On the National Standards for Teachers of Family and Consumer Sciences in the USA:

Developmental processes and outcomes

Abstract

The aim of this study is to clarify the developmental processes and the outcomes of the National Standards for Teachers of Family and Consumer Sciences developed by NATEFACS (National Association of Teacher Educators for Family and Consumer Sciences) in the USA. The following are the findings of this study concerning these standards: ① A high degree of consensus was achieved through related conferences and associations built on diverse opinions on the standards in which NATEFACS plays a central role. ② They were designed to make explicit the rationale for the implementation and dissemination of the standards and to contribute to the promotion of the studies of teacher education. ③ They offer guiding principles for the development and evaluation of teacher preparation programs, teacher education curricula, and in-service teacher training. ④ They take into account the link between professional education standards and each state’s teacher education standards in order to assure the highest quality of teacher education. ⑤ They promote enhanced qualifications and abilities of beginning teachers and also broaden the future perspective of professional growth and progress toward highly qualified teachers. The National Standards for Teachers of Family and Consumer Sciences in the USA are a set of approved core standards that define the essential knowledge, skills and dispositions of Family and Consumer Sciences teachers. A significant claim is that the methods and reasoning for identifying the necessary capabilities of Family and Consumer Sciences teachers is one model for explicating the needs of today’s teachers and for confirming the achievement of such standards.