WJERR Students attitudes towards physics in primary and secondary

World Journal of Educational Research and Reviews Vol. 2(2), pp. 014-021, January, 2016. © www.premierpublishers.org, ISSN: 2326-7221

WJERR

Research Article

Students attitudes towards physics in primary and secondary schools of Dire Dawa City administration, Ethiopia Belay Sitotaw1* and Kumneger Tadele2 1*,2

Department of Physics, Dire Dawa University, Dire Dawa, Ethiopia. Co-author email: [email protected] The focus of this study was about higher secondary and primary school students’ attitude towards physics subject. The population of this study was some of the higher secondary and primary schools students of Dire Dawa administrative city (Ethiopia), however due to time constraints and convenience students from three government secondary schools, 2 Private secondary schools and l1 government and private schools were taken as convenience sample for this study. The study revealed that students were very much unsatisfied from the physics teacher methodology moreover students have considered physics as difficult subject and developed negative attitudes on the calculation part of the subject. The result also revealed that girls are more attracted on physics subject when they at primary than secondary schools, like grade 9 and 11. Keywords: Physics, attitude, students, positive, negative, high school

INTRODUCTION Extensive research has shown that a person’s attitudes are learned, as opposed to being inherited. Many factors can influence a person’s attitude, including previous experiences and social influences. Attitude towards science can be defined as, “favorable or unfavorable feelings about science as a school subject, (Craker, 2006), which is the definition used for this study. The type of science subjects taken, previous science experiences, science teachers, and various other factors can influence these attitudes towards science (Morrell and Lederman, 1998). The impact of a students’ attitude towards science especially physics is incredibly important not only in all grades but also at University level for the development of a country. Recent released work on the attitudes of elementary school students done by (Weingurgh, 1998) has shown that nearly fifty percent of students may lose interest in science at the primary schools and mentioned in (Craker, 2006). Physics a challenging subject, mainly due to the learning processes involved in understanding physics, which

subject need the learners to deal with different types of illustrations, such as formulas, calculations, graphics representations, and also a theoretical understanding at an abstract level (Saleh, 2014). Physics is considered as the most challenging area within the realm of science, and it traditionally attracts fewer pupils than chemistry and biology. Physics is professed as a difficult subject for students from secondary school to University and also for adults in graduate education (Erdemir, 2009). Participation in science is also being affected, as the number of students preparing for a science related career is on the decline (Chapman, 1997). Generally, a negative attitude towards a subject leads to lack of interest to attend and participate any activity related to the subject.

*Corresponding author: Belay Sitotaw, Department of Physics, College of Natural and Computational Science, Dire Dawa University, Po.box 1362, Dire-Dawa, Ethiopia. Email: [email protected]

Students attitudes towards physics in primary and secondary schools of Dire Dawa City administration, Ethiopia

Moreover, a positive attitude to science leads to a positive commitment to science that can influence lifelong interest and learning in science (Simpson and Oliver, 1990) and (Ricardo, 2006).The positive value of science teaching through inquiry is nearly universal in the literature, but the implementation of this pedagogy in classrooms has been problematic (Bian and McPhee, 2008). As a science, physics plays an important role in explaining the events that occur in the universe (Khan et al., 2006). These can be found physical laws and principles in all events that around us. The developments in physics in the 20th century, it has been extremely successful in that it greatly benefited other basic and applied sciences from these developments (Fishbein, 1975). Although physics is in every area in our life and facilitate our lives, national and international studies show that success in physics education is lower than other disciplines (Gok and Silay 2008; Dieck 1997; Rivard and Straw 2000, Mattern and Schau, 2002). The popularity of natural sciences and technologies especially physics as well as the interest in those fields are being declined from year to year in the schools all over the world as reflected by research studies in pedagogy (Osborne, Simon, and Collins, 2003). The main contradiction is however, that the world of the 21st century cannot be understood and governed; the main global challenges cannot be handled well without a basic knowledge of natural sciences (Jarosievitz, 2007). Physics education is in a continuously evolving together with the changing world conditions. Therefore, creation of new learning media in the continuously improving educational programs helps to improve students’ attitude towards physics lessons and physical experiments. This helps us selection of learning materials and methods which are essential for effective learning of the lectures. Attitudes are associated to deal with and management of the emotions occurring during learning process, and they play a vital role in directing human behavior. Attitudes can be part of the system, values and believes. It can be positive or negative, which affect learning process. It influences future lives of individual mentioned in (Kaya and Boyuk, 2011). According to Ethiopian Education policy, Primary education starts at the first grade and continues to the eighth grade. There are two cycles here. The first cycle is from grade 1-4 and the second is from 5-8. This is generally taken as primary education. Until 2001, Secondary education went from the ninth to the twelfth grade. But after 2001, the government changed the curriculum so that general secondary education ends at the tenth grade level, while the eleventh and twelfth grade are considered college preparatory. At the end of

