THE ACCELERATION OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ON DIGITAL EDUCATION IN MOROCCAN HIGHER EDUCATION: A PRE- AND POST-COVID-19 COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS
The COVID-19 pandemic represented a critical turning point not only for teaching and learning but also for scientific research on digital education in higher education. This study examines the evolution of research on Educational Technology (EdTech) and digital pedagogy in Moroccan higher education through a comparative analysis of 2019 and 2023. Four indicators are analyzed: annual EdTech publications, funded research projects, dedicated research laboratories, and doctoral theses. Percentage growth and Acceleration Factors (AF) are calculated to quantify the magnitude of change. The findings reveal substantial expansion, with EdTech publications increasing by 276% (AF = 3.76x), funded research projects by 367% (AF = 4.67x), dedicated laboratories quadrupling (AF = 4.0x), and doctoral theses increasing by 353% (AF = 4.53x). These results demonstrate that the pandemic accelerated the institutionalization of digital education as a strategic and interdisciplinary research field. This transformation strengthened the capacity to generate locally relevant knowledge, support evidence-based policies, and foster innovation in higher education.