The study determined the influence of gender and location on students’ conceptions of heat energy in senior secondary school physics. Two research questions and two null hypotheses guided the study. The study adopted ex-post facto research design. 6,270 senior secondary school two (SSS2) physics students in all the government owned educational secondary schools in Onitsha Education Zone of Anambra State, Nigeria; during 2018/2019 academic session comprised the population. The sample size of 357 senior secondary two (SS2) students drawn from the population was used for the study. Multi-stage sampling procedure was used in composing the sample. Heat Energy Conception Test (HECT) with 16 theory items was adapted by the researchers to measure students’ conception of heat energy. The instrument was validated by three experts from the Department of Science Education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. The internal consistency index of the instrument was calculated to be 0.747 using Cronbach Alpha formula (α). Frequency and percentage was used to answer all the research questions. Chi-square was used in testing the two null hypotheses of the study. The study revealed that gender and location has no significant influence on students’ conceptions of heat energy in senior secondary school physics. In light of the findings, recommendations were made by the researchers.
Keywords: Energy, Gender, Location, heat, students’ conceptions
