An analysis of factors that influence secondary students' attitudes toward technolog

This study investigates the factors that influence students' attitudes toward technology. Factors identified in the literature on attitudes toward computers were examined to understand their effect on the broader area of technology. These factors included: gender; grade level; presence of a computer in the home; encouragement from parents, teachers and friends; and current year enrollment in a technology education course.;The subjects consisted of 2381 junior high and high school students in Tomball Independent School District. Previous research studies and instruments developed to measure students' attitudes toward technology were reviewed. Items from Householder's Technology Survey instrument were chosen for this study because of their readability and content. The instrument was administered to these students in the spring of 1997.;A factor analysis was used to identify subcomponents of the instrument. Two factors were identified: (1) personal affect for technology and computers and (2) the importance of technology and computers. The hypotheses were tested for both factors.;An ANOVA found students' factor 1 scores significantly different for each of the variables tested while factor 2 scores were significantly different for the variables of home computers, parent, teacher and peer encouragement, and enrollment in a technology education course.;The major conclusions of the study were that students have different attitudes about their personal affect for technology and their perception of its importance to their lives and future. Males have a higher personal affect for technology than females, but their understanding of technology's importance is very similar. Students who reported the presence of a computer in their home had significantly higher factor 1 and factor 2 attitudinal scores. Encouragement from others has a high correlation with both personal affect for and perceived importance of technology. Students enrolled in a technology education course had more positive attitudes about technology. Students in grade seven had significantly higher attitudinal scores on factor 1 than students in any other grade. No other grade level effect was significant.