PERCEIVED APPLICATION OF BASIC MATHEMATICS SKILLS AND SCIENCE STRATEGIES IN SECONDARY VOCATIONAL HOME ECONOMICS

This study was designed to determine (A) the extent secondary vocational home economics teachers perceive basic mathematics skills and science strategies as an integral part of home economics subject matter, (B) the extent they incorporate those skills and strategies in the home economics curriculum, and (C) the extent they incorporate the skills and strategies in specific home economics areas. An instrument developed by the researcher was used to collect data from 500 secondary vocational home economics teachers employed during the 1983-1984 school year in the four geographic areas of the United States. An ex post facto research design was selected for conducting the investigation. A repeated measures analysis of variance statistical procedure was used to test for differences and interactions between and among the variables. Independent variables for analysis were science and mathematics background of the teachers and the specific home economics area the teachers taught. Results of the study identify that secondary vocational home economics teachers do perceive basic mathematics skills and science strategies as an essential part of home economics subject matter. They incorporate the skills and strategies to a lesser extent in the curriculum and in specific areas they teach than they perceive the skills and strategies should be incorporated. Child Development/Parenting/Family Relations teachers and Occupational Home Economics teachers incorporate the science strategies to a greater extent than Food/Nutrition and Clothing/Textiles teachers do. Resource Management/Consumer Education teachers and Clothing/Textiles teachers incorporate the mathematics skills to a greater extent that Child Development/Parenting/Family Relations teachers do. It is recommended that home economics teachers team with mathematics and science teachers in developing effective application methods for applying the skills and strategies in home economics. It is also recommended that teacher educators initiate curriculum reform and develop strategies for inservice and preservice education to assist teachers in applying the skills and strategies in specific home economics areas.