INFLUENCE OF ATTITUDES TOWARDS PRACTICAL WORK ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF SENIOR SECONDARY PHYSICS STUDENTS IN WUDIL EDUCATIONAL ZONE, KANO STATE, NIGERIA PROJECT

ABSTRACT This study investigated the influence of students’ attitudes towards practical work on their academic performance in physics in selected secondary schools within Wudil Local Government Area, Kano State. A mixed-methods approach was adopted, combining questionnaires on students’ attitudes with a Physics Achievement Test (PAT) administered to 300 Senior Secondary School Two (SS2) students across 15 schools, selected through multistage sampling. The study was guided by Constructivist Learning Theory, the Theory of Planned Behavior, and Self-Determination Theory. Data analysis using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and t-tests revealed that students generally had positive attitudes towards physics practical work, with a strong and statistically significant correlation (r = 0.67, p < 0.05) between attitudes and academic performance. However, 16% of the students failed the PAT, highlighting persistent performance challenges. Gender analysis showed that male students exhibited slightly more positive attitudes than females (p = 0.036), while students in schools with adequately equipped laboratories demonstrated significantly higher attitude scores and better performance compared to those in under-resourced schools (p = 0.000). The findings indicate that while students value practical work and recognize its role in deepening conceptual understanding; their performance is limited by inadequate laboratory facilities, overcrowded classes, and insufficient teacher or laboratory support. Based on these results, the study made recommendation among others that should enhance laboratory infrastructure and provide modern equipment in the government physics curriculum of secondary schools. The study concluded that measures are essential for improving student engagement, performance, and overall achievement in physics, thereby contributing to Nigeria’s broader goals in science and technological development