A typology of students’ interest in physics and the distribution of gender and age within each type

Abstract

This paper deals with the identification of qualitatively different types of interest in physics among students in the 12‐16 age range in Germany. Using the statistical tool of mixed‐Rasch analysis three groups of students with distinctly different interest patterns were identified. The three types are characterized in terms of preferred interest pattern, age and gender distribution, preferences over other subjects and physics‐related self‐concept. The consequences for physics education are discussed.