tenth grade students take yet another national examination which determines whether or not they will be allowed to continue to pursue their educations and go on to college. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM Students’ increasing reluctance to choose science courses, and physical science courses in particular, in their final years of secondary education has important implications not only for the continuity of scientific endeavor but also for the scientific literacy of future generations. As a result, development of positive attitudes towards science, scientists, and learning science, which has always been a fundamental of science education, is increasingly a subject of concern (Trumper, 2006). The importance of science particularly physics in the technological development of a nation cannot be over emphasized. However we cannot lose sight of the fact that in any teaching learning situation, the students, the teachers, the curriculum and the learning environment are the four pilot factors that make learning to be meaningful. However, a problem concurrently predominant in schools is that of students’ having a poor attitude which makes the teaching learning process seriously done. As related to the tenets of this research work, it has been reported that students’ academic achievement in physics has been lowered by the students’ and teacher’s interaction and methodology leads to poor attitude the subject matter. Therefore, to eradicate this endangering problem, it is necessary to investigate students’ attitude towards the teaching of physics in our primary and secondary schools and its effect on student’s academic achievement to encourage to the higher education. Purpose of the Study The purpose of the study is: to investigate the attitudes of students towards physics in primary (grade 7 and 8) and secondary schools (grade 9 and 11) of, Dire Dawa City Administrator, to examine the causes of their poor performance in physics subject and the effect of teaching on students’ interpersonal relationship towards physics. Specifically, the research looked at students’ attitudes and beliefs towards learning physics. Significance of the study This study enables us to have firsthand knowledge about students’ attitude towards physics and how this affects the achievement or learning outcome of the learners. This study therefore helps in throwing morelight on how


Table 1. Total number of students versus their gender and grades

Grades 7

Male 43

Female 12

Total 55

8 9 11

7 15 9

5 6 3

12 21 12

students attitudes affects the learning of physics in junior and secondary schools in general and the factors responsible for the students’ attitude (positive or negative) towards the learning of physics is an integral part. Scope of the study This study sorts to figure out the student’s attitude and its effect on their achievement in physics in some selected primary and secondary schools in Dire Dawa Administrative for both Government and Private schools. This investigation does not include all the schools in the administrative region. Research Questions This study addressed the following question: 

What are the attitudes of students generally towards physics?

Study Design Sample and Sampling Technique: The study is a descriptive study of survey type. The sample for this study comprises of 100 physics student from 16 different schools around Dire Dawa city in 2015 academic year and they are highly ranked in their class. The students comprise of 26 females and 74 males. This design method was adopted because of the purpose of describing and analyzing the existing condition of the attitude of students towards physics. The total number of students in their respective grades and gender is shown in Table 1.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY This study adopted a survey method to collect the required data. The study was conducted in 16 different schools around Dire Dawa city in 2015 academic year and they are highly ranked in their class. The motivation questionnaires were distributed to the respondents who come from junior and high school in Dire-Dawa University. Students were required to answer the questionnaires honestly within 30 minutes, arranged by the physics department of Dire Dawa University staffs.

