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12 Technology in the Family and Consumer Sciences Classroom

Introduction

In Family and Consumer Sciences education, we prepare students for many aspects of their lives. As technology can be found, and will continue to be found, in the majority of homes and workplaces in the form of computers, cell phones, televisions, cars, and even kitchen appliances, it is important for FCS classrooms to include technology as well. “Given the growing importance of technology in most aspects of school, home, and work, it is of the utmost importance that FCS educators and students be technologically prepared for the future” (Manley, Sweaney, & Valente, 2000, p. 27). When you are teaching, some form of technology will be part of your planning, presenting, assessing, managing, and communicating. With technology continuing to change at a rapid pace, you will need to constantly update your technology knowledge and skills during your career as an educator.

Key Terms to Know

Apps

Asynchronously

Blogs

Cloud Storage

CRAAP Test

Cyber-Bullying

Digital Citizenship

Digital Natives

Digital Presence/Digital Footprint

E-Texts

Infographics

Listserv

Netiquette

Personal Response Devices

Social Media

Synchronously

Wikis

 

21st Century Learners

The digital natives described by Jukes, McCain and Crockett (2010) have never known a world without technology. They are constantly connected and are described as living lives immersed in technology, “surrounded by and using computers, videogames, digital music players, video cams, cell phones, and all the other toys and tools of the digital age” (Prensky, 2001, p. 1). Two recent studies – one by the Kaiser Foundation (2010), “Generation M2: Media in the Lives of 8-18 Year Olds” (http://kaiserfamilyfoundation.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/8010.pdf), and one by Pew Research, “Teens and Technology 2013” (http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2013/Teens-and-Tech.aspx), provide more information on the media use of today’s youth.

Marc Prensky (2010), in his book, Teaching Digital Natives: Partnering for Real Learning, reported on interviews from almost 1,000 students after asking them what they wanted from school. The following were consistently shared:

  • They do not want to be lectured to.
  • They want to be respected, to be trusted, and to have their opinions valued and count.
  • They want to follow their own interests and passions.
  • They want to create, using the tools of their time.
  • They want to work with their peers on group work and projects (and prevent slackers from getting a free ride).
  • They want to make decisions and share control.
  • They want to connect with their peers to express and share their opinions, in class and around the world.
  • They want to cooperate and compete with each other.
  • They want an education that is not just relevant, but real (p. 2-3)

These descriptors have many implications for all teachers regardless of content area but are critically important to teachers in career and technical education fields as we focus on college, career, and life readiness. So what is the preferred learning style of these tech savvy youth? The “21st Century Fluency Project” (http://hcsb.k12.fl.us/HCSB/images/stories/PDFs/Schools/eSchool/Attributesofdigitallearners.PDF) identified the following attributes of digital natives. Digital learners prefer:

  • to access information quickly from multiple-media sources.
  • parallel processing and multitasking.
  • processing pictures, sounds, color and video before text.
  • random access to hyper-linked multimedia info.
  • to network simultaneously with others.
  • to learn “just in time”.
  • instant gratification and immediate rewards.
  • learning that’s relevant, active, instantly useful and fun.(p. 5)

Factors to Consider When Implementing Technology

The number of computer programs, apps, websites, and equipment that can be incorporated into the classroom, and the ways in which they can be incorporated into the classroom, is already overwhelming and is continuing to grow daily. Several factors should be carefully considered before choosing a technology to use your classroom. Here are some questions to ask when you are considering implementing technology:

Does It Fit the Standards and Objectives?

This is the most important question to ask when determining whether to use a specific technology in your classroom. The chosen technology should help your students move toward reaching the standards and objectives for the lesson, unit, or course. Using the latest technology just because it is new or because the students really like it is NOT a valid reason for including the technology in your instruction unless it also fits the standards and objectives.

What Financial Costs Are Involved?

Cost is a determining factor within many schools. If funds are limited, you may be able to find grants to fund technology for your classroom, or local community organizations may donate money for new technology. Sometimes specific technology equipment, such as embroidery machines or infant simulators, can be shared between schools within a district, or even between districts or with another community organization. This can help offset the cost of incorporating technology.

Another factor to keep in mind in relation to cost is the cost of additional equipment, repair, and upkeep. You may be able to find funding for the equipment, but it is likely that the costs won’t stop there. Infant simulators may need repair or updating. Tablet computers will most likely need some type of case for protection and will need to have apps purchased and downloaded. Consider from the start how you will be able to finance maintenance, repair, and upgrading of the equipment, and how frequently this will need to occur.

What Is Your School Policy in Relation to This Technology?

It is essential to know your school policy for certain types of technology, such as the use of social media, before incorporating it into your classroom. Schools may also have polices about what types of technology (cell phones, tablets, etc.) students are allowed to bring into and use in the classroom. Visiting with your administrator or technology expert will help you to understand which technology is and is not allowed in the classroom, as well as any preliminary work you should do before incorporating a new technology. For example, if you want to have a class web page, the school may have a certain type they recommend. For some types of technology, you may need to have parent permission in case a student damages or breaks the equipment. Parent permission is sometimes also requested before students are allowed to use social media within the school.

Will You Have Technology Support?

Many schools have information technology (IT) experts, but there are some that do not. Before incorporating technology that may require the assistance of an information technology specialist, check that the IT specialist is familiar with the technology and willing to help you with set-up, troubleshooting and maintenance. Or, you will need to decide if you have the knowledge and skill to set-up, trouble-shoot, and maintain the equipment on your own.

Is There Room to Use and Store the Technology Equipment?

Some items, such as computer programs or tablet apps, don’t take up physical space in your classroom. However, items such as infant simulators need secure storage space, and adding extra sewing machines to your room requires extra work space. Tablet computers may need a secure place for storage and re-charging. Before adding any extra equipment to your classroom, make sure there is ample space to use and store the equipment properly.

Will All Students Be Able to Access the Technology?

Although it may sometimes seem like all students have smart phones, they do not. Even if the school has a “bring your own technology” policy, it does not guarantee that all students will be able to afford the technology to bring to school. You should not rely on all students having a smart phone in class to look up information on the Internet. It is up to the instructor to implement technology to which all students have access. If students are allowed to bring their own technology, pair or group work can help ensure all students have access, or technology can be provided through classroom computers, laptops, or other devices that are capable of accessing the Internet.

