ATTITUDES OF GUIDANCE COUNSELORS IN ARKANSAS TOWARD HOME ECONOMICS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS

This study investigated the relationship between guidance counselors' attitudes in Arkansas toward home economics in secondary schools and the following factors: (1) size of the school district based on the five categories established by the Arkansas Activities Association; (2) enrollment in a home economics course(s) while a high school student; (3) enrollment in a home economics course(s) while a college student; (4) number of years experience as a guidance counselor; (5) number of vocational education programs available to students within the school; and (6) teaching experience in vocational education.;The major findings of this study indicated that guidance counselors in public schools of Arkansas are generally favorable toward home economics as it was conceptualized in this study. The attitude section of the questionnaire contained 28 items scored by a Likert type scale. The statement receiving the highest mean average was: I am thoroughly sold on offering home economics in high school. A total of 95.8 percent of the respondents agreed with that statement, 41 percent of those strongly agreed.;Among the recommendations were: (1) conduct additional research to determine guidance counselors' attitudes toward specific home economics course content and age level considered most relevant for that content to be taught; (2) conduct additional research to determine attitudes of secondary school principals, school superintendents, and teachers in general toward home economics in public schools; and (3) home economics teachers should plan and conduct an organized marketing campaign to inform parents, students and school and community leaders of the curriculum content in the various areas of home economics.;Questionnaires were mailed to 290 or 50 percent of the guidance counselors employed in the secondary public schools of Arkansas during the 1985-86 academic year. A 90 percent rate of return was received. The one-way and two-way analysis of variance were used to test the six null hypotheses. Five of the six null hypotheses were accepted. The only significant relationship was found to be those counselors that had been enrolled in home economics courses while a college student.