Determining the integration of mathematical concepts in family and consumer sciences education

Abstract

Over the last decades, researchers and practitioners have called for increased interdisciplinary math and family and consumer sciences integration (FCS). A growing body of knowledge reveals that math integration within FCS education plays a central role in equipping learners with relevant skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and communication strategies needed for career readiness. Despite the potential positive impact of integrating math concepts in FCS, researchers express concerns that most FCS teachers have not achieved the goal of integrating math within their FCS curriculum. The objective of this study was to investigate the integration of math concepts in the FCS education curriculum, examine the level of teachers’ self-efficacy, and identify barriers to effective math concept integration in the FCS curriculum. A quantitative research method was used in this study where data was collected using a survey. A total of 212 U.S. FCS teachers participated in the web-based survey. Results revealed that teachers surveyed have a positive attitude towards math integration within the FCS curriculum. Most of the surveyed teachers also made attempts to collaborate with their colleagues and other math instructors on effective ways of integrating math in their FCS courses. However, individual self-efficacy among teachers was low due to inadequate teaching resources, lack of prior training on math integration, and limited knowledge or experience on how to integrate math within the FCS curriculum. Surveyed FCS teachers emphasized the need for institutional support, allocation of relevant teaching material, career growth, and regular workshops to help them acquire relevant skills in math integration within the FCS curriculum. Study findings also revealed that self-efficacy was correlated with a teacher’s level of education, years of teaching experience, and the grade level that teachers taught in school. In conclusion, FCS teachers show high support for math integration within the field of family and consumer sciences and learning institutions should leverage on this positive attitude to educate more teachers on how to integrate math concepts within the FCS curriculum.