Browsing by Author "Zhumabek B."

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    DEVELOPMENT OF AN ATTITUDE SCALE FOR PHYSICS COURSES AND A REVIEW OF STUDENT ATTITUDES
    (SDU University, 2025) Zhumabek B.
    This study examines the attitudes of Kazakhstani students in grades 9 to 11 toward physics, using a sample of 195 participants from public, private, and specialized schools, including Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools (NIS) and Bilim-Innovation Lyceums (BIL). The sample included 106 girls and 89 boys, reflecting a diverse educational context. Data were collected through a 21-item attitude scale adapted from Aydın Gürler and Baykara (2020), covering six factors: Motivation, Interest, Self-efficacy, Academic Engagement, Physics Anxiety, and Math-related Anxiety. Internal consistency was excellent, with Cronbach’s alpha values ranging from 0.96 to 1.00. Items were rated on a five-point Likert scale. Descriptive statistics (means, SDs, variances) and independent samples t-tests were used to analyze differences by gender and school type. Students showed generally positive attitudes toward physics: Motivation and Interest (M = 3.48), Self-efficacy (M = 3.46), and Engagement (M = 3.41) were relatively high. Physics Anxiety (M = 2.63) and Math Anxiety (M = 3.10) revealed the emotional complexity of physics learning. While gender differences were minimal, female students reported slightly higher anxiety levels. School type was more influential: students from NIS and BIL scored higher in motivation, engagement, and confidence than those in general schools, highlighting the role of institutional context and teaching approach. The findings emphasize the need for physics educators to address both cognitive and emotional aspects of learning. Especially in general schools, student-centered and inquiry-based strategies could improve engagement and reduce anxiety. Curriculum developers should also consider pacing and content design in early physics instruction. This study offers reliable data on student attitudes in Kazakhstan and validates a six-factor scale as a tool for measuring affective dimensions of physics learning. Future research could include qualitative methods, longitudinal tracking, or intervention studies.