ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to determine student’s characteristics and attitude towards the study of physics in Calabar South Local Government Area of Cross River State. To achieve the purpose of this study four (4) hypothesis and four (4) research questions were formulated to guide the study. Several literatures were reviewed on the variable and hypothesis of the study. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. Sample of two hundred (200) students were randomly selected for the study. The selection was done through the simple random sampling technique. The instrument used for collecting data was a 20 item questionnaire titled “Student characteristics and attitude toward the study of Physics” (SCATSP). To test the hypotheses population t-test analysis was considered appropriate because of the nature of variables involved. The result of the analysis indicates that student’s characteristics such as gender, self-concept, and student’s interest have significant influence on their attitude towards the study of Physics in Calabar South Local Government Area of Cross River State. It was recommended that Effective teaching methods and strategies should be adopted in teaching physics to enable both male and female students, function maximally in the studying of physics. Programmes that will arouse students’ interest in studying physics should be carried out in schools and They should be physics workshops organized by the government and the school for both physics teachers and students in order to promote the study of physics in Nigerian schools. It was suggested that further research should be carried out on relationship between student’s age and the understanding of Physics concept.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE – – – – – – – i
DECLARATION – – – – – – – ii
CERTIFICATION – – – – – – iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT – – – – – iv
ABSTRACT – – – – – – – vii
TABLE OF CONTENTS – – – – – viii
LIST OF TABLES – – – – – – xii
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study – – – – 1
1.2 Theoretical framework – – – – – 8
1.2.1 Cognitive Dissonance Theory of Attitude – – 9
1.2.2 Functional Theory of Attitude – – – 11
1.3 Statement of the problem – – – – 14
1.4 Purpose of the study – – – – – 15
1.5 Research question – – – – – 16
1.6 Research Hypotheses – – – – – 17
1.7 Assumption of the study – – – – 18
1.8 Significant of the study – – – – – 19
1.9 Delimitation of the study – – – – 20
1.10 Limitation of the Study – – – – – 21
1.11 Definition of terms – – – – – 21
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Students Gender and their attitude towards the
study of physics – – – – – – 24
2.2 Student’s age and their attitude towards the study of
Physics – – – – – – – 28
2.3 student’s self-concept and their attitude towards the study
of Physics – – – – – – – 32
2.4 Student’s interest and their attitude towards the
study of Physics – – – – – – 36
2.5 Summary of Literature Review – – – 40
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Research Design – – – – – – 43
3.2 Area of Study – – – – – – 43
3.3 Population of the Study – – – – – 45
3.4 Sampling Technique – – – – – 46
3.5 Sample – – – – – – – 46
3.6 instrumentation – – – – – – 48
3.6.1 Validity of the Instrument – – – – 49
3.6.2 Reliability of the Instrument – – – – 50
3.7 Procedure for data collection – – – – 50
3.8 Procedure for data preparation – – – 51
3.9 Procedure for data analysis – – – – 52
CHAPTER FOUR: RESULT AND DISCUSSION
4.1 General description of variables – – – 54
4.2 Presentation of result – – – – – 55
4.3 Discussion of findings – – – – – 63
4.4 Summary of findings – – – – – 68
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
5.1 Summary of the study – – – – – 69
5.2 Conclusion – – – – – – – 71
5.3 Recommendations – – – – – 72
5.4 Suggestion for further study – – – – 73
REFERENCES
APPENDIX
