This article focuses on the use of problem-based learning in high school foods and nutrition classes. Problem-based learning, an instructional approach that promotes active learning, is the elaboration of knowledge that occurs through discussion, answering questions, peer teaching, and critiquing. Students are confronted with a simulated or real…

As a result of technological advances such as the Global Positioning System (GPS) and the Geographic Information System (GIS), mapping practices and applications have become far more sophisticated. This article suggests family and consumer sciences students and professionals consider using GPS technology to map their communities as a strategy to…

As electronic portfolios become institutionalized in undergraduate education, it is imperative to understand the types of evidence students select to represent attainment of identified learning outcomes. This article presents an action research inquiry, which analyzes 26 completed graduation portfolios, to determine the type of artifacts selected…

Everyone loves a good story. Reading brings back pleasant memories of being read to by parents or others. Literacy is encouraged when students are continually exposed to stories and books. Teachers can encourage students to discover their parents' favorite stories and share them with the class. In this article, the authors recommend the use of…

This article deals with a study on interior design standards in the secondary FCS curriculum. This study assessed the importance FCS teachers placed on content standards in the interior design curriculum to help determine the amount of time and emphasis to place on the units within the courses. A cover letter and questionnaire were sent…

This article discusses how civic engagement came alive in a Family and Consumer Social Issues class. College students are at a critical age to develop a lifelong interest in civic engagement. Students in a Family and Consumer Social Issues class were required to attend two meetings of a public board or agency of their choice. Their assignment was…

Food security--access to enough food for a healthy, active life--is vital to the well-being of children. Yet, almost 17% of households with children experience food insecurity, considerably higher than the rate among childless households. Food insecurity has been linked to a variety of negative outcomes in children, related to health, behavior,…

This article features "STOP (Students Taking on Prevention) the Violence," a peer-to-peer outreach initiative that empowers young people to recognize, report, and reduce the potential for youth violence. It is a national Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) program that provides young people with the attitudes, skills,…

This article describes "Ghanaian Area Studies in Diversity-Globalization," a Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad Program that took 18 New Mexico classroom teachers to Ghana, West Africa, in 2003 to bring a global perspective to the classrooms of New Mexico. This Fulbright project was designed for participants to gain a greater…

The critical and urgent need for large numbers of secondary family and consumer sciences (FCS) teachers has been thoroughly documented (American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences, 1999; Miller & Meszaros, 1996; Rehm & Jackman, 1995) over the past decade. Projected shortages have become a reality because the demand for…

Financial education is one pathway to improving the human condition. Family financial educators in University Extension programs lead in their efforts to provide individuals and families with the skills they need to manage their financial resources effectively. Offering these opportunities at a time when families have money to manage is a key…

Family home childcare providers play an important role in the delivery of essential childcare and in early learning. According to the 1999 U.S. Census, 30.7% of children under 5 years of age in non-parental care attend organized family home care (Child Care Bureau, 2001). In Washington State, 27% of children attend regulated family home childcare…

Inasmuch as social deficiencies breed malcontent, it is not difficult to understand the resulting dissonance in physical, social, emotional, and relational well-being not only between individuals but also within and between communities and groups and between nations. The proverbial "haves" and "have-nots" continue to be…

The International Studies Branch, International Education and Graduate Studies Service of the United States Department of Education provides family and consumer sciences (FCS) professionals with many international experiences. This article highlights the Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad Program, a program sponsored by the U.S. Department of…

In this article, the author states that working with colleagues in another country always provides a challenge, even if it is nothing more than time zones and a different culture. To ease communication, it is important to know as much as possible about the other country beforehand, including learning about the population, literacy rates, birth…