Many times students are asked to access the Internet for their homework or to watch a video or lecture before the next day’s class. However, not all students have the ability to access the Internet at home. Even if each student in your school is assigned a tablet, netbook, or laptop computer, there may not be Internet access within their homes. When presenting an assignment that requires the use of the Internet, you may want to mention to the class as a whole that there are resources such as their school library and computer clusters that they may be able to utilize before or after school. Many public libraries also have computers and Internet access available. Some investigation on your part into computer and Internet options within the community can help your students find the resources to be successful in your classroom.

How Much Training Will You Need to Learn the New Technology?

Another consideration in relation to access is whether or not the technology will be available the next time you teach the class. Is the website or app from a reputable company that will continue to update and maintain their website or app? If you do decide to use a more fluid (constantly changing) source of information such as a website, make sure the student materials you create are general enough to adapt to a different website in the future. For example, if you create a worksheet to go along with a website about credit use, check several websites on credit use to see if your worksheet could be used with several websites with only minimal modifications.

If the technology is new to you, you will want to determine how much time and energy it will take for you to learn how to use it. With more complicated programs or pieces of equipment, you will need to

How Much Training Will Students Need to Learn the New Technology?

have a good understanding before expecting your students to use it. Since many of your students may be more skillful and knowledgeable with some types of new technology than you are, you could look into the possibility of a student assistant who can explore the program or app for you, and then teach you how to use it. Another source of training is online tutorials. Many programs or apps, such as Animoto (http://animoto.com/) or Explain Everything (http://www.explaineverything.com/), have online tutorial videos on how to use their product. Often you can also search YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/) for the name of the program and the word “tutorial” to find additional information.

Although students may sometimes seem to know everything about technology, there will undoubtedly be apps, programs, or equipment on which they will need instruction. Make sure that your directions are detailed and the technology is fairly intuitive to reduce the struggles and frustrations students may have with technology. The students should be putting the majority of their time and effort toward reaching the objectives and standards, not in learning to use or using the technology. Again, you need to know the technology before you can teach it to the students. However, a carefully selected group of students can help you with this. If you have a few students who excel with technology, you may decide to “assign” them to learn the technology, and then each teach a small group of their classmates (and you if necessary!) how to use the technology.

Digital Citizenship and Ethics

One of the “NETS Standards for Teachers” (http://www.iste.org/docs/pdfs/nets-t-standards.pdf?sfvrsn=2) is to “promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility.” As teachers we are expected to serve as role models for our students and this is an important element in the use of technology in the classroom. What is digital citizenship? Ribble, Bailey, and Ross (2004), in an article entitled “Digital Citizenship: Addressing Appropriate Technology Behavior” (http://digitalcitizenship.net/uploads/1stLL.pdf), state it simply: digital citizenship “…can be defined as the norms of behavior with regard to technology use” (p. 7). They identified nine general behaviors that they believe make up digital citizenship.

  1. Etiquette: electronic standards of conduct or procedure
  2. Communication: electronic exchange of information
  3. Education: process of teaching and learning about technology and using technology
  4. Access: full electronic participation in society
  5. Commerce: electronic buying and selling of goods
  6. Responsibility: responsibility for actions and deeds in the digital environment
  7. Rights: those freedoms extended to everyone in a digital world
  8. Safety: physical well-being in a digital technology world
  9. Security (self-protection): electronic precautions to guarantee safety (Ribble, et al., 2004, p. 7)

The list of curriculum topics tied to these 9 areas includes netiquette, social media usage, cyber-bullying (using electronic technology to bully others), citing of online sources, evaluating the credibility of web sources, and more. As a result, all teachers need to assume responsibility for teaching students how to be ethical and responsible digital citizens.

Netiquette refers to the rules of etiquette that apply when communicating over computer networks, especially the Internet (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/netiquette). You can learn more by watching the video and taking the quiz at LearnNet (http://www.learnthenet.com/learn-about/netiquette/). Follow netiquette guidelines with all forms of electronic communication and establish netiquette guidelines you expect of students in their online communication as well.

There are many resources available to address topics related to digital citizenship. The following websites provide a wide variety of teaching tools related to digital citizenship:

Citing Sources

As teachers, we must also inform our students how to use technology in an ethical manner as it relates to personal use as well as use in the classroom or at work. Students need to be made aware that once something has been posted, it becomes public and available for anyone to see. Ethical behavior includes using technology and its applications appropriately and in a manner that does not harm others.

The following webpages linked to Dr. Mike Ribble’s website (http://www.digitalcitizenship.net/) provide several resources for teachers on the appropriate use of technology. Here are a few examples:

Teachers need to model citing sources of information as well as expecting this of their students. As you prepare lesson plans, slide presentations, handouts, etc., be sure to give credit to the sources that you use. This not only provides insight regarding the credibility of the information but indicates to students that you practice what you preach.

Teachers in all disciplines need to assist students in identifying credible sources of information as well as paraphrasing, quoting, and citing the information used in their work. Work with your colleagues in the language arts to help you with this. Several online tools are available to assist with citing references; explore the options and assist students in selecting a tool that is accurate and easy to use. The Edutopia (http://www.edutopia.org/) article, “Cite it Right: Online Citation Tools and Formal Citations” (http://www.edutopia.org/cite-it-right-online-citation-tools-and-formal-citations), provides valuable information about using these tools. Here are some examples of the tools available:

Cheating Considerations

Cheating by middle school and high school students is certainly not a new problem. However, technology has created new opportunities for cheating and teachers need to rethink their policies. A 2009 survey by Common Sense Media (http://www.commonsensemedia.org/hi-tech-cheating) found that 35% of high school students admitted to using their cell phones to cheat and over half admitted to using the Internet to cheat. In addition, most of them did not consider these actions as meeting their definition of cheating.

However, technology has also created tools that teachers can use to detect cheating as well. In addition, as family and consumer sciences teachers, we can play a role in teaching the importance of values such as honesty and integrity as it relates to both personal life and work. Stephen Brown, in his article, “Combatting Student Cheating in the Digital Era” (http://www.readperiodicals.com/201002/1994786891.html) provides six tips for combatting cheating in today’s classrooms. These tips are listed below, along with examples generated by this chapter’s authors.

