EDU 540 Introduction to Research Methodology

UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA

Faculty of Education ACADEMIC EXERCISE CRITIQUE on Students Attitudes Toward Learning Physics in Sekolah Agama Menengah Bestari USJ 5

Prepared for: Prepared by: Matrix No: Date of submission:

Dr. Nabilah Abdullah Mohd Hazran bin Hamdan 2009671452 23 November 2011

The research was conduct by Fauziah Binti Mingsukang where she submitted the academic exercise to the School of Education of Universiti Teknologi Mara as fulfillment of the requirements for her degree. Her advisor was Mr. Zuhairusnizm Md. Darus.

Research title. This research entitles Students Attitudes Toward Learning Physics in Sekolah Agama Menengah Bestari (SAMB) USJ 5. The research title is clearly defined as it define the how the students of Sekolah Agama Menengah Bestari USJ 5 toward learning Physics. The research title is too specific where the author directly mentions her target group of the study. In my opinion she for good not to be too specific for the research title where I suggest the research title would be good enough if she made the title as students Attitudes Toward Learning Physics. She can mention her target group later in her introduction where she can clearly define her population of study. Overall I think the title is clear enough to clarify her research.

Abstract. This academic research explore SAMB USJ 5 student toward learning physics. The author briefly defined the contents, scope, significant and the population of the study. Here she mentioned that what that she focused in this research is the use of English language and the interest level while learning physics. She also mentioned that the scope of her research which is 89 students from 3 classes of SAMB USJ 5 that divided into 45 female and 44 male. The author also clarifies how she analyzed the data obtained from the research where she using total score and chi-square to analyzed the data. She also mentioned that the null hypothesis is accepted and there is no significance between male and female student interest in learn physics in this school in the result. Overall I think the abstract is good and well done.

Introduction. In the introduction the author defined and clarifies the importance of physics. The author also defined the scope very well. The author also defines the history and background of physics in general. After she briefly tells the background of physics in general, she tells about the development of physics in Malaysia. She also tells about the general perception of students in Malaysia toward physics. Some of the common perception among the students in Malaysia is the difficulty that they face when learn physics in English, difficulty to learn physics by their teachers approach when teaching physics, and also their own behavior that not too positive when learning physics.

Statement of the problem. In the statement of the problem, the author mentions that her research stress on the usage of English language in teaching and learning physics sessions. She stress more on is it communication breakdown is the major problem in learning physics in school. She also mentioned that is it true that physics is the most abstract, irrelevant and the most confusing science subject compared to the other science subjects. The author also state about the cringe among the student that might effect their perception toward physics and also try to get elicits response from the students about their feeling about physics. The author also wants to identify why there are only a few students that interest to take physics compared to other science subject. She also want to identify why there are sort of general fear of physics in society because the fear has negative repercussions. She also wants to know what are the causes that make physics become such a killer subject that been feared to students and society in general.

Research objectives. There are two research objectives of this research which the first is to find out students attitudes on learning physics in English Language at school. The second research objective is to examine whether the students are interested in learning physics. In my opinion the first research objectives is not suitable which it not that synchronize with the title of this academic exercise. There are not a word that mentioned that there the author will do study that relate on English language even in study physics. If she wants to take the objective into account, she has to at least mention it a bit in the title or maybe she can alter her research objectives a bit.

Research questions. The research question that emphasized by the researcher in this research are what are the students attitudes towards the use of English language in learning physics. The second research question is the students interested in learning physics. The research questions are tally with the research objectives where it questions about what that the author want to find in the research objectives. Research hypothesis. The research hypothesis of this research is there is no significance between male and female students interest in learning physics. The other hypothesis is there is significance between male and female students interest in learning physics. Significance of the research. The significance of the research is good where the author mention that the research will help the teacher to figure out exactly the students attitude is while learning physics. Besides that the research will encourage physics teachers to create unbiased learning climate environment, build students interest in mastering the concept in physics. The result of the research also will contribute some benefits to Ministry of Education in Malaysia. In my opinion the significance of the research is good enough to be held as a research.

Limitation of study. The limitation of the study is narrowed to the school in USJ 5, 3 classes from form 4 classes. The total students that involved in this research are 90 students. The author not interviews the teacher from the school. In my opinion it is better if the author also interview the teacher because by this she can obtain more information from the aspect of students and the teachers. By the way the scope is quite enough to obtain data for the research for students side. Literature review. The author divide her literature review into two aspect where the first she include the literature review for English in physics and the second is literature review about the students attitudes toward physics and also students attitudes on learning physics in English. The author use various resources for her research where she have materials from journal, article and also from internet. She uses proper citations in her writing by using APA style citation. Methodology In the research methodology section the author explained about how she conducts the research. She explained it well where she defined her research design of the research. She also defined her participants for the research and the instrument use to collect data. The participants for the research are Sekolah Agama Menengah Bestari (SAMB) USJ 5 form 4 students from 3 different classes. The students consist of 45 female and 44 male students. For the research instrument she uses set of questionnaire. The research she made is using quantitative approach. She limits the students to answer the questionnaire in 10 minutes. In my opinion she should not to limit the time too short for the students to answer because they might not answer the questions very well due to the short time given. If she use mix-method it will be better because she can combine the findings from students and teacher and among the students.

Sampling and population. The population of the research is form 4 students from Sekolah Agama Menengah Bestari (SAMB) USJ 5. She use sampling in this research because the sampling is enough to obtain enough data for the research. I think it will better if the researcher wide her sample by expanding it to more than 3 classes. The findings might be better and reliable.

Instrumentation.

The research instrument she uses set of questionnaire. The research she made is using quantitative approach. She limits the students to answer the questionnaire in 10 minutes. In my opinion she should not to limit the time too short for the students to answer because they might not answer the questions very well due to the short time given. The questions in the questionnaire consists of questions that want to find students attitudes toward physics but most of the questions more stressed on the student attitudes and perception towards using English in learning physics. In my opinion some of the questions in the questionnaire are not suitable in the research instrument. Some of the questions that might not appropriate to be use in the research question is my physics teacher used English languages 100% while he/she teaching physics. Besides that the questions not really encourage the students to show their true perceptions towards physics.

Findings. The author obtained what that she wants to know, in other word the objectives of the research achieved. Some of the perception from the students that he obtained is they not require physics for their future endeavors. Some of them also claimed that the usage of English in learning physics would be hard. The gender, race, income and result in mid year examination also been included in the findings even though it not mentioned or stated clearly in the questions. The data presentation also not showing not satisfied where the presentation in too simple and general. The findings also show that the author stress on students attitudes of learning physics in English. The author also discuss about the students interest in learning

physics. The data presentation not gives in good explanation where the author are like just assuming on some of the conclusion of the findings. She assume about the role of teacher in class, the usage of English in class where she does not state it clearly. Some of the conclusion is teacher play key role as facilitator, model and other. The teacher also must aware the importance of individual difference in learning language, that mean the level fluency of the student, which may affect them in learning physics. In my opinion the author also should at least interview some physics teacher to get better findings.

Reflection. From my view the research is moderate because the findings satisfy the research objective where he achieved the objective even it not fully related to the research title. Besides that the result of the research also answering the research question and the researcher had elaborate the findings in detail as she use the suitable method and approach to obtain the result. The data presentation also need to be more clear rather than just making assumption without supporting data from the data instrument where she should add up some question and some interview on it.