Zimbabwean Female Participation in Physics: Factors of Identity Formation Considered as Contributing to Developing an Orientation to Physics by Female Students

Autor/in	Gudyanga, Anna
Titel	Zimbabwean Female Participation in Physics: Factors of Identity Formation Considered as Contributing to Developing an Orientation to Physics by Female Students
Quelle	In: Journal of Education and Practice, 7 (2016) 26, S.159-171 (13 Seiten) PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	2222-1735
Schlagwörter	Foreign Countries; Females; Physics; Science Instruction; Secondary School Science; High School Students; Advanced Courses; Student Participation; Semi Structured Interviews; Women Scientists; Disproportionate Representation; Science Careers; Nontraditional Occupations; Qualitative Research; Occupational Aspiration; Research Design; Science Teachers; Science Education; Zimbabwe + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Ausland; Weibliches Geschlecht; Physik; Teaching of science; Science education; Natural sciences Lessons; Naturwissenschaftlicher Unterricht; High school; High schools; Student; Students; Oberschule; Schüler; Schülerin; Studentin; Fortgeschrittenenunterricht; Schülermitarbeit; Schülermitwirkung; Studentische Mitbestimmung; Weibliche Gelehrte; Non-traditional occupations; Alternatives Berufsfeld; Qualitative Forschung; Berufsneigung; Berufsziel; Forschungsdesign; Science; Teacher; Teachers; Science teacher; Wissenschaft; Lehrer; Lehrerin; Lehrende; Naturwissenschaftliche Bildung; Simbabwe
Abstract	The study investigated the Zimbabwean female participation in physics, with special emphasis on the factors of identity formation considered as contributing to developing an orientation to physics by female students. The main study from which this paper was taken explored the influence of identity formation on the Zimbabwean Advanced Level ("A" Level) female adolescent students in physics. Four high schools that were offering physics at "A" level in the Midlands Province, in Zimbabwe were targeted. Nine female adolescent students eighteen years and above: three doing mathematics and physics, one doing physics without mathematics and five doing mathematics without physics were chosen. The instrument that was used for data generation was semi-structured interviews. The results of this study indicate that amongst other factors the main factors of identity formation considered as contributing to developing an orientation to physics by female students are: need female physics role models, who can encourage O-level female students to take up physics being motivated by good O-level teaching, high self-confidence, high self-esteem and career aspirations. On the other hand, gender insensitivity, male peer harassment and gender stereotyping are, factors in identity formation they considered as inhibiting the development of an orientation to physics by female students. This causes fewer female students to opt for physics as one of their "A" Level subjects. The formation of a negative physics identity by female adolescent students influences their perceptions of physics and their participation in the subject. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	IISTE. No 1 Central, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong SAR. Tel: +852-39485948; e-mail: JEP@iiste.org; Web site: http://iiste.org/Journals/index.php/JEP
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01