The questionnaires were then collected after the students have completed their answers. The attitude of students was measured with seven items with four like type option. A four point scale used was ranged from SD=strongly disagree, D=disagree, SA=strongly agree and A=agree. The total score for each attitude category indicates level of favorably attitude in that category. The research questionnaires were based on facts which are students’ attitude to learning of physics and teaching methodology towards learning of physics. The total numbers of students participate in this research from 16 different primary and secondary shown in Figure 1. The selection criterion is random sampling based on the overall performance of students in the first semester results. Similarly Figure 2 shows representations of students in their grades and a total of 100 students are considered in this study. Research Questions: Do students attitude generally affect their performance and methodology towards physics? The answer to the research question 1 is illustrated in percentage in Table 6 while Figure 3 shows the result we obtained from the respondents answers which is illustrated in chart form. The question which is distributed for all grades is the same.

RESULT AND DISCUSSION In this study, it was examined whether the attitudes of the students varied according to gender, and grade. This work confirm that In lower grades, especially in grade 7 and 8 of female students’ have good interest towards physics is more than male. It is shown in Table 2. The result revealed that at lower grades especially grade 7 female students totally have positive feeling toward physics this is also true in grade 8. All female students in grade 7 and 8 enjoy when physics class is going on. Few female students in grade 7 and 8 do not understand this subject more than other subject and all female students like practical physics rather than theoretical parts. In this work Meaningful differences have observed between attitudes of boys and girls in lower grades, 7 and 8 which are shown in Tables 2. This reveled that female students


Table 2. Students attitudes towards physics in lower, grades 7 and 8

Item Good feeling toward physics Enjoy class when it is going understand other subject more than physics better understanding of practical physics

Male 11 30 21 30

Grade 7 Female Total 12 23 12 42 10 31 12 42

Male 3 5 3 6


Table 3. Male students feeling towards physics in higher schools, grade 9 and 11

Item Good feeling toward physics Enjoy class when it is going understand other subject more than physics better understanding of practical physics

Male 4 9 3 5


Male 2 6 4 5


Figure 1. Histogram representations of distribution of students participates in the study

attitudes towards physics subject in grade 7 and 8 is positive. Table 3 shows that interest of students in higher schools. The results confirm that the attitudes of students towards physics are lower than female in lower grades. The feeling of male students towards physics, enjoyment of the class when it going, understanding of the subject and practical understanding is much lower than female students in grades 7 and 8. Since the total number of students who participate in this work in grades like, 9 and 11 are small in number, the result confirm that at high

school the feeling towards physics, enjoyment when the class is going, understand more than other subject and practical physics is less than in grades 7 and 8. This revealed that the attitudes of female students are more diverted in higher school. This is might be the influence of peer groups, and the methodology of teachers or the school environment. Tables 4 and 5 are tried to show attitude of students toward physics calculation, the importance of physics and teaching methodology. Only a few students whose gender is male in grade 7 hate the calculation aspect of


Figure 2. Histogram representations of students in their grade

Table 4. Students attitudes towards physics in lower grades, 7 and 8

Grade 7 Item

Grade 8

Male

Female

Total

Male

Female

Total

Hate the calculation aspects of physics

9

0

9

2

0

2

The importance of Physics

1

0

1

1

0

1

Teaching methodology

1

0

1

1

0

1

Female

Total

Male

Table 5. Students responds towards physics in lower grades, 9 and 11

Grade 9 Item

Male

Grade 10 Female

Total

Hate the calculation aspects of physics

3

2

5

2

2

4

Not understanding the importance of Physics

1

1

2

2

2

4

Teaching methodology

1

1

2

2

1

3

Table 6. Students attitude towards learning of physics S/N 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Item I have a good feeling towards physics subject I only hate the calculation aspect of physics I usually enjoy when physics class is going on I understand other subject more than physics I do not see the importance of physics in everyday life I have better understanding of practical physics Our teacher does not used interactive method of teaching

SD 38

% 38%

D 22

% 22%

A 28

% 28%

SA 12

% 12%

21

21%

48

48%

16

16%

15

15%

7

7%

21

21%

52

52%

20

20%

9

9%

39

3%

42

42%

10

19%

36

36%

53

53%

9

9%

2

2%

5

5%

27

27%

50

50%

18

18%

42

42%

41

41%

12

12%

5

5%

physics, which is higher than the other grade. The number shown in other grades shows students do not understand the importance of physics is less. The

teaching methodology has also impact for students’ attitudes toward physics in each grade. Table 6 revealed the fact that physics class is always an


