Unpacking the factors that influence secondary students’ attitudes towards physics in nine different countries - a cross-cultural analysis

Abstract

It is crucial to comprehend the factors that affect attitudes towards physics to improve academic performance in the subject. This research aims to identify significant predictors of these attitudes by analysing the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study Advanced 2015 data from nine countries: the USA, Italy, Lebanon, Norway, Portugal, Russia, Slovenia, Sweden, and France. The study employs multiple regression analyses to examine the influence of predictive variables on students’ attitudes toward physics, taking into account weighting features a large-scale survey. The findings suggest that there are significant differences across cultures. In all the countries surveyed, female students appear to have a less favourable attitude toward physics than male students, making gender a significant factor. In most countries, students who spend more time on physics homework have a more positive attitude, highlighting the importance of outside-of-class engagement. The perception of engaging teaching and the value that students place on physics are solid and positive determinants of attitudes, emphasizing the role of instructional quality and relevance of the subject matter. These findings provide a better understanding of how different factors contribute to students’ attitudes toward physics and can help design targeted educational interventions.