ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was in two-fold: (1) to provide the evidence for the reliability of the modified Fennema-Sherman Mathematics Attitude Scales (FSMAS), as translated to Turkish language and transformed to the educational technology context, and (2) to investigate high school students’ motivation to use technology for learning by a comparative analysis with respect to varying personal characteristics such as gender, grade level, content area of interest (i.e. science and mathematics, mathematics and social science), and previous experience in using technology for learning. The modified version of FSMAS was administered to 9th-12th grade students at a gifted boarding high school in Istanbul, Turkey. The FSMAS instrument was highly reliable (Cronbach-a, from .942 to .777). The factor analysis showed that there were eight different thematic categories among the items. Overall, findings indicated that students had positive attitudes towards the use of technology for learning, regardless of their various personal characteristics such as gender, age, grade level, previous experience, and content area of interest. In addition, students at lower grades tended to have more satisfaction in using technology compared to the higher graders. Interestingly, more experienced students were less confident in using technology compared to less experienced students. Although female students did not have a negative attitude towards the use computers for learning, they felt less confident in using technology compared to male students. Finally, students good at science and mathematics were more positive about their ability to use technology as compared to their social science counterparts.