This document discusses considerations for evaluating textbooks in Morocco and presents criteria for textbook evaluation. It begins by noting that evaluation needs clearly defined objectives and stakeholders. It then lists requirements for evaluation such as professionalism, accountability, and openness. The document presents many potential criteria for textbook evaluation, including content, ease of use, innovation, treatment of diversity, and participation of teachers. It emphasizes that textbooks should be evaluated throughout the production process rather than after implementation.

1. CONSIDERATIONS FOR TEXTBOOK EVALUATION Khalil zakari

2. TEXTBOOK EVALUATION This presentation consists of two main parts : -> a reflective report on the conditions within which textbook evaluation takes place -> a presentation of a set of criteria for the evaluation of a language textbook in Morocco .

3. ASSUMPTIONS Evaluation acquires significance from the purposes it is conducted for as well as from the perspectives within which it is undertaken. In fact, without a set of explicitly specificed objectives to be attained , decisions to be made and actions to be taken as a result of observations and findings, evaluation would be meaningless.

4. STAKEHOLDERS Evaluation is apprehended through the perspective of one category of stakeholders . The major body of the category I will address in the first part are teachers who contribute to the implementation of the curriculum through their various functions and responsibilities.

5. Focus : Considerations for textbook evaluation in Morocco Preliminary observations imply the following: Setting purposes for the evaluation enterprise Specifying the perspective within which the evaluation is to be undertaken Identifying the decisions to be made Identifying the actions subsequent to the decisions

6. REQUIREMENTS The exercise of free will Fair competitiveness Total and general quality Best practice protocols Professionalism (e.g. to evaluate, one has to be an evaluator)

7. Continued … Competency Accountability Tolerance Awareness and mastery of change and reform processes Respect of others (minorities, etc.) Openness

8. Continued … Prominence of reason and rational and scientific attitudes over irrational and ideological attitudes Self-criticism, self evaluation as well as the criticism of others Expressing one’s opinion Prominence of efforts to convince over efforts to persuade

9. Continued … Reducing ambiguity Providing for crises analysis and resolution (How are crises detected and taken charge of) Collaborative and collegial decision making processes

10. Continued … A textbook that is evaluated after it has proven to be unable to meet the set objectives is a textbook that has already incremented cost to the educational project and that may have caused damage before it got to be evaluated. Evaluation protocols have to be part of the production process.

11. Professionalism By professionalism I refer to the process through which a human activity acquires sufficient autonomy , specificity and expertise to be set apart from other ones. In other words, for the process of textbook evaluation to be judged as professional it needs to meet the criteria of expertness, specialization and dedication which are acquired through formal training, recognition of peers and competent authorities.

12. Continued ... Professionalism is thus evaluated against criteria relating the range of competencies required for a job.

13. Evaluation Criteria In addition to learning as demonstrated by formal training and experience opportunities which the textbook provides for the learner, other personal traits such as self-confidence, creativeness and attitudes towards innovation, taking risks, problem solving and involvement are to be taken into account when identifying evaluation criteria.

14. Continued … Appropriateness of the use of technology. Balance of the skillsCoherence with the curriculum Content Conviviality Cost / reusability Cultural variables Does it call for the intelligence of the learners, their curiosity, etc.

15. Continued … Ease of use by the student Ease of use by the teacher Efficiency of supporting materials, electronic, audio-visual, etc. Explicitness of the function(s) envisaged for the textbook Freedom left to teachers Gradation issues How are gender, social, ethnic and other such factors dealt with and taken into account? How does it take the cognitive level of the learners into account?

16. Continued … How functional are illustrations? How innovative? How original? Interactivity Is it to be used for homework? Is it to be used in class alone? Participation of students in the identification of content, methodology, design issues, etc. Participation of supervisors in the identification of content, methodology, design issues, etc

17. Continued … Participation of teachers in the identification of content, methodology, design issues, etc. Pedagogic relevance of tasks Piloting Provision for diversity of learning styles Quality of illustrations? Quality of the audio support? Other ...

18. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION Khalil Zakari www.zakari.fr.fm [email_address]