Student and teacher outcomes of a family and consumer science experiential curriculum delivered in a traveling trunk: A mixed methods study

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2013-05

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Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) Education prepares students for family life, work life and learning through real-life experiences, while providing possibilities to develop the knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviors to be successful in a changing, competitive, global environment (Redick, 1995). The purpose of this study was to examine if experiential curriculum delivered in a traveling trunk about a social issue changed student learning when experienced teachers facilitate learning. The embedded mixed method study collected quantitative and qualitative data in the form of pre/post testing to measure student learning. The trunk delivery method was used as the intervention to distinguish if improvements in the learning are dependent on the delivery method. The learning experience was explored with observations and teacher interviews to look at the relationships between teacher and student interactions with the trunk curriculum, teacher experience and student learning.
This study showed learning gains occurred when experiential curriculum focused on global hunger was facilitated by experienced teachers, and delivered in a traveling trunk. The study conducted in three schools in West Texas in six FCS classrooms, (N=58) showed that active learning about social issues engages students. Paired t-tests revealed a significant difference in learning for the experimental group, (n=34) at the p < .05 level when comparing their answers on the pre-test about hunger with their answers on the posttest following the curriculum experience. Qualitative findings suggest an enriched learning experience with benefits including student interest and curiosity, prepackaged curricula, development of process skills, and the topic of a social issue.

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