How do theoretical frameworks influence immunology teaching? Insights from case studies in Morocco

Teaching immunology faces didactic and pedagogical challenges, which sometimes stem from how scientific knowledge is translated into textbooks and teaching practices. Indeed, all scientific knowledge is rooted in a specific theoretical context, shaped by the prevailing paradigms and theories of its time. In this regard, systems theory, information theory, and cybernetics provide students with a theoretical framework to better understand immunology. This article addresses a topic that is underexplored in Morocco, focusing on the impact of teaching scientific concepts without reference to their theoretical foundations. It emphasizes the importance of integrating systems theory, information theory, and cybernetics into the immunology curriculum to enhance the teaching and learning of immunological concepts. With this in mind, and in order to explore the impact of not considering these three theories in the teaching of immunology, we conducted three studies combining qualitative and quantitative data. The first study used a semi-structured interview technique with a sample of 27 teachers. The second study used a questionnaire administered to a sample of 105 university students. The third study focused on the presentation of immunology in three official school textbooks. The results of the three studies carried out revealed that systemics, cybernetics and information theory receive little attention in the immunology curriculum, which is reflected in its learning. Indeed, the university students in our sample presented a number of difficulties, especially those relating to the communication and regulatory mechanisms of the immune system. which affects their understanding of the mechanisms governing immune responses and, consequently, their health.