FAMILY-PLANNING EDUCATION PROJECT: A TEACHING MODEL THROUGH HOME ECONOMICS

This study was an attempt to develop a motivational approach to family-planning education through the teaching of home economics. The rationale for a motivational approach lies in the need to inculcate high fertility groups with the idea that family planning is a necessary condition for the family, if it is to attain the desired quality of life.; The three major components of the study were: (1) To design a model for teaching family planning through the following areas of home economics: nutrition and health, housing, clothing, and child development and family relations. The model seeks to introduce motivational appeals for family planning through these areas of home economics, and to introduce effective teaching methods appropriate to the educational level of the audiences and facilities of the educational settings. (2) To evaluate the usefulness and applicability of the family-planning teaching model. (3) To revise the teaching model and introduce the necessary changes suggested in the evaluation.; The teaching model was comprised of eleven lessons within four teaching units corresponding to the four mentioned areas of home economics. Each lesson plan contained behavioral objectives, generalizations, concepts, learning experiences, teaching aids, and evaluation.; The evaluation instrument, a rating scale divided into two sections, consisted of a five-point scale ranging from "strongly agree" to "strongly disagree." The first section of the instrument, which consisted of 28 statements describing the requirements of a good lesson plan, was used in the evaluation of each of the lessons. The second section of the instrument, consisting of five statements, was used in the assessment of the feasibility and applicability of the family-planning teaching model.; Evaluation procedures were performed by six home economics students of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, nine home economics students of the University of Caldas in Colombia, and eleven home economists of Colombia.; Evaluation data were tabulated and analyzed descriptively. Lesson statements in which 60 percent or more of respondents agreed were not subjected to revision; lesson statements in which less than 60 percent of respondents agreed were subjected to revision. The lesson plans were revised and the changes suggested in the evaluation were introduced in most lesson plans. Additionally, three new lessons were designed, having been suggested in the evaluation results, and were added to their respective teaching units of nutrition and health, housing, and child development and family relations. The revised teaching model on family planning accounts for a total of 14 lesson plans, discriminated as follows: five lessons in nutrition and health; three lessons in housing; two lessons in clothing; and four lessons in child development and family relations.; The second part of the evaluation concerning the feasibility and applicability of the teaching model showed positive results. Most of the respondents indicated that subject matter dealing with family planning could be integrated into home economics programs of Colombian institutions; furthermore, they found that the teaching methods were practical and the content of the lessons was appropriate to the prospective audiences of family-planning programs.