Students’ attitudes and beliefs toward physics learning: Evidence from secondary schools

Source abstract

Students’ attitudes and epistemological beliefs about physics play a critical role in shaping their learning engagement and academic performance. This study investigates secondary school students’ attitudes and beliefs toward physics learning and examines the influence of demographic variables, including grade level, gender, and school background. The Colorado learning attitudes about science survey (CLASS) was employed as the primary research instrument. Data were collected from secondary school students and analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent-samples t-tests, and multivariate analysis of variance. The results reveal that students’ attitudes and beliefs toward physics learning are influenced by multiple factors, including personal interest, family support, instructional approaches, and conceptual understanding abilities. Significant differences were identified across grade levels, gender groups, and school contexts. Students with more positive attitudes toward physics learning and stronger epistemological beliefs tend to demonstrate higher levels of academic achievement. The findings highlight the importance of cultivating supportive learning environments and encouraging positive attitudes toward physics. Educational interventions aimed at strengthening students’ scientific beliefs and learning motivation may contribute to improved learning outcomes in physics education.