Physics is one of the subjects at Vocational High School. Preliminary surveys show that many students do not mastery learning, making it difficult to mastery and apply the concept of physics in technology and the surrounding environment. Therefore, physics learning with Science Environment Technology and Society (SETS) approach is implemented. The aim of this research is to know the effectiveness of physics learning with SETS approach to improve students’ competence. This research used the quasi-experiment method with pretest-posttest group control design. The research subjects were the students of tenth grade in Vocational High School in Padang, Indonesia. Data were collected use observation sheet, learning outcome test, and questionnaire of student response to the implementation of physics learning. The result shows that physics learning with SETS approach effective to improving the student competencies, in terms of (1) mastery learning of students have been achieved by the majority of student, (2) improvement the student competence were including high category, (3) the majority of the students stated that physics learning with SETS approach can be implemented.
Physics learning, SETS, competence.