Audio Transcription
Contact :
- Marc Da Silva, itslearning consultant
- Lina El Khateb, 1st year student
Marc Da Silva: At itslearning, we support education, so what could be more natural than to go out and meet those working in the field? Today, we're lucky enough to meet Lina El Khateb, a student at the Lycée Sophie Germain, part of the IEG group in Morocco.
So why the chance, because our guest is a student, so her point of view is original, interesting and fundamental. And why distance? Well, quite simply because Lina is live from Rabat - I checked, it's three hours by plane. Hello Lina, how are you?
Lina El Khateb: I'm fine, thank you, I hope you're well from you.
Marc Da Silva: Oh yes, we're still fine. I'm very honored to be able to meet you remotely and talk to you about education and digital technology. So, Lina, you're in Première Générale at the Lycée Sophie Germain in Rabat. In a few words, what do you think it's like to be a student at this school?
Lina El Khateb: It's a pleasure to be part of this school, because I've been here since the third grade, and I'm currently in the first year, so I've been here for about three years, so I know the school pretty well. In my opinion, it's a unique establishment. Everyone here listens: teachers, administration, supervisors. We're lucky enough to have access to a very high level of learning, so I'm a student of the Lycée Français Sophie Germain and I'm proud to be one.
Also listen to: How can we support and develop digital education?
Marc Da Silva: Since you're in high school and in your first year, how do you feel about the Baccalaureate exams? Do you feel well prepared?
Lina El Khateb: Well, the year isn't over yet, but we can say that I'm well prepared, especially with the bac blanc exams that took place when we came back from the vacations in March. We're already lucky enough to have very relevant and rich French lessons, of really high quality. There's never a dull moment during our French lessons. It's also down to the teacher who presents us with very, very interesting activities and makes us want to learn, so in that respect we're really very lucky, so you could say that overall, I'm well prepared. I just need to brush up on my arithmetic and linear reading to be really ready for the big day.
Marc Da Silva: Well, I'm glad to hear that. Tell me, there's a topic I'd like to raise with you, if you don't mind, because personally, as an itslearning consultant, I'm used to supporting the implementation of platform projects or initial teacher training, for example, but I never have access to the learners, so in retrospect, so we were doing a little backtracking, what can you tell us about the arrival of the platform within your establishment?
Lina El Khateb: Well, the platform is new for us this year, and therefore for the whole school. We were fortunate to be well trained and supervised by our teachers, as well as by our educational advisor, who introduced us to the use of this new and highly diversified tool right from the start of the year.
So right from the start of the school year, we were lucky enough to be able to use it in the majority of our courses. Particularly in the French classes I just mentioned. I think it's made things a lot easier for us this year. Compared with last year, when we used other platforms, this year with itslearning, we have "all-in-one", as they say, so it's an application that I find quite practical, and of course my classmates do too.
Marc Da Silva: You were talking about "practices" in what you just said, you often talk about this French teacher who's like a model somewhere, it's something we understand like that, but do you see any disparities in usage depending on the teachers for example, or depending on the subjects, how do you explain that?
Lina El Khateb: In fact, it's rare for teachers to stop using the itslearning platform because, in my case at least, either the teachers use it right from the start of the year, or those who do use it, always continue to use it, particularly in French lessons, as I've already mentioned, because once you get used to using the platform and the functionalities presented by itslearning, it becomes practical and so you get used to it, it's really very rare that there's a disparity in the use of the itslearning platform, at least in our school.
Marc Da Silva: Very well, would that mean that all teachers would use more or less the same buttons on the platform, or would there be some buttons that would be given priority, some features that would be given greater prominence?
Lina El Khateb: It depends on each teacher. For example, we have basic functionalities that are used by teachers in particular subjects, notably language subjects, where you find resources and only resources. But in French lessons, for example, we have quizzes and interactive activities to hand in.
Sometimes there are also quizzes, so it's really quite diversified, and since we have a rather specific way of working in French classes, so in fact we work in autonomy workshops, it really helps us to make everything just by logging in with our account and that's it. So it depends on each course and each teacher.
Marc Da Silva: Agreed, and I imagine that the teachers, with the help of the pedagogical advisors, will improve their practices to make them more diversified, as you seem to be saying. And on the student side, Lina, how do your classmates take to these courses, perhaps it's not so easy?
Lina El Khateb: Generally speaking, I can't give you a specific answer because, in fact, everyone has their own way of organizing courses on itslearning, but in any case, in my case, for example, I'm a very organized person, so when it comes to taking courses, I find everything in the same place, there isn't one document on e-mail, another on Pronote, another on itslearning.
It's all on itslearning, which makes it easier for me to organize my notebooks, rewrite them and go back to the lessons at the end of the day. So for me personally, especially with the tasks, which are presented by the platform so I know where I'm at with specific subjects or whether I've handed in assignments or not. So that, too, has helped me a lot this year in terms of organization compared with last year, so in my case, that's it, and some of my classmates opt for just using the itslearning application, just with the resources.
