FEMALE STUDENTS‟ PREFERENCES FOR PHYSICS COURSES AT UNIVERSITY OF CAPE COAST AND SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS

ABSTRACT The main aim of the study was to investigate what accounts for the low proportion of female participation in the study of physics at University Cape Coast (UCC) compared to biology and chemistry. The study also identified practical methods or ways that could be employed to make physics more appealing to female students in order to encourage greater female participation in the subject beyond Senior Secondary School (SSS) level. The target population for the study comprised 208 female undergraduate students offering biology, chemistry and physics at UCC; 201 SSS female final year science students selected from four SSS in Cape Coast Metropolis and 11 physics lecturers and teachers. A cross-sectional survey was used for the study. The main instruments used in gathering data for the study were questionnaire on low female participation in physics (QLFPP), interview protocol for female students (IPFS) and interview protocol for physics lecturers and teachers (IPPLT). The model of analysis of data involved the use of frequency and percentage tables and Independent Samples t-test as well as explanatory information on students and teachers‟ reasons about the low female participation in physics at the university. The study showed that several reasons account for females‟ preferences for biology and chemistry courses to physics course at the university. Among them are: abstract nature of physics; difficulty level of the subject (physics) and limited career opportunities in physics. It was recommended among other things that, in order to encourage greater female participation in the study of physics, serious efforts must be made by physics lecturers and teachers as well as physics departments to create awareness of career opportunities in the study of physics