  1. Apply high-tech defenses against high-tech cheating – teachers can use programs such as turnitin (http://turnitin.com/) to detect plagiarism.
  2. Provide a clearer definition of plagiarism and cheating – students need to know what cheating is and why it is wrong.
  3. Spend time on the Internet – be aware of what is available to students.
  4. Avoid assigning generic subjects – avoid a generic topic such as birth defects for a research paper/report, focus on narrower topics such as a specific birth defect assigned to each student in your class; then allow time to work in class and monitor student progress.
  5. Awareness is key – make sure students know that you are aware of modern technology and how you use it and how you know they are using it.
  6. Set clear rules and restrictions – set firm rules and expectations with consequences for violations as needed.

Technology for Planning

Most likely you will be using technology for many parts of your classroom planning. From accessing national standards; to finding appropriate assignments, activities, and assessments; to typing up your lesson plans, technology will play a major role when you are planning to teach in the FCS classroom. In many schools, teachers are required to submit their lesson plans electronically or post them for students and parents to view.

The Internet has made it much easier to access and share lesson plans, activities, assignments, and assessments. However, just because an item is available does not mean it is the best choice for you and your students. It is still important that it fits the standards and objectives for your class, as well as the needs of your students.

There are lesson-planning apps for tablets, such as iPads, that allow you to create, save, print, and email your lesson plans. With some apps, your students can even access what you post such as announcements, presentations and assignments. Schools may have specific computer or tablet programs that you are required to use for lesson submission as well.

Online Resources

The Internet can be a very helpful resource when you are planning a course, unit, or lesson for your FCS classroom. The National FCS Standards (http://nasafacs.org/national-standards–competencies.html) can be accessed to guide you in your curriculum planning. Your state may have its own standards for Family and Consumer Sciences as well and can most likely be found online. As you choose activities and assessments to include in your classroom, websites such as Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy (http://edorigami.wikispaces.com/Bloom%27s+Digital+Taxonomy) can assist you in implementing a variety of thinking skills, as well as give examples of how higher level thinking skills can be incorporated within your classroom. Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy also gives examples of how the different levels of thinking can be demonstrated using assignments or activities which are based on technology.

Curriculum, lessons, activities, games, assignments, and assessments in a variety of FCS-related content areas can all be found online. The Internet can also be used to gather the most current research on a topic, such as nutrition. However, make sure you utilize reputable sites with accurate, unbiased information. Examples of resource websites are listed in the (box/figure). When analyzing items found online for use in your classroom, make sure to read through each item carefully for accuracy and alignment with your standards and objectives. When considering online lesson plans, you will want to make sure you have the equipment, space, time, and conditions necessary. Using lesson plans from the Internet can be a time-saver, but you must make sure the lesson meets the characteristics and needs of your specific class.

 

Creating and Storing Documents

You will most likely use technology frequently to create and store documents. Unit plans and lesson plans that are created and stored electronically have the advantage of being able to be easily revised in following years. If you add your reflections and “ideas for next time” to a lesson plan after teaching the lesson, these electronic documents can be even more helpful in the future. Assignments and tests are examples of other documents that you will most likely create and store electronically. Password protect your files to deter students from accessing them.

Make sure to back up your documents and keep a hard copy. By having just a single electronic copy of your documents, you run the risk of losing all of your documents and having to create all of your units, lessons, assignments, and tests again from scratch. It may take a small amount of time to back up your documents, but it is a very wise investment. As well as saving documents on your local computer, there is also the option of saving to a removable drive. This drive is easy to transport if you teach in several classrooms or if you want to take your documents home to work on them on a different computer. A third option is cloud storage, such as Dropbox (https://www.dropbox.com/) or Google Drive (https://drive.google.com). Cloud storage can be accessed from almost any computer, tablet, or even cell phone. If you choose to use cloud storage, make sure it is a secure site and that your documents are password protected.

Just as important as backing up your files is having a logical organization system for your electronic files. It can be very frustrating when you have created an effective assignment in the past but can’t remember what you named it or where you saved it. When saving lesson plans, you may want to name the file with the class and topic rather than the date. It is easier to identify the content of a document titled “FCS I checkbook basics” rather than “FCS I lesson 3.” It may also be helpful to name an assignment or test with the exact name of the assignment or test so that if you have a hard copy of the document, you will know exactly how to locate an electronic copy of it. It will be helpful to have an electronic folder for each class. Within that folder, you can create a sub-folder for each unit and maybe even a folder within the sub-folders for each lesson. However you choose to organize your files, they need to be organized in a way that will let you easily find materials in the future.

Links:

Technology for Presenting Information

As well as using technology for planning, you will most likely use technology when presenting information within the FCS classroom. Technology has allowed information presentations to include a variety of visual, auditory, and even kinesthetic elements. Students may be more likely to become engaged with a presentation that includes a variety of the media elements that are so often a large part of their non-school lives. Additionally, presentations that include a combination of written, audio, and visual materials have a greater chance of reaching different types of learners.

Traditional notes or other information can be presented using presentation software such as PowerPoint (http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/powerpoint/) or Prezi (http://prezi.com/). These presentations can be modified to include animation and other visual and auditory effects. If each student has access to a laptop or tablet, there is the added benefit of students being able to proceed through the presentation at their own pace or to review parts or all of a presentation. If the presentation will be projected onto a screen, use a large font and colors that contrast with each other so text is easy to read. You may want to perform a trial projection before showing the presentation to students so you know how it will look when projected and can make adjustments. You can also use this trial to make sure any embedded links or animations are working correctly. iPads can be connected to a digital projector through a cable or through the use of an Apple TV device. Another option, if necessary, is to place the tablet on a document camera to project the screen. You can use any of these methods to visually present whatever you have on your iPad screen, but the only one that will also transfer audio is the Apple TV device.

Document cameras can be helpful to demonstrate a manual task, such as the correct procedure for reconciling a checking account. A document camera consists of a video camera with a display area directly below the camera. When the document camera is hooked up to almost any type of projector, the projector will display the live action that the document camera is capturing. The document camera is especially helpful when showing an intricate process such as sewing on a button or demonstrating a precise culinary skill. If your document camera is connected to a computer, you can also take pictures and record audio and video.

