| dc.description.abstract | The study work reported here was conducted in Kenya among a sample of secondary
school girls in Makueni district from Makindu, Kibwezi and Mtito-Andei divisions.
The major objective of the study was to assess factors that determine the choice of
physics by secondary school girls. Guided by the available and relevant literature on
the choice of subjects, five research objectives were formulated. These sought to:
(i) determine whether more girls choose physics when they attend mixed schools than when they attend girls' only schools.
(ii) establish whether teachers attitudes to girls' interest in physics influence
their choice of the subject.
(iii) establish whether female teachers of physics act as role models and thus
attract more girls to opt for physics in Forms Three and Four.
(iv) examine the role of peer-group pressure on girls' choice of physics
(v) determine whether parents' level of education influence their daughters'
choice of physics.
Using the ex-post facto Research Design and the research objectives, a questionnaire
was prepared to collect data from Forms Three and Four girls including those taking
the subject and those not taking the subject on 50-50 ratio. The collected data was
analyzed using descriptive statistics that included percentages and frequencies. Data
presentation was done using tables.
The findings of this study showed that:
1. The pure girls' schools had attracted larger numbers of girls to take physics in
secondary school ascompared with the mixed schools. Although there are many
mixed schools in the study area offering physics (19) compared to only 3 girls
schools offering the subject, these girls' schools had more girls doing physics
than those attending mixed secondary schools.
2. Teachers' attitudes influenced girls' choice of physics. A larger group of girls
confessed that they disliked physics teachers' attitudes to the subject's suitability
for girls. But still, a smaller proportion of girls said they favoured the subject
because of the subject teachers' attitude. However, the influence from the
teachers is strong in making the subject be rejected by girls than in making it
their favourite.
3. Female teachers do not seem to play an important role in attracting more girls to
opt for physics in secondary school. This study has evidence that although the
majority of the girls in the study area had no bias for teachers of physics of
particular sex, yet a significant group of girls identified males as their favourite
teachers of physics.
4. The peer-group does not playa very significant role in influencing girls to choose
or reject physics. This study has identified a personal decision by the girls
themselves as the' most important determinant in their decision to opt for the
subject or reject it. Other factors responsible for this decision to study physics or not included the influence from teachers, parents and other members of the
extended family.
5. The education level attained by mothers was identified in this study as playing an
important role in influencing the choice of physics by their daughters compared
to that of their fathers. As the mothers' education levels rose so did the chances
of their daughters choosing physics. | en |
