRMEF) who translated their savoir-faire to application in their respective institutions. The beneficiaries profited from a one year hands-on training on DTEs through a blended e-learning program that focused on three major areas: educational engineering, instructional technology, and online tutoring. The qualitative evaluation of the first phase of the project revealed a high satisfaction rate among all beneficiaries and has confirmed the importance of e-learning and blended learning in the particular context of teacher training. The project also resulted in the establishment of distance training platforms in each CRMEF. The second phase of the project focuses on implementing and piloting distance training modules in each center. This project is part of a dedicated joint program for Improving Training for Quality Advancement in National Education (ITQANE) led by Creative Associate Internationals in partnership with the central unit of professional training at the Moroccan Ministry of National Education, the National Center for Innovative Pedagogy, and the Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane. ITQANE is supported by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).