Overview

Today FCS is a practical/critical science rather than a technical science. As a technical science, home economics was concerned with applying science principles and teaching efficient ways of performing household work and caring for family members. As a practical/critical science, FCS is concerned with empowering students to solve the perennial and emerging practical problems of their families, workplaces, and community, and to take communicative, reflective, and technical action for the good of the family and its members.

From a practical science perspective, FCS curriculum focuses on developing family members, workers, and citizens who are capable of reflective judgment and informed, socially responsible action. FCS students and teachers address the recurring and emerging human concerns and issues of adolescents and families. As these practical issues are addressed, students develop concepts and skills needed to be proactive and prosocial in the work of the family and in creating a society that supports the family. Such human issues are complex, requiring complex solutions with interrelated and rippling effects on others, both within and outside the family. As our culture becomes more diverse and interdependent, the concepts and skills needed to address these issues have become more complex, interdependent, and important.

From a critical science perspective, students and teachers examine social realities and cultural norms and take the initiative to make changes in the interest of family members and the common good. They address roots of problems that hinder individual and family well-being, such as public policies and practices, and self-defeating patterns of thinking and acting that limit family members' efforts to improve home, workplace, or community conditions. Recognizing issues when they exist and collaboratively addressing them, rather than ignoring them, is one characteristic of strong families and strong communities. Yet constructively addressing private and public issues is never easy. Such issues require respectful, caring, and skillful democratic action. From this perspective, students are encouraged to create plans for and take socially responsible action.

This new approach requires developing students' abilities to think, communicate, manage, and lead in the changing contexts of their lives (Brown, 1978; National Association of State Administrators for Family and Consumer Sciences, 1998). Consequently, FCS education develops practical reasoning as its major mode of inquiry. This critical thinking for ethical action prepares adolescents for adulthood in a multicultural, changing, and complex global society.

Taking reasoned ethical action on family, workplace, and community issues is not easy. Maintaining and enhancing family and community life are among the most complex and important things we have to learn. Taking action requires knowledge as well as skill. To appropriately meet these complex challenges, students need reflective, communicative, and technical FCS skills. These action-oriented, lifelong learning processes are central to FCS. This action-oriented curriculum creates a powerful authentic learning environment for family and democratic public life. It provides a vital link with parents, their children, the community, and school.

The following sections of this chapter

1. Summarize the major trends in family and consumer sciences education and highlight their implications for local curricula and programs.
2. Pose and answer key questions that might be asked by local administrators responsible for FCS and related curriculum, instruction, professional development, and staffing.
3. Compile significant research findings that inform FCS practice.
4. List key resources that can be used to guide and inform local family and consumer sciences curriculum decision making as well as organizations and institutions that can provide additional materials and information pertinent to the local FCS curriculum.

ASCD and the authors of this chapter welcome your comments and suggestions about issues not addressed in this handbook so future editions might attend to them and help you with your curriculum work.

Works Cited

American Vocational Association. (1994). Home Economics Vision and Mission Statement. Alexandria, VA: Author.

Brown, M. M. (1978). A conceptual scheme and decision rules for the selection and organization of home economics curriculum content. Bulletin No. 0033. Madison, WI: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

National Association of State Administrators for Family and Consumer Sciences. (1998). National standards for family and consumer sciences education. Decatur, GA: V-TECS Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

Redick, S.S. (1998). Executive summary. In S. S. Redick, A. Vail, B. P. Smith, R. G. Thomas, P. Copa, C. Mileham, J. F. Laster, C. Fedje, J. Johnson, & K. Alexander, Family and consumer sciences: A chapter of the curriculum handbook (pp. 1–5). Alexandria, VA: ASCD.