A Bioecological Approach to Family and Consumer Science Teacher Preparation

Family and consumer sciences (FCS) has a rich history dating back to its origins as home economics. The profession has always been rooted in multiple branches of science including chemistry, biology, sociology, and psychology. The Family and Consumer Sciences Body of Knowledge (FCS-BOK) unveiled at the turn of the 21st century helped solidify the theoretical foundation of the profession. The theoretical approaches that anchor and guide the work of current FCS professionals are human ecosystems and life course development. This paper highlights more specifically how an FCS teacher educator utilizes Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological theory to understand the current state of FCS education and design learning experiences for future educators that instill values of theoretical application across careers in secondary classrooms.