98 TAFCS Research Journal 10(1), 2023 toddlers, preschoolers). There were two questions for each specific age group; with one question focused on working with children who are typically developing, and the second question focused on working with children who have special needs. Data Analysis An exploratory case study analytic method (Yin, 2014) was selected to understand participants’ knowledge and interest in working with children before and after taking a FCS Child Development course. The approach allows for the integration of both qualitative and quantitative descriptive information. Two researchers independently immersed themselves (e.g., reading and re-reading the data) in the quantitative and qualitative data to identify preliminary coding categories. They then met together to discuss commonalities in the preliminary coding areas and agreed upon two themes that accurately represented the participants’ experiences. Codes were developed for the open-ended data and the researchers agreed upon placement for the descriptive quantitative data. Researchers independently coded the open-ended data and achieved over the recommended 80% intercoder agreement (Creswell, 2013). Although only minor coding disagreements occurred (e.g., clarifying specific coding in a participant response that integrated both previous work experience with children and information about future career interests), they were resolved through discussion to determine how to most accurately represent the participants’ experiences. Results Two themes were developed: (a) increase in knowledge about children, and (b) personal responsibility and career relevance. The researchers determined that presenting the themes in time sequence best represented participant experiences. Increase in Knowledge about Children
99 TAFCS Research Journal 10(1), 2023 All participants (n=9) indicated experience working with children prior to the Child Development course. Work and volunteer experience with children ranged from less than a year to over five years (n=2 less than a year; n=3 two to five years, and more than five years n=4). All participants reported they had worked as a babysitter or nanny (n=9). Some also had experience in home-based or center-based childcare (n=4), in school-based (e.g., after school, summer) programming (n=1), and children’s church ministry (n=1). Despite having previous experience working with children, students’ knowledge of how children develop increased from the beginning of the course (m = 68.42, sd = 11.09) to the end of the course (m = 80.26, sd = 8.32) (see Figure 1). Upon completing the course, participants used language that emphasized they had an awareness and increased sense of responsibility for the influential nature of adults’ interactions with children. Four participants specifically addressed this responsibility; a participant explained that they could help promote healthy child development because, “I have a higher understanding of children in general.” Some participants focused on their future: “I feel that this class has made me want kids of my own when I previously didn’t.” Figure 1 Knowledge of Infant Development Inventory (KIDI) Beginning and End of Semester Scores
100 TAFCS Research Journal 10(1), 2023 Note. This violin plot highlights that participants’ beginning (n=9) and end of semester (n=8) knowledge of child development increased after taking a high school Child Development course. Data points are more concentrated at the end of semester. This indicates not only an increase in mean scores, but more consistency in participants’ knowledge and understanding of children development. Clarity Regarding Career Relevance Most participants (n=7) described how completing the Child Development course helped them better understand their motivation and level of interest for working with young children. Participants emphasized how an increase in their confidence to apply their knowledge supported their motivation to explore careers working with children. Participants explained: “I think that [my career interest] has increased. I have learned more about kids and that makes me feel like I can help them learn better” and “With this class and our thorough examination of how children develop socially, cognitively, and emotionally, my interest in working with children has grown exponentially.” An increased motivation was also illustrated by a sense of personal fulfillment for their work, “I think I would love to be a therapist/psychologist and help people understand their thoughts and feelings while I figure out the best way to support them.” Participants’ interest in working with specific groups of children also evolved during the semester. Participants’ interest in working with typically developing children increased slightly between the beginning (m = 27.00, sd = 3.97) and end of semester (m = 27.44, sd = 7.55). There was an average decrease in wanting to work with children with special needs between the beginning (m = 27.33, sd = 4.95) and the end of the semester (m = 25.78, sd = 8.56). Figure 2 shows there were outliers within the data for both beginning and end of semester interest in working with typically developing and special needs children, which could suggest that
101 TAFCS Research Journal 10(1), 2023 participants who felt strongly about working with specific groups at the beginning of the semester felt even more strongly about working with specific groups at the end of the semester. Finally, some students expressed that they did not want to pursue a career working with young children. Participants were positive about children but did not want to commit to a career with children (e.g., “I love playing with kids, but would never want to work with them as my job”). Some were not currently interested and acknowledged this could change (e.g., “My thoughts could change later on”), while others saw the importance of understanding human development regardless of their career (e.g., “I want to work in the medical field and that will most likely involve working with children”). Figure 2 Sum of Responses for Specific Interest Working with Special Needs (SN) and Typically Developing (TD) Children at Beginning and End of Course Note. These violin plots highlight the average decrease in interest working with children with SN and a slight increase in the average of wanting to work with TD children.
