Empowering women and allowing them to provide community leadership in a rapidly changing and increasingly complex society is essential. Offering a sound family science curriculum is one way to facilitate empowerment of women in a developing country. Conceptualizing, planning, and developing strong programs became an opportunity to review existing…

Twenty-first century science and technology places new demands on educators to better prepare the next generation to acquire and maintain advanced levels of literacy and technological skill. Providing a variety of culturally diverse learning opportunities in family and consumer sciences (FCS) classrooms can open new doors to peace through…

Results from a survey of 180 students at a western university suggest that apartment manager's responsiveness and fairness explain 50% of the variance in determining student satisfaction with off-campus housing. Variables that measured aspects of the off-campus housing experience included manager fairness, likelihood of renting from the manager…

Family and consumer sciences (FCS) is a global network of professionals who are focused on improving the quality of life for individuals, families, and communities. For FCS professionals who would like to explore FCS with an international opportunity, the Fulbright Program may be a way to accomplish this. The Fulbright Program is the preeminent…

Family and consumer sciences (FCS) professionals can have a positive impact on the human condition of individuals and families living in poverty. However, to fully understand the issues of poverty, professionals need exposure to the issues and concentrated time to examine poverty through research, issue analysis, and reflection. This article…

Given the international nature of the textile, apparel, and retail industries, success for some companies, at least in part, may depend upon hiring "people whose minds are open to the world" (Goodman, 2005). Study abroad is one way of developing students' world perspectives and cultural understanding. An interdisciplinary approach to…

Providing an overview of American families today is a difficult task because of diversity, not only in race and ethnicity, but also in social, geographical, and cultural backgrounds. These varied family dimensions can influence perceptions and reactions to age, family composition, family characteristics, gender roles, family interests, health…

This article describes "The Millennium Project" developed in 1998 by the American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (AWACS) to develop models for fostering greater diversity within the family and consumer sciences (FCS) profession. "The Millennium Project" was funded at Florida State University (FSU) and entitled, "Step Ahead: Creating a…

In February 2001, national family and consumer sciences (FCS) leaders, state department of education supervisors, and FCS education providers from 16 higher education institutions representing every region of the U.S. met to establish a national support system and clearinghouse for FCS teacher preparation. Their goal was to aid existing FCS…

There is a clear need for improved math and science education, according to the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, and National Science Board. The Food, Math and Science Teaching Enhancement Resource (FoodMASTER) Initiative was developed in response to this need. The FoodMASTER Initiative is a compilation of programs aimed…

Communities are telling inspiring stories about what happens when they use public dialogue and action to involve large numbers of citizens--with the greatest diversity possible--in a search for common ground to resolve tough issues like race, community police relations, and education reform. These efforts, often called "study circles," are…

Experiential learning is an educational tool in which students "learn by doing." Briefly stated, "debriefing is the processing of the learning experience from which the learners are to draw the lessons to be learned" (Dennehy, Sims, & Collins, 1998, p. 9). Kolb's (1984) model provides a four-stage framework: concrete experience, reflective…

Faculty and graduate students traditionally have conducted most research in higher education. Recently, the benefits of undergraduate research have been acknowledged. The Boyer Commission (1988) called for research-based learning including a thesis that would demonstrate a student's ability to think clearly and to communicate ideas in an…

This article proposes a conceptual framework for connecting family and consumer sciences (FCS) programs to the culturally diverse communities of children, youth, and families served. The framework consists of components for achieving culturally inclusive organizations and culturally proactive programs that will lead to more positive outcomes for…

Lifelong learning is what happens after the formal schooling process is completed. Most of the individuals pursuing lifelong learning courses are older and are holding various jobs. Distance education offers flexibility and convenience for these individuals. On the other hand, innovation to create access to learning has always been the hallmark of…