Conceptual and Methodological Issues in Error Treatment: The Case of Physics Teaching in Morocco

Abstract

The literature on error treatment techniques in education is abundant; still, the linkage between what is theoretical and what is practical can be very contentious. For this same reason, teachers are faced with the challenge of implementing consistent approaches of error treatment. Another focal point in this study is the divide between natural sciences and social sciences. In many cases, teachers of natural sciences cannot relate to the affordances of the social sciences to reshape and foster their pedagogical practices. This paper is intended to investigate error treatment practices amongst physics teachers in Morocco beyond and above what is stated in official guidelines. In particular, the current study was carried out with a total number of 120 high school teachers in Morocco during the academic year 2021-2022. The questionnaire method was used for the collection of numeric data while the interview method was used for probing the attitudes of the respondents towards the phenomenon under investigation. The legitimacy of the data was validated by means of multiple numeric estimations. The outputs from data analysis revealed a pressing need for teacher continuing professional development, being a prerequisite for fostering physics teachers’ pedagogical skills.