This study documents what pre-service family and consumer sciences (FCS) teachers learned about diversity through observations in diverse FCS classrooms. Students reported that they experienced a change in their comfort level with diverse settings. Student feedback was used to modify FCS teacher education curriculum in subsequent semesters.

This article highlights the structure, procedures, and outcomes of a course organized using a student-directed learning approach to develop an online exhibition website as an outcome for a client. The teaching strategy required students to work in teams and carefully plan assignments to build on the development of the exhibition. Students said…

Commonalities exist between family and consumer sciences (FCS) middle and secondary teachers and Cooperative Extension Service (CES) state and county faculty. From educational backgrounds to the content and societal issues of concern, FCS teachers and CES faculty follow similar paths, with differences in the audiences they reach and the settings…

This study used the Delphi method to identify trends of importance to family and consumer sciences (FCS) education. A panel of 21 FCS education experts identified 16 trends and evaluated them by importance, desirability, feasibility, and confidence in validity of the trend. Nutrition appeared as a top priority, followed by consumer economics. The…

A theoretical model for planning single-event nutrition education contrasts a Practical, Foods, and Positive (PFP) emphasis to an Abstract, Nutrient, and Negative (ANN) focus on nutrition topics. Use of this model makes messages more appealing to consumers and may increase the likelihood that people will apply the nutrition information in their…

Academic institutions as well as professional organizations are faced with providing their constituents with the knowledge and tools that will enable them to interact with people of other cultures--to be global citizens in both their personal and professional lives. The foreign language profession developed a paradigm that has been effectively…

A project was conducted to assess Family Studies bachelor's degree graduates' use of learning outcomes from course competencies in personal finance, family lifespan development, intervention, and advocacy and policy, and to determine how they apply these learning outcomes to their workplace, family, and community roles. Alumni surveys completed by…

The purpose of this article is to demonstrate how a large comprehensive family and consumer sciences unit has incorporated sustainability into its curriculum and research agenda. It summarizes how each area within the department (Interior Design, Apparel Design and Merchandising, Consumer Affairs, Family Studies, Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food…

According to the Jump$tart Coalition, Oklahoma is one of 24 states to adopt financial education requirements for students (Jump$tart Coalition, 2010). The Passport to Financial Literacy Act of 2007, Oklahoma House Bill 1476, requires Oklahoma students in grades 7 through 12 to fulfill established financial literacy requirements to graduate with a…

Merchandising and consumer economics traditionally have been part of family and consumer sciences (FCS) within the ecosystems framework. The purpose of this article is to examine progress of this sub-system within FCS. Specifically, the authors explore the relevance of the systems approach for merchandising programs and conclude that this model is…

Taking the perspective of consumer socialization theory, this study examined the influences of different socialization agents on consumers' purchases of green products. A total of 224 surveys were distributed to students enrolled in a business-related course at a major university in the northeastern United States. The objectives were twofold. The…

The availability and convenience of the Internet, combined with the variety of products available at any given time, have contributed to the success of online auctions.This exploratory study examined online auction behaviors among college students in an attempt to identify underlying dimensions of auction motivations. Questionnaires completed by…

The purpose of this study was to gather information on the perceptions of sustainability in design held by family and consumer sciences (FCS) students majoring in interior design and apparel design/merchandising. Likert-scale responses were used to explore differences and similarities between students in the two majors. Overall, interior design…

Women can choose among many options with regard to ready-to-wear (RTW) clothing; for example, they can purchase imported or domestically produced garments, or they can select custom-made or second-hand garments. In Ghana, women have traditionally preferred imported RTW garments to RTW garments produced within the country. In this study,…

Counterfeiting, which has always been somewhat of a problem in several different industry settings, has recently become an epidemic in the fashion industry. Widespread and seemingly endless counterfeiting of fashion goods is costing the industry millions of dollars in lost profits and tarnishing the image of many luxury brands. This article…