Figure 3. Shows the overall students attitudes toward physics on their agreement and disagreement on the respective questions. As an example the response for the first question shows, students have good feeling toward physics. This Figure more explained quantitatively on Table 6

interacting class though difficult to understand especially when dealing with the theoretical part most especially the calculation and the interactive methodology. Figure 3 Histogram illustrating students’ altitude towards learning of physics in study.

to the content. Therefore, practical methods, which are the mostly used method that provides permanent learning, and encouraging mental activities and allowing students to work individually or in groups and they can develop positive attitude towards subject.

However, it was revealed from the Table 6 that 40% of the students have good feeling towards the subject and 72% entertain while physics lecture is going on and 31% attested to the fact that Physics, though being a difficult course especially the calculation aspect, is still being enjoyed by students during the practical session. The most tragic side of it is that 11% of the students don’t see the relevance of physics to everyday life and society while only 89% of the students could realize the fact. The result also shows 52% of the respondents like other subject more than physics, while 48% of them like physics more than any other subject. Also 72% confirmed the fact that they don’t entertain fears when the class is going on while 18% prove otherwise.

Moreover, Physics lessons being held in the classroom on the sole theoretical basis is one of the factors that influence attitude of the students toward these lessons in a negative manner. Thus, physical topics consist abstract concepts should be lectured in the students’ daily life, together with simulations, animations and other videos to keep the attention of the students alive. Learning by discovery is better than passive listening, so it should be shown how to associate physical concepts with their daily life of the students

CONCLUSION From the findings of this study, it was established that students have high promising attitudes towards physics oriented career subject. However, the poor performance of students in physics was due to lack of information, lack of self-confidence, inability to solve physics questions correctly using the appropriate formula and not been able to see the relevance of physics to the society. Consequently, the good ones among the students show that they have interest in physics class and thereby developing positive attitude towards solving physics problems. This means a positive attitude toward physics leads to positive commitments to science that influence lifelong and learning in science (Trumper, 2006) and fulfills the government plan to train most of students in science and technology. Since in physics education, various methods and techniques can be used according

The results confirm that there is high motivation of female students in primary school than male students. This result match with the work was done by (Saleh, 2014). But our result also confirms that there is a high negative attitude toward physics. A negative attitude toward a given subject leads to lack of interest and, when subjects can be selected, as in senior high school, to avoiding the subject or course. Furthermore, a positive attitude toward science “leads to a positive commitment to science that influences lifelong interest and learning in science” as it was described by (Saleh, 2014). Even studies were conducted on female students and science found that significant differences, with females being less positive towards science (Gokhale and Machina, 2014).

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The authors would like to thank Dire-Dawa University (DDU) for the financial support provided to publish this paper on World Journal of Educational Research and Reviews (WJERR), colleagues at Department of physics,


DDU, for their collaboration during the data collection and the referees for useful comments and pointing out an error in the original version of this paper.

RECOMMENDATIONS It has been discovered that there are some reasons or factors behind the negative attitudes of students towards physics. It therefore becomes necessary that a positive step should be taken towards modifying the factors in other to ensure and maintain positive attitude and boost students’ interest for physics. This prospective studies should be conducted based on a small sample and within the context to provide better understanding attitude of students towards the subject and to create conducive methodology which helps to improve their fear. Also, the teachers and students have to adjust to new roles which may lead to develop good classroom interaction which in turn affect the nature of the relationship between the teacher student interpersonal relationship and students attitudes. Finally, we recommend Concept mapping methodology to establish a bridge between how people learn knowledge and sensible learning which helps to develop a critical thinking about concept mapping and the relations between different concepts for learning and understanding science and physics. It also helps to develop positive attitudes towards physics subject (Karakuyu, 2010),

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Dawa City administration, Ethiopia. World Journal of Educational Research and Reviews, 2(2): 014-021.

Copyright: © 2016 Sitotaw and Tadele. This is an openaccess article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are cited. .