102 TAFCS Research Journal 10(1), 2023 Discussion This study has implications for advocating for the FCS profession as it addresses societal needs. When using the critical perspective to determine ‘what ought to be’ in a Child Development course, multiple types of knowledge are integrated to address challenges impacting families by preparing students with foundational knowledge and skills to enhance the human condition and explore potential careers (Baldwin, 1999). Participants’ knowledge of child development increased as part of a one-semester Child Development course, and they gained clarity related to their interest in pursuing a career with young children. Many participants described an increased interest in working with young, typically developing children. Participants’ statements about not wanting to pursue a career in ECE after taking a FCS Child Development course can be viewed as a positive outcome. As adolescents develop their career identity and identify prospective occupational paths, the opportunity to explore a variety of prospective careers is an essential element of the development process (Steinberg, 2020). If students learn in an introductory FCS Child Development class that working with children is not of interest to them professionally, this could reduce the high turnover rates that plague ECE (Totenhagen et al., 2016). In sum, Early Childhood Development coursework including Child Development courses and onsite Child Development Centers may be an essential mechanism for providing high school students with experiential learning opportunities to meet the ECE workforce demand with competent, engaged employees who understand the importance of their role in the development of young children. Standard 12 of the teacher education standards, Student and Program Assessment, indicates that highly qualified FCS educators can use data-driven evidence to inform decisions
103 TAFCS Research Journal 10(1), 2023 about teaching practices and demonstrate the principles of reflective practice to improve teaching (NATEFACS, 2020). Teacher education programs should be deliberate in guiding future educators to identify research-based assessment tools that can be used at the beginning and end of their courses. Education programs must also equip educators with the mindset to continually engage in critically reflective inquiry to use data as an information source for examining instructional practices and ideas. For example, the student researcher who led this study is a high school FCS Child Development teacher who realized, after reviewing the results of this study, that incorporating more information about children with special needs may help students meaningfully develop their perspective of working with children who have special needs. For example, the student researcher is developing a new lesson plan to explore career opportunities that serve children with special needs and their families and is partnering with guest speakers, such as a special education teacher, to share authentic stories about their journey. Limitations & Future Directions Limitations of this exploratory research include that all participants were recruited from a single geographic region in the United States and represented one school district in that region. It was the intention to have all students in the Child Development course participate, yet only 12.5% (9 of 72) participated. High school students may not be intrinsically motivated to participate in research and may need incentives. Future research focused on high school FCS courses would benefit from discussions with school districts to explore methods for enhancing participation. Also, sharing research studies like this with high school students could potentially illustrate the value of participating in research. Student experiences may vary by Socioeconomic Status (SES) and a measure of SES was not included in this study. Future research that includes a larger sample size, more diverse participants, a measure of SES, and courses from multiple
104 TAFCS Research Journal 10(1), 2023 school districts could contribute more conclusive findings regarding the integral role of introductory Child Development courses. In addition, future research could be structured to provide insight into how high school students perceive ECE careers. Understanding students' career motivations and experiences in ECE courses may inform work-based partnerships and recruitment efforts with post-secondary institutions. Conclusions The current exploratory case study evaluated how students’ knowledge of young children evolved by taking a high school FCS Child Development course and how this may have influenced interest in ECE careers. Results highlight an increase in students’ knowledge about child development and an elevated desire to work with typically developing children. Finally, the study modeled strong pedagogical practice with a current high school FCS teacher using research-based assessment to guide future instructional practices. References American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences. (2021). AAFCS and FCS FAQ. https://www.aafcs.org/about/about-us/faqs#4 Baldwin, E. E. (1999). FCS curriculum: What ought to be? In J. Johnson & C.G. Fedje (Eds.), Family and consumer science curriculum: Toward a critical science approach (pp. 32- 44). Glencoe/McGraw-Hill. Bornstein, M. H., Cote, L. R., Haynes, O. M., Hahn, C. S., & Park, Y. (2010). Parenting knowledge: Experiential and sociodemographic factors in European American mothers of young children. Developmental Psychology, 46(6), 1677–1693. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0020677 Brophy-Herb, H. E., Williamson, A. C., Cook, G. A., Torquati, J., Decker, K. B., Vu, J., Vallotton, C. D., Duncan, L. G. & The Collaborative for Understanding the Pedagogy of Infant/Toddler Development. (2019). Preservice students’ dispositional mindfulness and developmentally supportive practices with infants and toddlers. Mindfulness, 10, 759- 768. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-018-1036-7 Creswell, J. W. (2013). Qualitative inquiry & research design: Choosing among five approaches. Sage. Huber, M. T., & Hutchings, P. (2004). Integrative Learning: Mapping the terrain. Washington D.C.: Association of American Colleges and Universities. Kopack, A. K., Kemmerer, C., West, J. & Lim G. (2016). Early head start research and evaluation project (EHSREP): 1996-2010 Measurers compendium. OPRE Report 2016-
