In-service Home Economics Teachers’ Attitudes to the Integration of Sustainable Topics in the Home Economics Subject

Abstract

Education for sustainable development is essential for the well-being of present and future generations and is one of the key objectives in the discipline of home economics. The purpose of this research was to ascertain whether in-service teachers of home economics recognise the opportunities to educate students about sustainable development in their courses and if they can identify the topics related to sustainable development that they can integrate into the subject of home economics. To determine this, a study using a questionnaire with a non-random sample of 89 Slovenian in-service home economics teachers was conducted. The results were qualitatively and quantitatively analysed. According to the research results, in-service home economics teachers understand that the topics of the subject promote education for sustainable development. They see the most opportunities for integrating sustainable topics arising in the fields of food and living environments, and less in economics and textiles. This is evident because sustainability topics are predominantly connected to food and the living environment classes in the current education system. Based on the research results, it can be deduced that in-service home economics teachers should be offered ongoing professional development in order to achieve the competences needed to teach sustainable development as part of the home economics subject. The need to update the curriculum of this subject has emerged as it offers numerous opportunities to educate the young in topics related to sustainable living.

Modern Aspects of Home Economics Education and Slovenia

“…Teachers perceive the contents of the subject as important and useful for pupils' further life and their future career orientation and development. In the light of their complexity, subject contents are perceived as less demanding by teachers than other subjects (Erjavšek & Lovšin Kozina, 2015). Lah (2015) came to a similar conclusion: teachers perceive home economics as an important educational subject.…”

“…Pupils develop positive attitudes to the environment; in this way, environmental literacy is included in the concept of home economics literacy. Erjavšek et al (2021) state that in their home economics lessons, Slovene teachers most often include sustainability topics, referring to nutrition and living space, and less often to finance and textiles. Addressing sustainable topics within the home economics curriculum appears to be necessary for society (IFHE, 2008).…”

“…Rosefsky Saavedra and Opfer (2012) emphasise how society is aware that knowledge and skills needed by pupils in today's world differ from those needed in the past. Problems that urgently require changing and updating home economics education and curricula of home economics subject are also addressed by some studies in Slovenia (Banič & Koch, 2015;Erjavšek & Lovšin Kozina, 2015;Erjavšek et al, 2019;Erjavšek et al, 2021;Kostanjevec et al, 2018;Lah, 2015;Lovšin Kozina, 2015;Matos, 2016). The process of education and instruction involves various stakeholders.…”

I Do, We Do, You Do Home Economics: Explicit Instruction Connecting Content with Ideology

“…Study within the home economics discipline takes holistic, systems, and/or ecological approaches to curricula in which topics can include the study of food and nutrition, textiles and fashion design, financial literacy, family relationships, childhood development, and community empowerment (Darling & Turkki, 2009;IFHE, 2008;McGregor, 2011;Nickols et al, 2010;Turkki, 2012). Each topic then has embedded aspects of technology use, ethics, environmental sustainability, design thinking, problem-solving, and service to the community (Dislere et al, 2020;Erjavšek et al, 2020;Gentzler, 2012;Ronto et al, 2017a). Home economics is a complexity-driven, authentic, and applied discipline that connects 'real world' activities and actions with people's everyday lives, wherever they may live.…”

The Sustainability of Pre-Service Teachers’ Consumer Behaviour for the December Holidays

“…Concern about the consumption and overconsumption of natural resources (natural capital) is one of the most important global challenges and is also defined in Sustainable Development Goal 12, which envisages the achievement of sustainable consumption and production patterns (United Nations, 2015). Promoting education for sustainable consumption is part of education for sustainable development (ESD), which is to be integrated into education programmes is a pertinent strategy (Erjavšek et al, 2021;Thoresen, 2010).…”