Videos have long been utilized in the FCS classroom. Today’s technology allows the FCS teacher to choose up-to-date videos that are directly related to class standards and objectives. The availability of video clips, as well as software that will allow you to select only a portion of a video, allows FCS teachers to choose only the segments of a video that are directly relevant to the class, thus saving valuable class time. Two potential places to search for videos include TeacherTube (http://www.teachertube.com/) and YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/). TED (http://www.ted.com/) has speeches on a variety of topics. You can also type the subject you are searching for and “video” into a browser to find other options. Most network television stations also have full length episodes or clips of episodes of their current programs. Showing a clip from a current television program, such as one in which a teenager is dealing with the possibility of pregnancy, can be an excellent discussion starter in a child development or family living classroom. Another example of a type of online video you may use in the FCS classroom is a cooking show or demonstration. As well as observing certain techniques, students can be asked to assess the presenter for proper safety and sanitation procedures. As with any video, make sure you preview the video in its entirety before showing to your class. Also, check your school policies to see if you will have access to YouTube or other online videos within the school. If access is not allowed within the school, you may be able to download some videos at home or another location onto a portable drive and use the downloaded version in class.

You can also create a variety of audio and video presentations for use in class. One video tool, Animoto (http://animoto.com/), allows you to use photos, video clips, and words to create a slideshow. You might use it to create a slide show from photos and video clips from the previous year’s FCCLA activities to promote the organization during your fall membership drive. Tutorials can be created with video and audio recorders such as Jing (http://www.techsmith.com/jing.html) and Snagit (http://www.techsmith.com/snagit.html). With these programs, you can record actions on your computer screen while recording your voice. For example, if you wish to create a tutorial on how to use a specific computer program on tracking your food intake, you can record the process as you go through it on your computer while giving verbal directions. This can be helpful for students who missed class or who may need to see the instructions a second time. Demonstrations, such as properly installing a child’s car seat, can also be recorded with a video camera to show to the entire class or for students to access on their own as needed. If you wish to create audio message for your students to access, you could use a program such as VoiceThread (http://voicethread.com/). With Voki (http://www.voki.com/), you can create your own avatar to relate audio messages to your students. One use for this may be an audio message of assignment instructions which a substitute teacher could show on a day when you will not be in class. Such messages concerning major assignments can also be posted electronically for students to access in case they have questions later about the assignment.

Technology can be used to take your class on virtual field trips. For example, if you would like to give your students a view of the textile industry but you do not have a clothing factory nearby, you can type “clothing factory virtual tour” into a web browser and find several options of virtual tours of clothing factories. Virtual tours can save time and money, but keep in mind that they are most likely produced by the actual company, and the company may give a biased view.

Virtual guest speakers can visit your class via video call programs such as Skype (http://www.skype.com/en/), Facetime (http://www.apple.com/ios/facetime/), or Oovoo (http://www.oovoo.com/home.aspx). If you make connections with a professional who lives a distance away, or is otherwise unable to physically come into your classroom, you could ask if the professional would be willing to be a virtual guest speaker. The speaker may prefer that you have a web camera in your own room as well so he or she can see your students. As with any guest speaker, you should prepare your students ahead of time and help them develop questions to ask of the speaker. Depending on the video call program you use, you may even be able to record audio and video during the call and post for students who were absent to view.

Technology can also be used to present information to students through an online set of resources. Pinterest (http://pinterest.com/) could be used to collect ideas for ideas safe homemade children’s toys, for finance tips, for recipes, for collecting consumer information for a specific product, or for virtually any other topic. LiveBinders (http://www.livebinders.com/) allows you to create a collection of links to websites. If you have specific websites about the nutritional content of food which you would like your students to view, this program would be helpful. Documents can also be shared with students through cloud storage, such as Dropbox (https://www.dropbox.com/) or Google Drive (https://drive.google.com).

 

Student Use of Technology

As we integrate the use of technology in our teaching, students will be using technology on a daily basis in our classrooms. Some of the same tools mentioned in the previous section may also be used by students. There is a multitude of ways that students might use technology.

The World Wide Web is the “go to” source of information for today’s digital natives. Therefore, students will be using the Internet to find answers to questions and for research on a given topic. However, both teachers and students must critically evaluate websites to determine if the information provided is accurate and reliable. One strategy that you might use with students is the CRAAP test. The CRAAP test is a list of questions to help you evaluate information. CRAAP represents – Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose. The questions related to each component can be found at several sources online. Here are links to two of them: “Evaluating Information – Applying the CRAAP test” (http://www.csuchico.edu/lins/handouts/eval_websites.pdf) and “The CRAAP Test Worksheet” (http://www.juniata.edu/services/library/instruction/handouts/craap_worksheet.pdf).

Once students develop the habit of evaluating websites using the CRAAP criteria, the Internet can be a great tool for classroom research, especially on topics that are frequently changing, such as nutrition information/research and prices of consumer goods. When planning a project or activity where students will use the Internet, you need to decide how much guidance you will provide. Selecting a few reliable websites and providing links to those sites for students reduces “surfing” and focuses students on the task at hand. You might also decide to teach a lesson on using the Internet for research. This lesson plan, “Wading Through the Web: Teaching Internet Research Strategies” (http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/wading-through-teaching-internet-983.html?tab=4#tabs), was developed by the International Reading Association to assist teachers with this topic.

Electronic Textbooks

E-Texts are also becoming more popular. They are often more affordable than print texts and, in some cases, are interactive, providing links to other sources of information, definitions of terms, etc. Currently, many of these electronic texts are simply a digital version of the printed textbook. Davy (2007) proposes that the conversion of a paper textbook into digital format does not improve learning. If you are choosing an e-text, you may want to review a list of criteria for selection developed by Marczak (2012) in the article, “Selecting an E-(text)Book: Evaluation Criteria” (http://www.tewtjournal.org/VOL%2013/ISSUE%201/ARTICLE3.pdf).

Note-Taking and Concept Mapping

There are numerous computer applications for note-taking. These apps allow students not only to take notes on a topic but to bookmark sites, save pictures, collaborate with others and more. There are many computer and tablet note-taking tools available, including Evernote (http://evernote.com/evernote/), Google Drive (https://drive.google.com), Simple Note (http://simplenote.com/), Notability (http://www.gingerlabs.com/), and the list goes on. Wikipedia has created a chart (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_notetaking_software) comparing the capabilities of these apps. Explore these tools and encourage your students to use them.

