THE COMMUNICATION BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN ENGINEERING SCHOOLS

THE CASE OF RABAT INSEA

Abstract

Human beings begin their communication journey from the first moments of their lives. As soon as they are born, they express their emotions by shouting, crying and expressing themselves. These cries are not without meaning; they serve to communicate feelings such as pain, anger, fear, anxiety and even joy. It's difficult to distinguish precisely which emotion is at work; perhaps it's a mixture of all of them at the same time. For those around them, these first cries are the first "sign" that the newborn is alive. This is how the process of human communication begins. For almost a century, communication research has shown us that there is no such thing as clear, limpid and transparent communication. Believing this is a myth. Messages are often, if not always, confusing, obscure and ambiguous. The receiver interprets and decodes what they want, selects the data and the real challenges are often hidden. In short, communication, consciously or unconsciously, is omnipresent, but is it always perfect? No one can deny that communication before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic is of equal magnitude. Its effect, as well as its importance, continues to affect and invade all sectors (companies, schools, personal relationships, professional relationships, etc.). Communication during the pandemic has been influenced by the need to transmit accurate and up-to-date information about the pandemic, prevention measures and government guidelines. Governments, health organisations and the media have all played important roles in disseminating this information, often requiring rapid adaptations to meet the ever-changing needs of the population. In summary, communication before, after and during COVID-19 has been marked by significant changes in the way people and organisations communicate, with an increase in the use of distance communication technologies and a greater importance given to disseminating accurate and up-to-date information about the pandemic. Our research on communication is a field study carried out at INSEA in Rabat (National Institute of Statistics and Applied Economics). It was a three-year survey of 122 students on the ways in which students communicate their knowledge, skills and intentional behaviour in learning situations. In summary, our question addresses the modalities used before, during and after the COVID-19 crisis for successful pedagogical communication: How was pedagogical communication carried out? What are the most appropriate and effective communication modalities that motivate students? What strategies are adopted to keep students focused and attentive? What trends in pedagogical communication are we moving towards today and in the future? All these questions will be answered through systematic and participant observation (which involves immersion in the group being studied). The data is natural and rational (a behaviour determined in relation to aims and objectives). The students surveyed were recorded in situations of verbal interaction, questionnaires, direct interviews, online through Facebook and WhatsApp groups.