Document Type

Thesis - Open Access

Award Date

1983

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department / School

Home Economics

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to describe secondary home economics programs in South Dakota. Specifically, it was designed to identify subjects being taught and pervasive themes running throughout the subjects of home economics programs. A secondary objective was to investigate the relationship between curricular emphases and certain characteristics of the school and teacher. Variables studied were 1) teaching experience, 2) class enrollments, 3) school size, 4) personal preference of teaching subject, and 5) professional interaction. To determine the curriculum emphases of the teachers, the Curriculum Orientation Survey (COS), developed by Hall, was used to measure the extent to which selected home economics teaching objectives were included in the curricula. The instrument measures two different areas of emphasis: subject matter and content. Subject matter emphasis subscales included Human Development and the Family, Home Management and Family Economics, Foods and Nutrition, Textiles and Clothing, and Housing. Content emphasis subscales included Information and three process subscales which measured the integration of the unifying concepts of Human Development and Interpersonal Relationships, Management, and Values. Background information on the subjects for descriptive and statistical operation was obtained via a Demographic Data Sheet developed by this researcher. Data from the Curriculum Orientation Survey showed that teachers are including a variety of home economics subject matter areas in their curriculums. Foods and Nutrition received the most emphasis; Housing received the least emphasis. The most persistent theme running through all the subject matter areas was Information followed by Human Development and Interpersonal Relationships. Values received the least emphasis. Subject matter taught was shown to have a significant relationship to the content theme emphasized. Professional involvement was found to be a significant factor in determining both subject matter and content emphases. Results of the study also showed a significant relationship between subject matter emphasis and teaching experience. School size, enrollment in home economics classes, the number of males in home economics classes, and personal preference of teaching subject did not have a significant effect on subject matter and content emphases.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Home economics -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- South Dakota

South Dakota State University Theses

Format

application/pdf

Number of Pages

89

Publisher

South Dakota State University

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