A curricular frame for physics education: Development, comparison with students' interests, and impact on students' achievement end self-concept

This article presents three interlinked studies aimed at: (1) developing a curricular frame for physics education; (2) assessing the students' interes t in the contents, contexts, and activities that are suggested by that curr icular frame; and (3) developing a curriculum that is in line with that fra me and measuring its cognitive and emotional effects on students. The curri cular frame was developed by adopting the Delphi technique and drawing on t he expertise of 73 persons selected according to specified selection criter ia. Interest data of some 8000 students and information of the presently ta ught physics curriculum were sampled longitudinally as well as cross-sectio nally in various German Lander (states) by questionnaire. The third study c omprised 23 experimental and 7 control classes. As a result of the comparis on between the features of the curricular frame, the interest structure of students, and the current physics curriculum, there is a remarkable congrue ncy between students' interest in physics and the kind of physics education identified in the Delphi study as being relevant. However, there is a cons iderable discrepancy between students' interest and the kind of physics ins truction practiced in the physics classroom. Regression analysis revealed t hat students' interest in physics as a school subject is hardly related to their interest in physics, but mainly to the students' self-esteem of being good achievers. The data strongly suggest physics be taught so that studen ts have a chance to develop a positive physics-related self-concept and to Link physics with situations they encounter outside the classroom. A curric ulum based on these principles proved superior compared to a traditional cu rriculum. (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.