Moroccan students' motivation to learn geology in secondary school: A cross-sectional survey

The aim of this study is to explore the perceptions of Moroccan secondary school students regarding their motivation to learn geology. There were three main reasons that motivated this research: the persistent challenges associated with teaching geology despite its economic importance and Morocco's geological wealth, the lack of interest shown by students based on feedback from teachers and our professional experience, and the shortage of didactic research particularly on motivation in this field. These elements underline the need for a better understanding of the factors influencing students' commitment to learning this subject. Data were collected using a cross-sectional survey combining the Geology Motivation Questionnaire II and semistructured interviews. The study involved 2053 secondary school students in the Marrakech-Safi region of Morocco. The results showed that students' overall motivation was described as 'moderate'. Among the factors assessed, grade motivation was the most influential, followed by self-efficacy and intrinsic motivation. These three factors also showed moderate levels. Conversely, self-determination and career motivation were the least influential factors, with low levels of motivation. The analysis also revealed significant variations according to certain criteria. Overall, girls were more motivated than boys. On the other hand, the motivation of middle and high school students decreased progressively as they progressed through the grades. In terms of performance in geology, students with good marks were more motivated to learn the subject than those with poor results. On the other hand, their place of residence had no significant influence on their motivation. To boost students' motivation and commitment to geology, and to make the subject more attractive, pedagogical recommendations have been put forward to the designers of geology teaching programs in Morocco.