Early educational experiences and teacher gender bias in shaping female students' interest in Physics

Gender disparities in physics persist globally, with female participation in STEM fields remaining disproportionately low in Ethiopia. Drawing on Situated Expectancy-Value Theory (SEVT) and Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) as interpretive frameworks, this study examined how early educational experiences, teacher influence, and gender bias shape female students’ interest in physics in Kaffa Zone secondary schools in Southwest Ethiopia. A quantitative approach was employed to collect data from 352 female students using structured questionnaires. Exploratory factor analysis confirmed construct validity (KMO = 0.847), and reliability was excellent (α = 0.951). Early educational experiences and exposure to female role models emerged as the strongest predictors of interest in physics. From a SEVT perspective, these findings suggest that formative experiences shape students’ expectations for success and subjective task value, while from an SCT perspective, they highlight the importance of mastery experiences and vicarious learning in developing self-efficacy. Curriculum approaches and sociocultural influences also contributed significantly. Notably, teacher influence and gender bias were not significant predictors, suggesting evolving teacher attitudes in this context. This study underscores the critical importance of early exposure to science, visible female role models, and inclusive curricula in fostering girls’ interest in physics.