The use of interdisciplinary approach for the formation of learners’ situational interest in Physics

Any country always needs people who able to rapidly develop new manufacturing processes. Many years ago Sergeev (1979) argued that the “establishment of interdisciplinary links to physics course increases the effectiveness and practical orientation of polytechnic education” (p. 15). Marcu (2007) said that, “interdisciplinary education has a crucial role in science teaching, because it supplies new resources for the progress of science and technology” (p. 53). In this way, the use of interdisciplinary approach in physics teaching demonstrates the link between theory and practice.

According to Veloo, Nor and Khalid (2015), “Physics teachers should give more emphasis in not only the learning of Physics but more importantly on students’ attitude towards the learning of Physics” (p. 35). The authors have established link between achievement in Mathematics and achievement in Physics. Physics is a fundamental science because the laws of physics are used in other natural sciences (e.g., Chemistry, Biology, Geography). In this way, progress of physics is inextricably linked with the achievements of mathematics and natural sciences.

You (2017) said that “if nobody teaches students how to integrate the different disciplines, students are prevented from discovering and creating links between relevant subject matter” (p. 73). Acccording to You (2017), “this could prevent interdisciplinary understanding in science and even lead to poor academic performance, which puts constant pressure on both the educators and students” (p. 73). In this way, the existence of artificial gap between natural sciences partly explains problem of decline in learners’ interest towards physics. Decline of learners’ interest towards physics enhances the relevance of interdisciplinary approach in physics teaching. Results of our study showed that the interdisciplinary approach in physics teaching increases the level of learners’ situational interest. Consequently, our results were agreed with the findings of Marcu (2007), Veloo, Nor and Khalid (2015), You (2017).