Practical physics assignments and students' non-cognitive skills: Evidence from propensity score matching analysis

Practical assignments are increasingly regarded as an important means of supporting students' broader development, yet evidence on their associations with non-cognitive skills remains limited. In the present study, physics-related practical assignments are understood as outcome-oriented learning tasks that go beyond routine written exercises and require students to apply, analyze, and sometimes create using physics knowledge in authentic, hands-on, or problem-solving contexts. In this sense, they are defined as assignments linked to observable learning performance rather than to mere repetition of subject content. This study examined whether physics-related practical assignments were associated with lower secondary students' non-cognitive skills and whether these associations varied across regional contexts. Using large-scale survey data from 7929 Grade 8 students in Jiangsu Province, China, we applied propensity score matching to compare students who were assigned physics-related practical assignments with matched peers who were not. The results indicated positive associations between practical assignments and five dimensions of non-cognitive skills-interpersonal skills, collaboration, openness, emotional regulation, and task competence-as well as with scientific critical-reflective disposition as a related developmental outcome. These patterns were robust across alternative matching methods. However, the associations varied by region: they were significantly positive for urban and township students, but not statistically significant for rural students. These findings extend research on homework design and adolescent development by suggesting that subject-specific practical assignments may support students' broader competencies, while also highlighting the importance of contextual conditions in shaping their benefits.