CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF PHYSICSPHOBIA AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA: IMPLICATION FOR STUDENTS’ ENROLMENT IN PHYSICS

Abstract

<p>This study investigated the presence, causes and effects of Physicsphobia among Senior Secondary School physics students in Rivers State. The study had a descriptive survey design. Three research questions guided the study. Purposive random sampling technique was used to select 500 Senior Secondary 1 and 2 (SS1 and SS2) Physics students from forty-four (44) schools in three Local Government Areas of Rivers State, which are Obio-Akpor Local Government Area, Port Harcourt Local Government Area and Gokana Local Government Area. The research instrument was a validated researcher-developed questionnaire titled ‘Students’ Physicsphobia Questionnaire’ with a reliability coefficient of 0.79 obtained using the Cronbach alpha formula. The findings of this study showed that Physicsphobia exists in students. The study further revealed some of the causes of Physicsphobia to be rumors and misleading information about Physics, teaching method, the uninteresting nature of physics lessons, as well as abstract, difficult and mathematical nature of Physics. The study also revealed some of the effects of Physicsphobia in students to be anxiety, rapid heartbeat, frustration, depression and a feeling of leaving Physics class. It was then recommended that conscious effort should be made to paint a better picture of physics, especially for students who are about to start the study of Physics.</p><p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0939/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>