SELF-EFFICACY, PERCEIVED IMPORTANCE, ATTITUDES, AND ACHIEVEMENT IN PHYSICS AMONG TANA HAIK COMPREHENSIVE SECONDARY SCHOOL MALE AND FEMALE STUDENTS: A PATH ANALYSIS

Abstract

The study was conducted on 227 (135 males and 92
females) grade 11 natural science stream students. Its major purpose was
to examine the effects of gender, self-efficacy, attitude, and perceived
importance on physics performances of male and female students. To do
this. a path analysis ntodel was employed. Results indicated that exct!pt
perceived importance. the other variables had sign~ficant and strong
direct effects on performance. The indirect effect of gender was much in
magnitude than the other variables. However, it was se(f-efficacy that had
strong direct and total effects on performance as compared to the other
physics-related factors. Regarding gender differences, hays excelled girls
in all of the con.~tructs they were compared. Thus, to enhance girls '
feeling of competence and aevelop positive 'attitude towards physics and
then to Lift up their performances, counseling programs need to be
initiated.