Associations between High School Students’ Physics-Related Personal Epistemology, Sense of Belonging, and Physics Achievement

Abstract Research indicates that beliefs about knowledge and knowing, or personal epistemology, are crucial in shaping students' academic self-perception and motivation. This study aims to reveal differences in students' physics-related sense of belonging (SoB), personal epistemologies, and physics achievement across grade levels (9th-11th) and gender, with a specific focus on variations among school types. The study sample was drawn by convenience sampling, including students from an Anatolian high school and a science-oriented high school in a district of Istanbul. The study participants included 529 high school students. The Physics-Related Personal Epistemology Questionnaire and the Students’ Sense of Physics Belonging Survey were administered in the study. MANOVA results demonstrated significant effects of grade level, gender, and school type on key outcome variables, with notable differences in justification and changeability of knowledge across grades. This study revealed notable gender differences in personal epistemology, highlighting the complex interplay between gender, school type, and epistemic development. Gender emerged as a significant factor, with male students reporting a higher sense of belonging in physics (SoBP), particularly in competitive settings such as science high schools. In contrast, female students exhibited greater sophistication in the dimensions of knowledge structure, source, and justification. Grade-level differences underscored the developmental trajectories of personal epistemology, with notable advancements in the 11th grade and transitional fluctuations in the 10th grade, reflecting the dynamic interplay of cognitive, contextual, and curricular influences. These findings highlight the need for targeted interventions to address gender disparities, support transitions across grade levels, and foster an inclusive learning culture that nurtures all students' epistemic and academic potential.