education

FCS Still Solving Perennial Problems Today

box of produce
kids drawing on wall
team taking a walking meeting

“We’re scientists, and so we study the whole life line of consumers. And that includes outside the house, in the environment, at work,” Karin Athanas, CEO of AAFCS said as posted on WOSU PBS. Family and Consumer Scientists (FCS) are professionals that work to solve life’s perennial problems. Let’s use the pictures above to define perennial problems. These are problems that constantly reoccur throughout the ages – access to healthy food, healthy living environments, and balancing work and family responsibilities. We are constantly experiencing and hearing about individuals having difficulty solving these perennial problems.

Why should society care about the work of these scientists? Because these perennial problems are shared in our local, state , national and international news everyday. Who is working on helping families and youth address and solve these perennial problems when preparing for workplace and family life in our K-12 schools? Let’s look at the numbers-

DATE PROFESSION NAME STUDENT ENROLLMENT
1850-1909 Domestic Science Historical non-fiction
1915-1959 Home Economics Increased 17% to 50%
1994 -2012 Family and Consumer Sciences Decreased 38% between 2006-2012
Today Health and Human Sciences, Human Ecology, Human Sciences Data not available due to declining value and nomenclature

What can you and I do about lack of FCS enrollment data today and the declining number of opportunities for students experience FCS perennial problems? Enrollment today is challenging to document due to the fact that data is collected via The Perkins Collaborative Resource Network. This network publishes state Career and Technical Education (CTE) enrollment numbers by career cluster. FCS is not recognized as a career cluster in the updated AdvanceCTE . However, FCS content is hidden within other career clusters such as education and training, human services and hospitality/tourism. Enrollment in these areas saw a high level of fluctuation at the secondary level from 2019 to 2023. Lack of consistent data misdirects institutions of higher education when they develop their course catalogs creating a shortage of highly qualified educators through the education system.

We know we have a shortage of highly qualified FCS professionals today. Take action now by clicking here to share your thoughts. Your actions support the FCS educators that write the Live Healthy Live Well Ohio State University Extension blog.

Written by:  Margaret Jenkins, OSU Extension Educator, Clermont County, jenkins.188@osu.edu

Reviewed by:  Beth Stefura, OSU Extension Educator, Mahoning County, stefura.2@osu.edu 

Fostering International Mindedness

Last week at my county fair, I had the unique opportunity to host some international journalists from Ukraine. They were guests of the U.S. Department of State as part of a special program to foster relations with foreign press. Their mission, while they toured Ohio agricultural sites, was to capture some best practices related to farming and research, with a special focus on youth. They want to share these ideas with their homeland to inspire Ukrainian villages to engage their youth. They were fascinated by the 4-H youth exhibits and livestock at our county fair.

Ukrainian couple interview two youth about their alpaca projects at a county fair.

They also shared their heart-wrenching story, how Aliona fled to the U.S. with their two children when Ukraine was invaded, while Ruslan stayed in Ukraine to farm their crops. While in the U.S., their children have endured bullying in school due to their heritage and war status in their home country. Amidst their own personal and national turmoil, they continue to travel when possible and share stories to inspire their country.

Their visit had a profound impact on me, reflecting on all they have endured. How can we stop this bullying and spread peace? According to education expert Carolyn Savage, international mindedness involves knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of different cultures, increased self-awareness and empathy, ability to collaborate with peers from different backgrounds, deepening knowledge and understanding of global issues and ability to see ourselves as responsible, global citizens. This concept of international mindedness is something we could all embrace. We can help children (and ourselves) better understand other cultures to increase our capacity for compassion.

Here are some ways to families can foster international understanding: 

  • Start early: Begin talking about culture, diversity, and inclusion with children at a young age. 
  • Be inclusive: Consider the diversity in your friends, reading materials, and toys. 
  • Create a cultural home environment: Invite into your home books, art, and music from other cultures. 
  • Celebrate traditions: Attend multicultural events and celebrate cultural traditions and differences. 
  • Learn about other cultures: Listen to cultural music, watch foreign movies, explore historical sites, and visit museums. Pick a recipe from another country and have fun making it together.
  • Take classes: Learn about different cultures through online courses or community language classes. 
  • Have open conversations: With age-appropriateness in mind, discuss current global issues and events with your child to develop critical thinking and global empathy.
  • Model Respect and Empathy: Model these values in your daily interactions with others, showing the importance of treating all individuals with kindness and understanding.
  • Encourage international friendships: Help children make friends with children from different cultural backgrounds. 
  • Volunteer and Serve Others: Participate in volunteer opportunities and service projects as a family to demonstrate the value of giving back and making a positive impact on your community and the world.

Becoming more aware of other cultures leads to greater understanding an increased capacity to show compassion. If children can learn this at an early age, they can live in peace with people from all nations.

Writer: Shannon Carter, Extension Educator, Family & Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Fairfield County, carter.413@osu.edu

Reviewer: Erin Ruggiero, Extension Educator, Family & Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Medina County, ruggiero.46@osu.edu

Sources:

“An Introduction to International Mindedness.” 11-06-2023. Edmentum, Inc.

Butt, S. (2024). “How to Foster Cultural Awareness at Home.” Johns Hopkins University.

“Celebrate tradition and cultural awareness with young children.” 11-20-2018. Southwest Human Development.

From Home Economics to Family and Consumer Sciences

A family of four

Today, as Family & Consumer Sciences (FCS) Educators, often we are asked what is FCS?   FCS was originally called Home Economics, a study of how to manage a household and its resources efficiently and sustainably. In the 1990’s Home Economics was rebranded to Family and Consumers Sciences which includes  the comprehensive skills, research and knowledge that helps people make informed decisions about their well-being, relationships, and resources to achieve optimal quality of life.  FCS is the only profession that integrates knowledge from the basic disciplines of science, humanities, and the arts.  It also integrates math, reading, communication and organizational skills, and work readiness in each area of study. 

Today’s FCS professionals practice in multiple settings. Academic education in early childhood, elementary, secondary, and higher education.  Community education for adults and youth includes Extension programs, business and industry, government,  and health and human services who address the issues most important to our quality of life.

The value of FCS through education and technology includes the essential knowledge and skills to:

  • Lead better lives.
  • Build strong families.
  • Be work and community ready.
  • Make meaningful contributions to our communities.

Content areas of FCS include:

  • Education and training.
  • Culinary arts, hospitality, and tourism.
  • Food science and nutrition.
  • Health management and wellness.
  • Housing and interior design.
  • Human/child development and family relations.
  • Personal and family finance.
  • Textiles, apparel and retail.
  • Sustainable practices, consumerism, and leadership.

Live Healthy, Live Well Blog is written by a group of FCS professionals addressing the FCS mission of living and working well in our world today.  Our goal is to be effective and make a difference in people’s lives.  In October 2023, the Ohio Association of Family and Consumer Sciences is hosting their annual conference in Columbus, Ohio.  We invite you to learn more about Ohio FCS and join us for this conference.

Here is the link for more information:  https://www.oafcs.org/

 Written by:  Beth Stefura, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, OSU Extension Mahoning County, stefura.2@osu.edu

Reviewed by: Margaret Jenkins, Assistant Professor, Family and Consumer Sciences, OSU Extension Clermont County, jenkins.188@osu.edu

References:

American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences https://www.aafcs.org/home

Family and Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension Home | Family and Consumer Sciences (osu.edu)

USDA, National Institutes of Food and Agriculture Division of Family & Consumer Sciences | National Institute of Food and Agriculture (usda.gov)