Introductory interior design texts adopted by design educators present information relevant to both historical and contemporary issues in interior design. According to one author, they provide a "survey of the field of interior design as it now exists" (Pile, 2007). A comparison of the content of contemporary texts with those of more…

It is well established that college students who participate in campus professional organizations report that their educational experience is enhanced and they are better able to make a successful transition to the world of work. In this study, family and consumer sciences students in three major areas of study--child and family development;…

Throughout the profession's history, family and consumer sciences professionals have worked to consider what should be done about various social issues affecting individuals, families, and communities across the world. Hunger is a global issue pertaining to the right to life, human survival, sustainable communities, and promotion of healthy…

In 2008, the Family and Consumer Sciences Department at Bradley University recognized the need to improve the quality of the laboratory experience in foodservice classes. A hands-on, real-world, learning experience was desired. Simultaneously, the university administration wanted to provide an on-campus foodservice for students from 8:00 p.m. to…

Utah State University Cooperative Extension programming, provided through the historic land-grant system, is one method used to meet the needs of residents located in rural communities. Residents in a Central Utah county need Cooperative Extension programs to address the health and wellness of their rural community. According to the Utah…

Cultural Celebration was a quantity foods class project with embedded problem-based learning that involved a departmental event planned and catered by students and their instructor each fall semester for 5 consecutive years. It provided a creative way to meet outcome measures assigned to a junior/senior level course required in the dietetics and…

Forty-six Consumer Affairs (CA) internship supervisors were surveyed to identify critical knowledge and skills demonstrated by interns and to examine the importance of knowledge and skills needed in the workplace from the supervisors' perspectives.The knowledge and skills measured were identified through program goals. Results revealed that CA…

Case studies informed the development of a checklist for use in determining whether to engage in online educational practices whereby the family and consumer sciences (FCS) instructor teaches from a location distant from campus.Objective and subjective case details were recorded and analyzed for commonality and variance. From cross-case analysis,…

Teaching has always been a multimedia enterprise; what has changed dramatically is the technology available for delivering course information. The use of technology for today's "digital native" students is an assumed rather than a novel activity. From a pedagogical perspective, technology is a powerful tool for customizing instruction to the needs…

In addition to general higher education challenges, family and consumer sciences (FCS) programs may confront the possibility of reorganization and/or loss of programs. In Tennessee, eight American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (AAFCS) accredited units have faced these issues within the last five years. Faculty and administrators in…

This article identifies characteristics of enduring FCS higher education programs and explores organizational changes and the impact of these changes. From multiple sources, characteristics of sustained programs were identified and categorized as (a) resource-based: strong leadership, outstanding faculty, adequate resources; (b) program-related:…

At Southern Utah University (SUU), service-learning is a priority. For the past few years, the campus has joined the national movement toward an engaged student body by dedicating faculty released time, resources, and finances to develop the Center for Service-Learning and Civic Engagement. The family and consumer sciences (FCS) faculty embraced…

This project gathered information on the important components and features of distance education courseware identified by faculty teaching in the Great Plains Interactive Distance Education Alliance. Respondents indicated that they were most interested in features that helped with course management, allowed them to update and post course materials…

Critical thinking is a vital skill for higher education students. The Virtual Exchange was created by the authors to provide instructors with a unique approach to helping students enhance their critical thinking skills. Pilot data were collected from three universities where instructors used Virtual Exchange scenarios in their courses in different…

Online courses offer benefits over face-to-face courses such as accessibility, affordability, and flexibility. Literature assessing the effectiveness of face-to-face and online courses is growing, but findings remain inconclusive. This study compared evaluations completed by professionals who had taken a research update short course either face to…