Another area where technology tools are very beneficial is using concept mapping. A concept map is a visual representation of relationships between topics or ideas. Concept mapping tools can be used for brainstorming activities and/or in linking related aspects of a given topic. Here again, there are many tools available, and these are just a sample.

 

Class Interaction

Interactive technology for the classroom is rapidly growing; this allows teacher and students to annotate and interact with material. This includes interactive white boards, games, iPads connected with a television, and polling/response tools. With these tools, the teacher can collaborate with the class and/or class members can collaborate with each other. A key consideration is using these tools appropriately to enhance the content and researching the purchase to determine what tools will work best for you.

More and more schools are providing notebook or tablet computers for all students. As professionals in education, you will need to keep informed on how to integrate technology effectively in this one-on-one format. In addition, the concept of BYOD, Bring Your Own Device, is currently being discussed as a means of utilizing technology with students. Your involvement in ongoing professional development in the use of new and emerging technologies for educational purposes will be essential.

Drill and Practice

Drill and practice refers to acquiring knowledge and skills through repetitive practice. This instructional strategy helps student mastery by allowing them to work at their own pace and to get immediate feedback to their responses Flash cards and games are examples of this type of strategy. With technology, teachers can create their own drill and practice activities using tools such as Quizlet (http://quizlet.com/), and Quia (http://www.quia.com/), as well as iPad apps like Peek (http://evernote.com/peek/), and Flashcardlet (http://quizlet.com/). Game templates such as Jeopardy and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire are also popular and are available at numerous online sites.

Simulations and Games

Games and simulations have potential to develop curiosity and motivation, promote cooperation, understanding, and self-discovery (Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, 2005; McGonigal, 2011). They can also help reduce costs for schools by reducing the expenses of labs.

Family and consumer sciences programs have used infant simulators for many years and there are now curriculum materials available to assist teachers with using them in their classes. Simulations are also discussed in this chapter in the Using Technology for Assessment section. Examples of simulations include:

Creation of Products

Project-based learning leading to an end product has long been a part of the family and consumer sciences curriculum. Technology provides numerous tools that can assist both teachers and students in the creation of these products. Research papers, presentations, brochures, newsletters, posters, videos, portfolios, photos from digital cameras, podcasts, digital storytelling, timelines, products made by embroidery machines, blogs (online sharing of information) and wikis (online collaborative documents), infographics, etc. can all be created by students. However, teachers must choose tools wisely and provide guidelines on effectiveness of the chosen tool in the development of project-based experiences.

How do you know what tools to use? Consider your curriculum standards and the learning goals and objectives for your students. “Finding the Right Tool” (http://webtools4u2use.wikispaces. com/Finding+the+Right+Tool) depends on several factors. Once you have decided which tools would be most effective for you, begin to develop a “tool kit” that includes the tools that will help you and your students meet the course standards and objectives. Tools should not be chosen for the “cool” factor – they must be suited to student learning outcomes. Your tool kit can be created using technology – wikis or LiveBinders (http://www.livebinders.com/) are examples that you could use to save and share the tools that support your curriculum goals. Take time to explore and reflect before choosing each tool. “21st Century Teacher’s TechToolBox” (http://www.livebinders.com/play/play?id=580153) is an example of a tool box created by a teacher and shared publicly on LiveBinders. Other examples of collections of technology tools include:

Posters and other visual representations can be created by a variety of programs and apps. Glogster (http://www.glogster.com/) can be used to create multimedia posters that can be viewed online or printed. Students can create word clouds (visual representations of word usage, with more important or more frequently used words appearing larger) using Tagexdo (http://www.tagxedo.com/), Tagul (http://tagul.com/), or Wordle (http://www.wordle.net/). Students could create word clouds of the characteristics of an effective team member. They could also use Animoto (http://animoto.com/) to document their progress on a project. If your students have access to tablets, they can use the Explain Everything (http://www.explaineverything.com/) app to create a slide show of photos they have taken of various housing styles and the Grafio (http://www.explaineverything.com/) app to create a diagram or a concept map of dealing with kitchen accidents.

An infographic is a visualization of data or ideas that tries to convey complex information to an audience in a manner that can be quickly consumed and easily understood (Simiciklas, 2012). The power of infographics comes from using pictures to communicate and connect with the audience and since many of our students are visual learners, this tool can be very beneficial in the family and consumer sciences classroom.

Jeff Dunn (2013) at Edudemic provides guidelines as to why you might want to make an infographic:

  • For a blog or website where you want to display visually-engaging information and grab the attention of your readers.
  • To grab the attention of students by boiling down theories and content into key concepts that can inspire more in-depth learning.
  • As a student who wants to demonstrate your understanding of concepts by analyzing, processing and then remixing it all into an infographic.
  • As a teacher who wants to get students engaged and doing new projects.

There are many tools available for creating infographics, including Piktochart (http://piktochart.com/), Easel.ly (http://www.easel.ly/), Visual.ly (http://visual.ly/), and Infogr.am (https://infogr.am/login). One example of students creating an infographic would be an assignment in which the students investigate teens participating in risky behaviors. The students would conduct an environmental scan using the Internet, newspapers, teen magazines, etc., on the risky behavior that they have chosen and choose three or more sources of information. Use this information to create an infographic which includes:

  1. Definition or description of the risk taking behavior
  2. What are the warning signs to watch for?
  3. Factors contributing to or causes this type of behavior
  4. What can we do as caring adults? As FACS educators?
  5. A reference list of the resources used following APA format.

Another great visual representation tool is the use of a timeline. Students can create personal timelines or timelines of historical events such as the history of FCCLA or of the profession of family and consumer sciences using online timeline makers. They could also create a timeline of housing styles across history. Most of the timeline tools allow the user to insert videos and photos as well as text. Free or inexpensive timeline tools include Timetoast (http://www.timetoast.com/), Capzles (http://www.capzles.com/), OurStory (http://www.ourstory.com/), and Meograph (http://www.meograph.com/education). Review these tools and others to determine what works best for the intended purpose.

Social bookmarking sites can be used by students to collect and display information. Examples of social bookmarking sites include Pinterest (http://pinterest.com/), PortaPortal (http://www.portaportal.com/index.php), Delicious (http://delicious.com), Diigo (https://www.diigo.com/), or LiveBinders (http://ww.livebiwnders.com/). Students could create a Pinterest board of recipes for persons with a specific nutritional concern, or could use Diigo to collect websites on financial literacy and attach notes to the saved websites with digital sticky notes.

