Moroccan university students are buzzing about the Rosetta Stone app, which was introduced to help them learn and master both French and English, covering everything from grammar to communication skills.
However, student groups on messaging apps are full of complaints, mainly about technical issues. They say “these problems are preventing students from getting the full benefit of the app and achieving the goals it was supposed to help them with.”
Students’ concerns, yet, are not limited to technical difficulties, including accessibility issues. They also pertain to methodological problems, such as the existence of additional in-person French and English classes at the faculty level. This raises questions about the consistency and coordination of the measures implemented in this context.
A student took to Facebook and said, “I can’t figure out what’s wrong with this app. I’ve been using it for 3 hours straight, but it only registered 7 minutes.” I have no idea why, while another student wondered “how to progress to the second language after finishing the 15 hours designated for the first.”
As a well-established global platform for self-directed language learning, Rosetta Stone has been formally integrated into the new Moroccan university curriculum. All students are mandated to complete 30 hours of language study on the platform per academic semester, with an equal allocation of 15 hours each for French and English. Student performance is ultimately evaluated based on the scores they achieve.
Asmaa Hakki, a sophomore law student, stated, “this language app is a commendable initiative for students who do not have a strong foundation in foreign languages. It supports the objective of producing graduates who are fluent in modern tongues. Nevertheless, it has certain limitations.”
In a statement to Hespress AR, Hakki noted that “there are technical difficulties such as many students struggling to log in. Also, the total time spent on online learning is not being accurately recorded.”
She added that “students are also burdened with 30 hours of Rosetta Stone learning, coupled with 4 hours of weekly in-person classes for both French and English.”
The student continued by explaining that there is “an inconsistency and lack of coordination between the two methods of learning, both in-person and online.”
She expressed her desire for a more streamlined approach, stating, “as language students, we are eager to learn, but the workload should be manageable. It would be more effective to discontinue the use of this app and focus solely on in-person language and life skills courses.”
Another university student, Abdelghani Hamdaoui, echoed these sentiments, noting, “while the initiative is laudable in its aim to develop students’ language abilities during their university years, the current approach and the challenges it faces hinder its effectiveness.”
Hamdaoui also told Hespress AR that “many students are struggling to activate the app with their academic email. Plus, there’s not enough communication or explanation from the faculty’s tech support teams.” He added that “due to these overlapping issues, some students are now choosing in-person classes over using the app.”
Hamdaoui also mentioned that some people are trying to hack the app to boost their hours, while others are offering their services to help with this. He added that these issues could prevent Rosetta Stone, a well-known platform, from being as effective as it should be.
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