The purpose of this study is to clarify temporal changes in the approach to housework in home economics education. In this study, we analyze descriptive sentences about housework that appear in textbooks used for senior high school home economics since 1958. The following points were clarified. 1. Housework has consistently been emphasized as indispensable for maintaining and improving daily life. 2. The significance of housework has changed due to temporal societal changes. In textbooks that were adopted when home economics was taught strictly to female students, the participation of family members in housework was described as a cooperative effort to improve the efficiency for housewives or to reduce the load of working women. In textbooks that have been used since home economics became co-educational, housework has been described as meaningful for all individuals to maintain an independent lifestyle and to share household responsibilities. 3. At present, the purpose of home economics is to build mutual cooperation among family members through housework. In other words, home economics aims to respond to the demands of society to establish a new lifestyle based on a symbiotic relationship among family members. In the future, home economics is required to closely cooperate with studies on household arts.

View full abstract

This study looked into Canadian home economics curricula and textbooks that teach cultural diversity in families. Curricula and textbooks were chosen from two of the most populated provinces, Ontario and British Columbia (B.C.). Two objectives of this study were as follow. 1. To examine what the home economics or home economics-related curricula and textbooks instruct concerning cultural diversity in families at the secondary education level in Ontario and B.C.. 2. To suggest what Japanese home economics education can instruct on concerning cultural diversity in families, learning from the Canadian curricula and textbooks. As results, it was found that cultural diversity was instructed in the Ontario course, "Individuals and Families in a Diverse Society" and B.C. course, "Family Studies 10 to 12." The textbooks used in Ontario and B.C. show multiple themes of cultural diversity in families. The followings are suggested contents to include in Japanese home economics education: -Multiculturalism in families -Comparing customs and traditions of families in various cultures -Understanding cultural differences from the global perspective -Differences and similarities of families from various cultures -Empathy And, these contents can be instructed as one topic, as well as throughout the content of home economics curriculum as they are in the examined textbooks used in Canada.

View full abstract

Life planning education is aimed at developing students' ability to plan their future. This study examines the factors affecting a positive attitude toward life planning in the case of high school students and examines teaching methods for life planning. We studied 605 students from a 2009 survey in Chiba prefecture. This study shows that the dream of having job, marriage and children and evaluating themselves affirmatively positively affected a positive attitude toward life planning. Anxiety about health and safety, occupation, marriage and family positively affected to a positive attitude toward life planning. Furthermore, this positive attitude toward life planning and mothers' influence on students to plan their future positively affected an affirmative attitude to study and discipline. Therefore, it is important for high school students to think about anxious matters. Thinking about anxious matters is thinking about risks. Therefore, we need to focus on risks encountered in our life in order to improve educational content of life planning. If the educational content contains recognizing risks and how to cope with these risks by using social securities or social network, for example, it may be possible for life planning education to develop students' ability to plan their life.

View full abstract

The purpose of this research is to clarify part-time high school students' consciousness towards home economics education by comparing it with full-time high school students' consciousness towards the same. Full-time course students thought that getting the knowledge and skills for life was the most important aim of studying home economics. Part-time students, however, thought that acquiring the abilities to judge, express, and solve a problem were more important. Furthermore, part-time students thought that they would be able to acquire the ability to express by learning home economics. These differences between part-time and full-time students were based on the supposition that both courses had the different school culture and student characteristics. Part-time students recognized home economics as a subject not only essential for learning life skills but also one that provides insights into life.

View full abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate requirements for the video teaching materials which are suitable for the class about gender perspectives and gender roles. In order to achieve this objective, data were collected from high school students who viewed three kinds of videos. While watching these videos, students wrote down the phrases with which they agreed. After viewing them, students were asked to write down their impressions. These data was analyzed and yielded the following results; The non-edited video entitled "At Home Dad" easily increased students' awareness against gender bias. This video was received with little opposition from both girls and boys, but especially from male high school students. It became clear that the video suitable for the class about gender perspectives and gender roles needs to contain both negative and affirmative phrases about gender bias.

View full abstract