Educational Alternatives, Volume 19, 2021

Abstract: According to the extensive literature, the learning process in which students participate plays a very important role in shaping a positive attitude towards physics. This paper presents the findings of a research study focusing on the identification and investigation of student attitudes towards the subject and the science of physics. The results were derived from 686 students who attended the first grade of Lyceum – elected Direction Group 2 – in eight different Lyceums of Cyprus public schools. The students participated in the research process at the beginning of their enrolment in the Lyceum. The Group 2 direction includes physics and mathematics as elective subjects. The findings of the research reveal that students who elected Direction Group 2 show a positive attitude towards the subject of physics to a great extent and over time. This element could be used in the educational design addressed to this specific group of students. The research tool used was an appropriately designed questionnaire, tested for its reliability and validity. The questionnaire included closed-ended questions related to the students’ demographics and the determination of their attitudes towards the subject and the science of physics. It also included an open-ended question in which students expressed their views, opinions and suggestions on the subject of physics as well as a specific question dedicated to the teaching practices and approaches of physics at Gymnasium according to the students’ opinions. The emerging correlation of these practices or approaches with the levels of attitudes developed by the students towards the subject and the science of physics verify the prevailing view of the related literature that proposes a significant relationship between the teaching process and the attitudes of students towards the subject of physics. Moreover, the computation of ANOVA p-value produced several statistically significant approaches.