Decoding physics identity: a Spanish-language adaptation on an instrument and its correlation with STEM achievement

Omar Israel González Peña (), Gustavo Morán-Soto () and Blas Manuel Rodriguez-Lara ()
Additional contact information
Omar Israel González Peña: Universidad de Monterrey
Gustavo Morán-Soto: Nueva Vizcaya
Blas Manuel Rodriguez-Lara: Ex Hda. Santa Bárbara

Palgrave Communications, 2024, vol. 11, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Abstract The representation of Spanish-speaking students in STEM identity literature, particularly in physics identity, is conspicuously minimal. This study addresses this gap with a two-pronged approach. First, a physics identity instrument was adapted for Spanish-speaking STEM students to promote inclusivity in educational research. Data from 334 Mexican STEM students was collected and analysed for validation through factor analyses and Cronbach’s alpha, confirming the structural integrity and reliability of the adapted instrument. Second, the instrument was employed to examine the correlation between physics identity and academic performance in a separate dataset from 200 engineering students, using multivariate linear and logistic regressions. The findings underscore gender’s impact on physics course grades. Notably, variations in physics identity among engineering students indicated a potential link with their chosen field. Despite the importance of physics in engineering, physics identity was lower than expected, and performance in physics courses did not consistently correlate with a strong physics identity. However, the ‘interest in physics topics’ subconstruct did correlate with physics course grades. This research fills a critical void by providing an adapted instrument for assessing physics identity in Spanish-speaking students and underscores the need for pedagogical shifts to enhance physics identity and STEM outcomes for Latino students.

Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://link.springer.com/10.1057/s41599-024-04112-z Abstract (text/html)
Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:pal:palcom:v:11:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1057_s41599-024-04112-z

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.nature.com/palcomms/about

DOI: 10.1057/s41599-024-04112-z

Access Statistics for this article

More articles in Palgrave Communications from Palgrave Macmillan
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().