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

TL;DR

This study adapted a physics identity instrument for Spanish-speaking students, validated it with Mexican STEM students, and explored its correlation with physics achievement and gender, revealing insights into identity and performance in STEM education.

Contribution

The paper introduces a validated Spanish-language physics identity instrument and analyzes its relationship with STEM achievement among Mexican students, addressing a significant research gap.

Findings

Physics identity was lower than expected among engineering students.

Interest in physics topics correlated with physics course grades.

Gender significantly impacted physics course performance.

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.