Consumers are increasingly willing to pay more for sustainably produced goods, yet many find these alternatives too costly and less effective. The fashion industry struggles to balance sustainability and performance, particularly in textiles, where synthetic fibers dominate. Education is key to informed consumer choices, and biomaterials, like…

Household food waste (HFW) presents a global sustainability challenge, significantly impacting the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Particularly, HFW hampers the progress of SDG 2 (zero hunger) and SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production). With an estimated global annual food waste of 931 million tons, consumers are…

The family and consumer sciences (FCS) discipline focuses on developing knowledge and skills that help individuals make informed decisions about their well-being and relationships (American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences, n.d.). FCS content areas include consumer affairs (e.g., personal and family finance), nutrition, hospitality…

In today's ever-changing and trend-focused climate, educators often are tempted to jump on the newest craze to hit the educational scene. Sometimes, after closer examination, it becomes clear that the new instructional strategies are more than short-term trends; in fact, they may be an idea that feels familiar. This is the case with project-based…

The National Strategy for Financial Literacy report released in 2020 by the U. S. Financial Literacy and Education Commission (USFLEC) crafted a new definition of financial education (FE). The report defines FE as the process by which "people gain information, skills, confidence, and motivation to act through various means including classroom…

The development of home economics as a discipline parallels Industry 2.0 with technology appearing in early home economics research and curricula; introducing electrified technology, most often in the form of appliances, was a distinct and important role for professional home economists. While specific subdisciplines gravitated toward research…

This article provides a historical review of the FCS profession beginning with the Progressive Era and founder Ellen Swallows Richards. The review includes a summary of significant historical events and legislation, that reveal how the FCS profession addressed the needs of individuals, families, and communities from inception to the present. From…

Undergraduate family and consumer sciences (FCS) programs help students develop skills essential to academic achievement as well as future employment and career success. Development of both hard and soft skills is part of the FCS curriculum and can include critical skills necessary to perform tasks required on the job as well as skills needed to…

The authors examine family and consumer sciences (FCS) education. Titles in the article include: (1) Same-sex Marriage, Monogamy, Technology among Hot Topics in Family Studies (Scott S. Hall); (2) Dialogue Needed To Address Diversity, Divisiveness, Technology (Carol L. Anderson); (3) Use of Simulation in Dietetic Student Learning (Stephanie Rogus…

Well-being and wellness have long been the mantra of the family and consumer (FCS) profession (Brown, 1993). This paper shares the results of a decade review (2009-2019) of the American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences' (AAFCS) two major periodicals relative to their coverage of well-being and wellness. Specifically, we focused on the…

This paper respects the emergent interest in the link between family and consumer sciences (FCS) and the STEM and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) movements. The nature of our involvement with these movements has an impact on future proofing the profession; therefore, two lines of inquiry are proposed. Should the…

Food literacy (FL) has become a key concept for many family and consumer sciences/home economics (FCS/HE) professionals, especially those with specializations in dietetics and nutrition, food studies, and education. References to food literacy have grown exponentially since its first mention in the 1990s (Begley & Vidgen, 2016) and are used…

This article features eight AAFCS-accredited academic units in higher education to illustrate how the Family and Consumer Sciences Body of Knowledge (FCS-BOK) can be integrated into program curricula and educational procedures or structures. Contributors represent the following educational institutions (listed and presented in alphabetical order):…

A literature review specific to family and consumer sciences (FCS) and technology implementation in content delivery reveals an absence of sufficient information for preparing future FCS professionals. Is this absence reflective of an FCS reluctance to "cross the digital divide" and fully engage with students who reside in a world…

The active engagement of educators within the family and consumer sciences (FCS) discipline is an important area of interest to Cooperative Extension. Using job demands-resources theory (JD-R), this study was designed to investigate the impact of job demands and job resources on engagement of FCS educators. Results showed "job demands"…