Investigating Barriers to the Effective Integration of Information and Communication Technology in Moroccan EFL Classrooms
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54536/ajet.v5i2.7322Keywords:
Education, EFL Classroom, ICT, Language Learning, Language Teaching, MoroccoAbstract
The emergence of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has profoundly transformed educational practices all over the world. The Moroccan context has been no exception. In response to the growing demand for ICT integration in education, Morocco has implemented several national strategies, long-term programs, sectoral initiatives, and emergency procedures to integrate ICT into education. Among these are the GENIE Program, MASSAR, and the distance-learning platforms introduced during COVID-19, such as TelmidTICE and taalim.ma. Morocco also implemented national strategies to integrate ICT into public institutions and governmental organizations, namely Maroc Numeric 2013 and Maroc Digital 2020. However, most of these initiatives fell short of achieving their intended goals. Thus, the main objective of this study is to investigate the reasons behind the limited success of ICT integration in Moroccan education, with a primary focus on EFL classrooms. The study examines both external and internal barriers to ICT integration in Moroccan EFL classrooms, adopting a mixed-methods approach that combines quantitative and qualitative data. The study sample consists of both middle and high school EFL teachers from different regions in Morocco. The findings indicate that ICT integration in Moroccan EFL classrooms remains limited due to both external and internal barriers. External barriers are linked mainly with ICT-related aspects, while internal barriers are linked with teachers’ attitudes, skills, and practices.
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