COMPETENCIES PERCEIVED BY MARYLAND HOME ECONOMICS PARENTHOOD EDUCATORS AS NECESSARY TO TEACH PARENTHOOD EDUCATION

Abstract

Competencies Perceived by Maryland Home Economics Parenthood Educators as Necessary to Teach Parenthood Education. Barbara Shipley Cober, Master's. Hood College, Frederick, Maryland, 1979. This study attempted to determine how prepared home economics teachers are to teach parenthood education by identifying and validating for Maryland the competencies home economists need to teach parenthood education. A three-part questionnaire was developed to collect data on the competencies perceived as necessary for parenthood educators, desirable academic preparation and personal qualities, and background and concerns of the participants. The population consisted of 140 female home economics parenthood educators in Maryland public secondary schools in the spring of 1979. A random sample of 70 was chosen for this study. The data were collected from 50 of the identified sample through the use of a mailed questionnaire. The data were analyzed using statistical analysis to obtain frequencies, percentages, means, standard deviations, and correlation coefficients. The majority of the respondents were certified in Home Economics-Consumer and Homemaking Education. The mean for years teaching home economics was 9.4, while the mean for years teaching parenthood education was 6.3. Over 50 percent of the respondents had taken courses beyond the undergraduate degree in areas related to parenthood education and family life. Home economics parenthood education was taught most frequently by these teachers in a child development laboratory setting in a course entitled Child Growth and Development. A majority of the respondents desired further assistance, mainly in the area of curriculum materials. All 28 competencies in the area of human development and family in the publication, Competencies for Home Economics Teachers, were perceived as necessary for teaching parenthood education. Seven competencies were seen by 50 percent of the respondents as those that can be acquired while teaching parenthood education. The subject matter areas of human growth and development and human relationships were seen as most valuable in preparing the home economics parenthood educator. From a list of nine personal qualities, emotional security was seen as the most desirable. Memberships in American Home Economics Association and National Council on Family Relations were most frequently selected from a list of five professional organizations as desirable association involvement for the home economics parenthood educator.