NORTH CAROLINA HOME ECONOMICS TEACHERS' ATTITUDES TOWARD RECENT LEGISLATIVE MANDATES IN HOME ECONOMICS

The purpose of this study was to determine the attitudes of secondary home economics teachers toward: (1)eliminating sex discrimination; (2)preparation of students for entry into occupations that utilize home economics related knowledge and skills and (3)providing instruction in regular classes to students with special needs.;Data were collected from 159 home economics teachers selected from the 1978-1979 North Carolina List of Home Economics Teachers. There were 1,032 Home Economics Teachers listed. The Fisher Table of Random Numbers were used to select 250 to participate in the study. Data collected were treated statistically by using frequencies and Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficients.;Analysis of the data revealed these major findings: (1)No significant relationship was found between teachers attitudes toward special needs students, Title IX, and home economics occupations and (a)the number of years they had taught home economics, (b)their highest academic degree, (c)where the teachers received their first degree, (d)their last date of college enrollment, (e)their membership in professional organizations, (f)their age and (g)their race. (2)There were no significant relationships found between the teacher's attitudes toward change orientation and (a)their year born, (b)their highest academic degree, (c)their years of teaching experience, (d)their undergraduate teacher preparation and their involvement in a professional organization. However, there was a significant relationship between race and orientation toward change. (3)A high percentage of the teachers indicated they would not have any greater interest in teaching special needs students if adaptive materials were readily available. (4)Sixty-nine percent of the teachers indicated they did not have time to develop instructional materials for special needs students. (5) About sixty-two percent of the teachers did not believe that regular students suffer when special needs students are involved in the class with them. (6)Twenty-two percent of the teachers felt it was a good idea to have separate classes for special needs students. (7)Many teachers felt that home economics students were learning skills which may be in little demand in today's labor market. (8)Seventy-four percent of the teachers believed that a basic purpose of home economics education should be to expose students to the world of work. (9)Ninety-two percent felt that preparation for employment needed to be part of the home economics curriculum. (10)Seventy-one percent of the teachers felt occupational courses should be offered in all schools. (11)Eighty-eight percent of the teachers agreed that it was unfair to put male students in a class with females. (12)The majority of the teachers felt the counselors should encourage males to enroll in agriculture and females to enroll in home economics. (13)Eighty-nine percent of the teachers felt males should be assigned to a specific home economics course rather than being allowed to choose their courses. (14)Sixty percent of the teachers agreed that posting course offerings in female restrooms was a good way to recruit home economics students.;Specifically, this study concentrated on four major questions concerning change: (1)What were the attitudes of home economics teachers toward preparing students to enter occupations that utilize home economics related knowledge and skills? (2)What were the attitudes of home economics teachers toward implementing Title IX? (3)What were the attitudes of home economics teachers toward providing instructions in the regular classes to students with special needs? (4)What was the relationship between home economics teachers attitudes toward the implementation of Title IX, Vocational Education Act of 1963, 1968, and 1972, Public Law 94-482, and the teachers age, race, level of education, number of years of teaching experience, involvement in professional organizations?...