Collaboration and Document Sharing Between Students

Online collaboration tools allow students to work together synchronously (at the same time) or asychronously (at different times) in the same or different locations. Tools such as Google Drive (https://drive.google.com) and Dropbox (https://www.dropbox.com/) can be used to collaboratively create documents and presentations. Resources can be shared through Lino (http://en.linoit.com/), LiveBinders (http://www.livebinders.com/), and wikispaces (http://www.wikispaces.com/). These tools allow your students to communicate with others, plan, get feedback, and/or organize projects with others. There are also tools that allow for collaboration and may serve as a class website such as Edmodo (https://www.edmodo.com/).

Social Media

“Social networking sites” is an umbrella term used for social media and includes but is not limited to Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/), Twitter (https://twitter.com/), Linkedin (http://www.linkedin.com/), and Myspace (https://myspace.com/). Social media refers to Internet based technologies that allow more free flowing communication among its users (Taylor, King & Nelson, 2012). A Mashable (http://mashable.com/) article titled “The Case for Social Media in Schools” (http://mashable.com/2010/09/29/social-media-in-school/) details several reasons for using social networking in the classroom. While these tools can be used effectively in the classroom, teachers must recognize how to use them appropriately and teach their students how to use them appropriately as well.

 

Technology for Assessment

Assessment is constantly taking place in the FCS classroom, and is taking place in many forms. One class period may include informal and formal assessment, and both formative and summative assessment. Please see the chapter on assessment for further information on types of assessment.

Technology can be used in several ways as part of informal, formative assessment. One example is personal response devices (sometimes called clickers), which can be used for students to anonymously respond to a question. Each student has a device and individually enters his or her answer. The responses are gathered and displayed, and the instructor can assess whether the students have grasped the concept. This can be done in the classroom for immediate feedback to the students as a group, or answers can be analyzed for individual students at a later time. Polling can also be done through Poll Everywhere (http://www.polleverywhere.com/), which allows persons to create and participate in polls using a computer, a tablet, or a cell phone. As another example, iPads or other tablets can be used as individual whiteboards in which students can write responses to questions, and then can hold them up for the teacher to see and check responses.

Technology can also be used as part of more formal assessments. Simple examples of this would be using online quizzes as formative assessment, and online tests as summative assessment. Depending on the online assessment program, students can be given immediate feedback on their performance. Some programs may also allow students to answer additional questions related to ones they answered incorrectly to improve their scores. Googledrive (https://drive.google.com) and Survey Monkey (https://www.surveymonkey.com/) are two examples of programs that can be used to create online quizzes or tests.

Several simulations could also be used as assessments within the FCS classroom. There are online simulations in which students virtually make “real life choices” such as choosing a career and making housing and transportation decisions. One free example, from the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, of this is Moneyville: GetReal–OMSI (https://www.omsi.edu/exhibits/moneyville/activities/getreal/getreal.htm). There are also simulations available for purchase, such as The Get Real Game (http://www.realgame.org/assets/flash/GRG2_demo.htm).

Technology can be used in the assessment of assignments as well. There are several rubric-creation websites, such as Rubistar (http://rubistar.4teachers.org/), as well as rubric-creation apps for tablets. When using these assessment tools, make sure that you are creating or choosing criteria that match your standards and objectives for the lesson or unit.

Technology for Management and Communication

Most schools have adopted technology applications for routine classroom management activities including attendance, lunch count, grading, etc. You will need to take time to familiarize yourself with the system used by the school district where you are employed and follow the established guidelines.

Communicating with Administration and Parents

Communication between teachers and schools fosters parental involvement, increases academic success (Epstein, 2005), and improves student behavior (Constantino, 2003; Fehrmann, Keith, & Reimers, 1987; Hoover-Dempsey et al., 2005; Keith, et al., 1998). Technology has increased the means by which parents and teachers can communicate using email, texting, videoconferencing, etc. One advantage of using these tools is the asynchronous nature that allows for parents and teachers to communicate without having to be available at the same time and/or at the same location. However, teachers need to remember that some parents still lack access to these tools. The use of netiquette guidelines in all forms of digital communication is critical.

Scheduling and Hosting Meetings

Technology is convenient for scheduling meetings using tools such as Doodle (http://doodle.com); meetings can be both scheduled and hosted with GotoMeeting (http://www.gotomeeting.com), and MightyBell (https://mightybell.com/) can be used for planning a meeting or creating communities of professionals to share ideas and interests. They also can be used to hold a conversation with a parent or with a home-bound student. An advisory board member who could not otherwise attend a meeting may be able to attend virtually. Other programs that can be used for virtual meetings include Skype (http://www.skype.com/en/), Facetime (http://www.apple.com/ios/facetime/), and Oovoo (http://www.oovoo.com/home.aspx).

Class Website

A class website is another important way for you to communicate not only with parents and students but with the general public as well. The website provides a means of sharing content standards, goals and objectives of each class, class policies and procedures, your bio and contact information, weekly schedules, upcoming deadlines, class calendar, links etc. Photos may also be shared if you have obtained parental permission for posting. Be sure to check with school administration for guidelines related to teacher webpages. Schools may host a parent portal with passwords needed for access to create an environment where information remains private and not accessible by the general public.

Resources for Creating a Class Website

Technology for Professionalism

Collaboration With Other Teachers and Professionals

Technology has increased the opportunities for teachers to collaborate and share with other professionals at local, state, national and international levels. Many states have a listserv (email list that goes out to a specific group of people, such as all FCS teachers in the state) or designated web space where teachers can share ideas, ask questions and work together. Blogs such as FACS Alive (http://www.facsalive.com/) and the Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher blog created by the Curriculum Center for Family and Consumer Sciences at Texas Tech University (http://ccfcs.org/mentor/) are additional outlets for sharing and collaboration.

Recently teachers are becoming more involved in using tools such as Pinterest (http://pinterest.com/) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/) group pages for posting and sharing resources. You will need to carefully consider the credibility of each of these tools, possibly using the CRAAP test discussed earlier in this chapter.

Professional Development

Webinars, online courses and modules are available to provide teachers with continuing professional development in both content area and in the effective use of technology. This allows teachers across the country to work with leaders in the field of education and technology to improve teaching and learning. Technology provides an opportunity for networking with other professionals through platforms such as LinkedIn (http://www.linkedin.com/) and Google+ (https://www.google.com/intl/en/+/learnmore/index.html).

