HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS' PERCEPTIONS OF FAMILY AND CONSUMER SCIENCES EDUCATION AS A CAREER IN THE JACKSON PURCHASE DISTRICT OF KENTUCKY

Author

Stacey Michelle Rattray, Southern Illinois University CarbondaleFollow

Date of Award

5-1-2010

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Workforce Education and Development

First Advisor

Calvin, Jennifer

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate why high school junior and senior students in the Jackson Purchase district of Kentucky choose to go or not to go into the profession of teaching Family and Consumer Sciences. The participants of the study were Family and Consumer Sciences teachers and junior and senior high school students enrolled in their classes. This study used a quantitative mode of inquiry. More specifically, two questionnaire instruments were developed and administered to participating teachers and students to answer the research questions. The questionnaire gathered data on the subject's perceptions of Family and Consumer Sciences education. In addition, demographics were derived from student participants. The study determined that students were predominantly college bound, mostly Caucasian, seniors, and female. The majority of students thought Family and Consumer Sciences was important and should be offered in high school. In addition, only 9.3% (10) have considered Family and Consumer Sciences education as a career, 63.7% have never thought of it as a possible career, and 17.8% indicated there was not enough available jobs. The study determined that most of the Family and Consumer Sciences teacher participants declared there was not a decline in enrollment in classes over the past ten years. Two of the seven teachers will be retiring within the next five years.