Nurul Hikmah Bte Hj Abdul Malik Reg. No : 11M8932 MEd.

In Science Education

Research Interest: Upper secondary Bruneian science students perception of physics/ Factors affecting Students interest in physics.

Introduction Physics subject is measured as the most problematic area within the field of science. Teaching of physics in secondary schools traditionally magnetizes fewer learners than other field of science subjects. Teaching of physics seems as a difficult course for students from secondary school to university. (Abdul Qadeer Soomro, 2011) This study is to determine why fewer secondary school students are interested in physics compared to any other sciences. The major reason for finding physics uninteresting is that it seen as difficult and irrelevant by the students. Certain areas within the physics curriculum are considered to be boring by some students. Male and female students offer different reasons for finding physics as boring subject compared to the other two sciences.

Aim/Purpose and significance of the research The main objective is to investigate factors why students find that learning physics is not interesting. This study also provide useful information on how will educators/teachers boost students interest in learning physics and improvement in teaching tools. And try to increase the enrolment of students in physics in higher level.

Methodology This study will be carried out by using quantitative method as this will involves questionnaire survey and also interviews. The questionnaire questions will be given both to physics teachers and also students. And target audience will be year 10 student taking physics both fast and normal track. Data for this study will also be collect from how many students choose physics as their major field in sixth form. Observation in classroom and laboratory will be needed in this study.

Problems Over the years, physics education has been beset with a multitude of problems. According to Seymour and Hewitts (1997) study on why undergraduates leave the sciences revealed that students lack/loss of interest. For example: 1. Physics : Electricity is not interesting Whenever I ask students about which subject they find interesting, most of them would choose any of the sciences except physics. I ask why? They said physics is somehow not interesting. 2. Not understand the concept of Electricity (Looking at the subject as the hardest one) The most common reason I found is that they do not understand the topic well enough to be able to solve the questions confidently. As such, they get highly discouraged and disappointed in themselves when they fail their Physics tests. The most probable reason for this is the over-dependence of physics instructors on using the traditional lecture. Lectures in physics can be an incredibly passive experience for students, particularly dangerous for those who believe that if they can follow the professor, theyve mastered the material (Tobias, 1990). 3. Lack of experimental skills on Electricity When come to practical about electricity, students always find it difficult to assemble the electrical device properly. Why is that? 4. Lack of experience and equipment on demonstrating Electricity Another problem that I want to discuss is not only the students themselves but the teacher also. Some of the teachers do not deliver a correct and enough information about this topic that may lead confusion and lack of understanding to the students. Not only that, teachers also find that this topic is boring because they do not fully understand the theory of it. The other problem is lack of teaching aids for example electrical device that teacher can show to students.

Research Questions The study attempted to answer four research questions. 1. Which is the most popular science subject among physics, chemistry and biology? 2. What are the factors that may affect students interest in learning physics? Is it because of the students attitude, physics syllabus itself, textbook or the way physics was taught? 3. Why male students preferred physics compared to female students? 4. Which factors affect the choice of physics as major field from the point view of students and teachers? In this study, we also want to find out about factors about the students (cognitive domain and affective domain), their characteristics, their ambition in the future, factors about teachers and also school environment. Data that will be needed for this study are as follow:
Example :

Instrument use for research questions: Research Question 1 & 3 Instrument Used : Survey Questions Biology Tick one of the boxes E.g. 1) Your subject of interest? 2) Your subject least interest?

Sciences Subject Physics

chemistry

Research Question 2 & 4 Instrument Used : Survey Questions, open ended and interview Yes Tick one of the boxes E.g. 1) Is learning physics hard for you? 2) Is learning physics interesting? No

3) If you answer both of the questions is NO, why? _________________________________

Interview questions: Example: 1) Why do you think factors that learning physics is hard? In term of textbooks? Classroom environment? Students attitude? Teaching aids?

Number of students in pre university level took physics five years back till now, this is to compare how many students took physics from 2007 till present. This also can be presented by diagram such as bar chart to show the comparison between these years. Year 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 No. of students

1) How many male students over female choose physics. And will also ask why. Male Female Students interest in physics Etc.