The American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS) offers webinars (http://www.aafcs.org/DevelopmentCenter/Webinars.asp) in the content areas of family and consumer sciences as well as sessions on association leadership and involvement; they are offered to all FCS professionals but are available at a reduced rate for members. The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE®) (http://www.iste.org/learn/professional-development) offers webinars, online courses, custom professional learning, consulting services and graduate certificates to assist teachers in the use of technology. The Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) (https://www.acteonline.org/erc/) also has an Educator Resource Center.

Promotion of Your Program and Profession

AAFCS coordinated the development of tools to assist family and consumer sciences teachers to promote their programs. This branding initiative (http://www.aafcs.org/AboutUs/FCSbrand.asp) is an effort to increase the understanding and appreciation of the field among media, legislators, and the general public. There are many products with the logo, such as window decals, notepads, and t-shirts, that can be purchased by all family and consumer sciences teachers. An icon representing the profession is available for AAFCS members to post on their website or Facebook page, or to use as an email signature. Letterheads are also available for members.

In addition, you may want to develop materials using some of the tools discussed and linked in this chapter, such as blogs, to promote your program at the local level with administrators, parents, students and the general public.

Personal Online Presence

As professionals in the public eye, teachers also need to be aware of their digital presence. Under a new set of social media guidelines (http://schools.nyc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/BCF47CED-604B-4FDD-B752-DC2D81504478/0/DOESocialMediaGuidelines20120430.pdf) issued by the New York City Department of Education, teachers in New York City are required to obtain a supervisor’s approval before creating a professional social media presence, which is broadly defined as

“a work-related social media activity that is either school-based (e.g., a DOE principal establishing a Facebook page for his/her school or a DOE teacher establishing a blog for his/her class), or non-school-based (e.g., a DOE office establishing a Facebook page to facilitate the office’s administration of a Chancellor’s Regulation)” (Definition of Social Media section, para. 2).

Whether or not it is required by your school district, teachers are encouraged to establish a professional digital presence or digital footprint separate from a personal presence – using separate email accounts, creating a teacher website, etc. As a teacher candidate, you should take the time to “Discover what your digital footprint says about you” (http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com/2011/08/discover-what-your-digital-footprint.html). This linked blog post provides a list of things to do to explore your digital presence. Always keep in mind that everything you post or your “friends” post about you is accessible to students, parents and employers.

 

FCCLA and Technology

Technology is also an increasingly valuable tool when advising an FCCLA chapter, from individual STAR Event projects, to planning chapter events, to learning more about the speakers at the FCCLA National Leadership Conference. With busy student and teacher schedules, you may find it easier to communicate with your chapter members using technology. Some advisers create Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/) group pages to display pictures of their chapter service activity, others may use Twitter (https://twitter.com/) to communicate with members about the agenda for an upcoming meeting, some may create Pinterest (http://pinterest.com/) boards to gather ideas for fundraising, and still others may use texting to keep track of their members at state, regional, or national meetings. You may even decide to conduct virtual meetings with your members. There are also advisers who have very valid reasons for choosing not to use social media with their FCCLA members.

If you do use some form of social media to communicate with your members, it is essential to make sure you are just as professional online as you are in the classroom. You could set up new accounts for yourself that are only used for professional communication, not personal communication. This can also be an opportunity to teach your FCCLA members about creating their own professional online presence. You could encourage them to set up separate “professional” accounts as well, as they may not feel comfortable with you seeing some of their social media communications with their friends. Another consideration is that some of your members may have their own smart phone, while others have limited access to any type of technology. You will need to make sure that you communicate with members in ways that everyone can access. Additionally, check your school policies on social media before using it to communicate with chapter members.

Technology can be incorporated into many STAR Events. Documents (such as Planning Process sheets) and presentations (such as Power Point) will most likely be created electronically. For projects which include displays or manuals, digital photos may be taken, cropped, labeled, and printed electronically. There are some STAR Events that are based on technology, such as Applied Technology. Others, such as Digital Stories for Change and Virtual Poster, are even submitted and evaluated online. Small groups working on a STAR Event may find it helpful to collaborate on a shared document using cloud storage such as Dropbox (https://www.dropbox.com/) or Google Drive (https://drive.google.com). When using cloud storage, any member of the group can make a change to a document, and the document will display those changes when any of the other members access it. This way they are working on just one version of one document. Not all students have Internet access, so encourage the group to make sure they are using technology that all group members can access.

 

Links:

Online Learning

Project Tomorrow® (http://www.tomorrow.org/), a national education nonprofit organization, conducts an annual survey focused on digital learning in school districts across the United States. According to the 2012 results,

  • 43% – Percent of district administrators are now offering a variety of online courses to meet diverse student needs
  • 60% – Percent of flipped learning teachers believe online learning motivates students more
  • 89% – Percent of parents want their child in a class where mobile devices are used
  • Administrators now value online tools for teacher learning opportunities in addition to student learning
  • Parents who have taken an online class for work expect their children to have access to similar learning opportunities
  • Students see online learning as a more personal, controlled learning process

Online learning provides accessibility for home schooled students and students with health issues that limit their ability to physically attend school. It also allows schools to offer courses such as Advanced Placement (AP) courses or electives such as family and consumer sciences courses that they might otherwise not be able to provide. Moodle (https://moodle.org/) is an example of a free platform for supporting online learning.

Virtual schools are now available in most states across the U.S. Teaching at a distance requires a unique skill set and if your teacher education program does not provide training in this area, you might consider completing webinars or participating in professional development opportunities to prepare you for teaching online. The National Education Association provides a “Guide to Teaching Online Courses” (http://www.nea.org/assets/docs/onlineteachguide.pdf).

 

Summary

Technology is advancing at a very rapid pace, and the youth of this country will continue to interact with it on a daily basis. It is our responsibility as educators to keep abreast of new technologies and learn how to use them effectively with the learners of today and tomorrow. Our students will expect it and demand it.

It is important to continue to include new technology that is relative to the lives of our students into the classroom, but it is also important that the technology is used to help reach class objectives and standards. Technology should not be used just because we can or because it is fun or entertaining; we need to remain focused on student learning outcomes and choosing effective tools to enhance our teaching and encourage student learning.

