Investigation of the relationship between mathematics motivations of the secondary school 5. class students and learning strategies: Example of Sakarya

The aim of this study is to reveal the relationship between math motivation and learning strategies of secondary school fifth grade students. The sample of the study consists of 1079 fifth grade students in 16 districts of Sakarya province. This research is designed as a relational screening model, which is one of the quantitative research methods, as it aims to reveal the relationship between math motivation and learning strategies of secondary school fifth grade students. The data of the research were collected by using the Mathematics Motivation Scale (MMS) and the Learning Strategies Scale (LSS) which includes a personal information form. Statistical package program used for social sciences was used in the analysis of the data. In the analysis process, the Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) of the MMS and the LSS was performed before the analyzes required by the research problems, and evidence was obtained that both scales made valid measurements. Afterwards, it was examined whether the data was normally distributed and the tests to be used in the analyzes to be performed were determined accordingly. Kolmogrov-Simirnov and Shapiro-Wilk tests were used while testing the normality of the research data. In sub problems that require descriptive analysis, frequency, percentage, mode, median, arithmetic mean, standard deviation, minimum and maximum values were calculated. In the sub-problems sought for relationship, Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test and Spearman Rho correlation coefficient were used since it was seen that at least one category of scores was not distributed normally for the variables of gender, academic achievement and parental education level. According to the results obtained from the research, a difference was found between the sub-dimensions of MMS and LSS and between the math motivation total score and the learning strategies sub-dimensions. As a result of the research, the total score of math motivation is related with "Elaboration Strategies" positively, moderate and meaningful, "Comprehension Monitoring Strategies" positively, moderate and meaningful, "Organizing Strategies" positively, weak degree and significant, "Affective Strategies" positively, weak degree and meaningful and "Rehearsal Strategies" are positively related, weak degree and significant. As a result of the research, it was concluded that students' math motivation total score was close to high level. In the study, it was determined for MMS that female students were more motivated against mathematics than male students, students with high mathematics motivation had higher academic achievement and mathematics motivation total score did not have a significant difference for both parents education level. As a result of the research, it was observed that secondary school fifth grade students mostly used affective strategies. It was observed for LSS that female students in all sub-dimensions had higher scores than male students, fifth grade students with higher academic achievement used more learning strategies, and the use of learning strategies increased as parents' level of education increased in different sub-dimensions of the LSS. Keywords: Learning, Learning strategies, Math motivation, Fifth grade students.