Students needs investigation on learning newton's law of physics: explanatory sequential

Abstract

This study aims to determine the needs of students in learning physics, explicitly focusing on Newton's Law. The respondents included 149 students and three physics teachers from high schools (SMA) across Malang Regency and Malang City. Respondents were selected using a random sampling technique. The research instruments used were questionnaires and interview guidelines. Data analysis was conducted qualitatively, with coding and categorization applied to the questionnaire data. Nine respondents were then selected for interviews, and the transcribed interview data were used to complement the questionnaire findings. The study found that students preferred three learning models: practical experiments, observation, and reading. In particular, 61.2% of high school students in the city favored learning through practical experiments, which began with observing Newton's Law phenomena and was reinforced by hands-on practice. Meanwhile, 45.7% of district high school students preferred learning through observation, emphasizing instructional media such as videos, physics demonstrations, and guided discussions on physics-related problems. The results of this study are expected to inform the implementation of learning methods that accommodate the specific needs identified among students.