Investigating the challenges of first-year education students in physics practicum

Basic Physics I practicum is a critical practicum for first-year education students. This study aimed to investigate the factors causing difficulties in the Basic Physics I practicum among 164 first-year education students from geography, mathematics, biology, and physics education programs at Mulawarman University. A questionnaire was distributed to the students after completing the practicum, and the responses were analyzed using the Likert scale, Spearman correlation test, Mann-Whitney U, and Kruskal-Wallis test. The results showed that the complexity of the practicum reports posed significant challenges for students. Additionally, correlations were found between motivation, interest, and the difficulties students experienced. Differences in difficulty were also observed based on the study program and gender. The findings suggest that policymakers should consider these factors to support first-year students in Basic Physics I practicum, ultimately enhancing their learning and understanding.