Problem Challenging The Academic Achievements Of Physics Students In Oromia Region West Wollega Zone

Abstract

This study was conducted to examine problems that challenged academic achievements of physics students in West wollega zone in the case of Mane Sibu, Nedjo and Ghimbi preparatory schools. Questionnaires, interviews and observation were used to collect relevant data for the study. Data from questionnaires was compiled and analyzed using a computerized data analysis package known as Statistical Package for Social Science SPSS 24.0. The ANOVA test and the case summary test were used to compute to test association between dependent variable and independent variables. On the other hand, percentages were used for comparison of data analysis and T-test was used to find out the gender difference in academic achievement in physics. The findings reveal the existence of a significant influence of teachers both in developing positive or negative attitude to subject (physics) and for their poor academic performance in lower class as well as in preparatory school. On the basis of the findings, the attitudes of physics teacher has a significant relationship with the independent variable (items) of p-value= 0.014, 0.037, 0.042 and 0.023 which are less than alpha(α) level of significance(0.05), which indicated that there is statistical significant difference between students academic achievement and physics teacher attitude. The school leader ship attitude has a significant relation with the independent variables with pvalue= 0.044, 0.033, 0.013 and 0.041 are less than the alpha(α) level of significant 0.05, which reveals that there is a significant difference between principal attitude and students academic achievement. The study also found out that physics students' had a negative attitude towards the subject physics. The major factors which influenced students‟ achievement in physics were: lack of laboratory, lack of instructional resource, lack of good back ground in physics, the methodology the teacher implements in physics lesson, the lack of interest to the subject from the student side and students attitude toward physics were contributed students‟ low achievement in physics.