 

Check for Understanding

  1. Develop a lesson plan dealing with an issue related to digital citizenship that you could use with middle or high school students. Possible topics for your lesson plan include: plagiarism, netiquette, online safety, cyberbullying, cybercheating, cybercrime, social networking safety, protecting your identity online, protecting your digital footprint, etc.
  2. Develop a set of netiquette guidelines/guidelines for using technology that you would use with your students as they complete web-based assignments or participate in discussion boards as a part of your classes.
  3. Create a Power Point or a Prezi presentation to introduce yourself to a future class. Keep in mind that you are presenting your professional self.
  4. Use a rubric-creation website or app to create a rubric for a student project.
  5. Choose Pinterest http://pinterest.com/, PortaPortal http://www.portaportal.com/index.php, or LiveBinders http://www.livebinders.com/ as an electronic filing system and develop a personal filing system following the guidelines for your content area. With LiveBinders, you can upload word documents, pdf files and jpeg files. The site also provides tutorials to assist you. All resources chosen should be from valid and credible sources of information appropriate for classroom use. Using the content areas from the national and state standards for family and consumer sciences and the career clusters relevant to FCS curriculum, develop a “starter” file containing items/artifacts appropriate for use or adaptation in the classroom in your assigned “folder.” These items/artifacts should include websites, uploaded documents, videos, pictures, etc. Develop a separate file for FCCLA. You may want to include a separate folder titled “other” for items of interest related to general education, cartoons, poems, quotes, etc. that are appropriate for FCS content.
  6. Create a free account at Delicious http://delicious.com or PortaPortal http://www.portaportal.com/index.php. Choose one of the following scenarios and then locate three websites to add to your social bookmarking site that you would provide for your students to use to complete the assignment. Add these sites and a brief description of each to your pages. Scenarios:
  7. You want the students in your Parenting class to research birth defects; you have students draw a birth defect that they will report on. Choose a specific birth defect that you would include and add three websites that you would share with students to research this birth defect.
  8. You want the students in your Nutrition and Wellness course to develop a list of food safety guidelines appropriate for the home kitchen. Identify three websites appropriate for students to use.
  9. You have planned an assignment for students in your Careers class to write a resume and cover letter. Find three websites that you might refer to your students to assist them in completing this assignment.

References

Constantino, S. (2003). Emerging families. Lanham: Scarecrow Press, Inc.

Davy, T. (2007). E-Textbooks: Opportunities, innovations, distractions and dilemmas. Serials, 20(2), 98-102.

Dunn, J. (2013). 70 tools and 4 reasons to make your own infographics. Retrieved from: http://www.edudemic.com/70-tools-and-4-reasons-to-make-your-own-infographics/

Epstein, J. L. (2005). A case study of the partnership schools Comprehensive School Reform (CSR) Model. The Elementary School Journal, 106(2), 151-171.

Fehrmann, P. G., Keith,T. Z., & Reimers, T. M. (1987). Home influence on school learning: Direct and indirect effects of parental involvement on high school grades. Journal of Educational Research, 8(6), 330-337.

Hoover-Dempsey, K. V., Walker, J. M. T., Sandler, H. M., Whetsel, D., Green, C. L., Wilkins, A. S., & Closson, K. (2005). Why do parents become involved? Research findings and implications. The Elementary School Journal, 106(2), 105-131.

International Society for Technology in Education. (ISTE). (2012). NETS. Retrieved from: http://www.iste.org/standards

Jukes, I., McCain, T., & Crockett, L. (2010). Understanding the digital generation: Teaching and learning in the new digital landscape. 21st Century Fluency Project Inc.; Vancouver, BC Canada.

Keith, T. Z., Keith, P. B., Quirk, K. J., Sperduto, J., Santillo, S., & Killings, S. (1998). Longitudinal effects of parental involvement on high school grades: Similarities and differences across gender and ethnic groups. Journal of School Psychology, 36(3), 335-363.

Manley, K., Sweaney, A., & Valente, J. (2000). Internet usage among family and consumer sciences education professionals. Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences 18(2), 24-31. Retrieved from http://www.natefacs.org/JFCSE/v18no2/v18no2Manley.pdf

McGonigal, J. (2011). Reality is broken: Why games make us better and how they can change the world. USA: Penguin.

Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory. (2005). Researched based strategies: Simulations and games: Focus on effectiveness. Retrieved from http://www.netc.org/focus/strategies/simu.php

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants. On the Horizon, MCB University Press, 9(5) 1-6. Retrieved from http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf

Prensky, M. (2010). Teaching digital natives: Partnering for real learning. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

Project Tomorrow. (2013). Speak up 2012 national findings k-12 research. Retrieved from http://www.tomorrow.org/

Ribble, M. S., Bailey, G. D., & Ross, T. W. (2004). Digital citizenship: Addressing appropriate technology behavior. Learning and Leading with Technology, 32(1), 7-11. Retrieved from http://digitalcitizenship.net/uploads/1stLL.pdf

Smiciklas, M. (2012) The power of infographics: Using pictures to communicate and connect with your audiences. Indianapolis, IN: Pearson Education.

The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. (2010). Daily media use among children and teens up dramatically from five years ago. Retrieved from: http://kff.org/disparities-policy/press-release/daily-media-use-among-children-and-teens-up-dramatically-from-five-years-ago/

About the Authors

Dr. Debra DeBates is an emeritus faculty member at South Dakota State University. Dr. DeBates has taught both undergraudate and graduate courses in Family and Consumer Sciences and is an instructor in the Great Plains Interactive Distance Education Alliance. debra.debates@sdsu.edu

Dr. Mari Borr is an Associate Professor in Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher Education and Associate Dean for Online Programs in the College of Human Development and Education at North Dakota State University. Dr. Borr has taught undergraduate and graduate courses in philosophy and history of Career and Technical Education, Extension education, leadership and presentation techniques, housing education and issues, advising FCCLA, methods of teaching FCS, adolescent development, curriculum development, and teaching FCS with technology. Her research focuses include the use of technology in the classroom and incorporation of core academics into CTE courses. mari.borr@ndsu.edu

License

Teaching Family and Consumer Sciences in the 21st Century Copyright © by Amanda K. Holland and Karen L. Alexander. All Rights Reserved.

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