Factors Influencing Secondary School Students' Attitude Towards The Study Of Physics In Imenti South District, Kenya
Keywords:
Laboratory, Physics, Students’ attitude, Secondary schoolAbstract
The study was conducted in January and February 2011. It aimed at investigating
the factors that were considered to influence students' attitude towards the study
of Physics in secondary schools in Imenti South District, Kenya. The factors under
consideration were perceived adequacy of physics laboratory equipment, perceived
teacher competence, the influence of calculations in the physics curriculum and
sex differences in students' attitude. The study sample consisted of 120 students.
These were drawn from four secondary schools sampled through stratified random
technique. Descriptive survey design was used. Two instruments were used for
data collection. These were a students' questionnaire and a laboratory equipment
checklist. The questionnaire was administered to the students at one sitting in
each of the schools. The observation checklist was filled by the laboratory assistant
in each of the schools. Each of the independent variables had its items scored
separately. A single attitude score was thus obtained for each attitudinal object
per student. The research findings revealed that students have a positive attitude
towards physics, perceive the physics' teachers as competent and they perceive
the physics laboratories as well equipped. It was recommended among others
that teachers teaching physics and mathematics should work in consultation with
each other so as to help the students in appreciating the role of mathematics in
physics and girls should be helped to interact with ladies who have excelled in
physics so as to boost their attitude towards physics.
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