Marc Da Silva: So, Lina, I've just heard, because I've got a little mouse over there at Lycée Sophie Germain, that you yourself were a sort of digital referent, and what does that involve and how did it come about, and why you?
Lina El Khateb: I'm an open-minded person, so I like to help others, and that's one of my qualities. I also like the digital world, so I've always helped my parents, my family and my friends.
When it came to setting up the itslearning platform at the beginning of the year, I was there to support my colleagues, to help them get a more global idea of how to use the application. After that, it's a good thing because it also helps them to get more organized, because as I said, itslearning offers a wide range of functions, so I had the opportunity to help them on my side as a student.
Marc Da Silva: Let's put it this way: first of all, you're more of a jack-of-all-trades and you know your stuff, and then because you're "open", well then, you ended up being the person who was going to come to the aid of your colleagues, your comrades rather, and not in itslearning I imagine.
I'd like to take this opportunity to point out to those who are listening to us that, in the final analysis, this may be a role that needs to be carried out and established. It's perhaps a role to be set up at facility level to guarantee a kind of security and successful deployment. Ok Lina, I'd like to come back to you on one point, since you mentioned earlier that you had joined the school when you were in ninth grade and now you've grown up, you're a first-year student, so your school career has obviously evolved, but with the use of digital technology, would you be able to tell us how things have changed?
Lina El Khateb: Indeed, digital technology in general allows us to organize our courses in a more specific and practical way. So, finding all our courses on the same platform or other, in particular the organization of slots for revisions etc., and also by the fact that we went through a period of crisis, which is COVID 19, in 2020 we were in confinement.
So, if it hadn't been for digital technology, I don't think we would have passed our year, so in my case, it was the third, so it's really lucky to have digital technology in our school, and it's a good thing we have digital tools that are fairly well developed, because it allows us to be up to date, it allows us to really perfect our organization and to always be "up to date".
Marc Da Silva: Lina, you're talking about the use of digital tools, but I'd just like to know, out of curiosity, if, for example, your school asked you - and maybe it does, I don't know. If they asked your opinion, what would you improve, what ideas, for example, would you like to see implemented?
Lina El Khateb: Ideas that come to me... Well, it's true that it's a question that requires a little more thought, but in my opinion, I'd say maybe a little creative touch. I think creativity is an essential part of a student's life.
Maybe opt for, well we're lucky this year to have a media room, so I'll give my example because last year I created our school's first radio station. So it was a bit complicated at first, because I only recorded with my phone, it was very complicated at first, we didn't have the necessary equipment, etc., so it was a bit of a struggle. But this year, we're really lucky that we've got a room, and that there are people who really made sure it existed, because we've really wanted it since last year. And so now we have more equipment, which allows us to create a show, to create radio programs, TV programs, so I think that maybe we need a little more in the way of equipment, but not digital equipment, more hardware, furniture etc..
But perhaps if I could advise some schools to add something, it would really be to opt for a functional system, and I do mean "functional", to let the students create and use their imagination, because it's really wonderful when you discover this world.
Marc Da Silva :What lovely words. Lina, one last question: how are the next few months shaping up for you?
Lina El Khateb: My preparation for the French Bac. As I mentioned several times during the episode, we're lucky enough to have an area on our itslearning platform dedicated to French, It's going to be really simple, you just have to be ready, motivated, have self-confidence and tell yourself that it's possible and that you're going to do it.
Marc Da Silva: And it's just a formality for you after all, you seem so well prepared already. And outside of school, what else is there for you? You're already looking ahead to your final year, hobbies, I don't know, it looks like you're going to set up an association here!
Lina El Khateb: I'm flattered! Well, I'm more active at school than outside. I'm involved in a wide range of projects, not just digital ones in particular. I'm also Vice-Chairman of the CVL, I'm also an Eco-delegate, so it's also ecology that's important to me, it's a subject that's really touching and important. Apart from that, I'm in the process of writing - well, if you're interested, but I'm just saying it because it's something I'm doing on the side - I'm in the process of writing a little novel that evokes some of the milestones in my life. It's a little autobiography, but I won't be publishing it for the time being, it's still in progress.
Marc Da Silva: We'll put it on itslearning.
Lina El Khateb: Well, it will be a pleasure, really. Apart from that, I like reading articles, I like discovering the world around me; even if I don't really get the chance to go out in the field.
Marc Da Silva: You know everything, even when you're not physically there.
Lina El Khateb: Exactly!
Marc Da Silva: So that's Lina, who has a minister's timetable, with a minister's diversified activities, even several ministers in one person. Thank you very much, Lina, for your testimony. See you soon.
Lina El Khateb: See you soon, thank you.