105 TAFCS Research Journal 10(1), 2023 101. Washington DC: Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/opre/ehsrep_measures_final_508.p df Laster, J. & Johnson, J. (2001). Major trend in family and consumer sciences. Family and consumer sciences: A chapter of the curriculum handbook (pp. 3-20). ASCD. Lippard, C. N., Fusaro, M., Decker, K. B. & Vallotton, C. D. (2019). Effects of prior formal and informal caregiving experiences on undergraduates' infant/toddler caregiving knowledge and beliefs. Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education, 40(4), 409-429. https://doi.org/10.1080/10901027.2019.1607632 Peterson, C., Decker, K. B., & Hughes-Belding, K. (2016). CUPID: A scholarship of teaching and learning effort to improve teaching and enhance practice for those serving infants, toddlers, and their families [Poster session]. Division for Early Childhood conference, Louisville, KY. MacPhee, D. (1981). Manual for the Knowledge of Infant Development Inventory (KIDI). (Unpublished document). Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Montana Office of Public Instruction. (2021). Find data for Montana schools and districts. Growth and Enhancement of Montana Students. https://gems.opi.mt.gov/school-districtdata National Association of State Administrators of Family and Consumer Sciences. (2018). National Standards and Competencies. Retrieved from http://www.leadfcsed.org/national-standards.html National Association of Teacher Educators for Family and Consumer Sciences [NATEFACS]. (2020). FCS teacher education standards. https://www.natefacs.org/Docs/2020/FCS%20TeacherEducationStandardsCompetencies%20NATEFACS-2020.pdf Nickols, S. Y., Ralston, P. A., Anderson, C., Browne, L., Schroeder, G., Thomas, S., & Wild, P. (2009). The Family and Consumer Sciences Body of Knowledge and the cultural kaleidoscope: Research opportunities and challenges. Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal, 37(3), 266-283. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077727X08329561 Smith, K. (2019). Montana’s Early Childhood System, A Comprehensive Statewide Needs Assessment. Montana Department of Health and Human Services [DPHHS]. Steinberg, L. (2020). Adolescence (12th). McGraw Hill. The Annie E. Casey Foundation. (2023, November). Children under age 6 with all available parents in the labor force in United States. https://datacenter.aecf.org/data/tables/5057- children-under-age-6-with-all-available-parents-in-the-laborforce?loc=1&loct=1#detailed/1/any/false/1095,2048,1729,37,871,870,573,869,36,868/an y/11472,11473 Totenhagen, C. J., Hawkins, S. A., Casper, D. M., Bosch, L. A., Hawkey, K. R., & Borden, L. M. (2016). Retaining early childhood education workers: A review of the empirical literature. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 30(4), 585–599. https://doi.org/10.1080/02568543.2016.1214652 United States Department of Labor. (2022). Occupational outlook handbook: Childcare workers. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/personal-care-and-service/childcare-workers.htm#tab-1 Vallotton, C. D., Torquati, J., Ispa, J., Chazan-Cohen, R., Henk, J., Fusaro, M., Peterson, C. A., Roggman, L. A., Stacks, A. M., Cook, G., Brophy-Herb, H. (2016). Attachment predicts
106 TAFCS Research Journal 10(1), 2023 college students’ knowledge, attitudes, and skills for working with infants, toddlers, and families. Early Education and Development, 27(2), 275-302 https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10409289.2016.1087778 Virmani, E. A., Hatton-Bowers, H., Lombardi, C. M., Decker, K. B., King, E. K., Plata-Potter, S. I., Vallotton, C. D. & The Collaborative for Understanding the Pedagogy of Infant/toddler Development (CUPID). (2020). How are preservice early childhood professionals’ mindfulness, reflective practice beliefs, and individual characteristics associated with their developmentally supportive responses in infants and toddlers? Early Education and Development, 31(7), 1052-1072. https://doi.org/10.1080/10409289.2020.1798718 Yang, W. N., Johnson, S., & Niven, K. (2018). “That’s not what I signed up for!” A longitudinal investigation of the impact of unmet expectation and age in the relation between career plateau and job attitudes. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 107, 71-85. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2018.03.006 Yin, R. Y. (2014). Case study research: Design and methods. Sage. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercialShareAlike 4.0 International License. Article Citation Ringer, B. N., Wanago, N. C., Decker, K., & Vaterlaus, J. M. (2023). Preparation for careers with young children: An exploratory case study with high school students in child development courses. TAFCS Research Journal, 10(1), 93-106.
107 TAFCS Research Journal 10(1), 2023 Guidelines for Authors The TAFCS is the official publication of the American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences Texas Affiliate (AAFCS-TX). The TAFCS publishes peer-reviewed articles and practical information that promotes the well-being of individuals; strong, resilient, and sustainable families; and supportive communities. The TAFCS is published once per year. ARTICLE CATEGORIES TAFCS accepts manuscripts in scholarship, strategies for success, and practice. All submitted manuscripts should be reader friendly. Write in a clear, direct, concise style, avoiding wordiness and jargon. To build upon FCS knowledge, it is appropriate that manuscripts include references. Reviewers evaluate each manuscript based on content, originality, scientific accuracy, clarity, and contribution to family and consumer sciences. References must be in APA style (7th ed.). TAFCS JOURNAL STYLE The TAFCS uses the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th Edition (see Section 8.1-8.22 for instructions and examples on citations/references, respectively). MANUSCRIPT PREPARATION Manuscripts are to be prepared in Microsoft Word or rich text; leave at least a one-inch margin on all sides. Use 12-point font size, double-space, and Arial or Times New Roman font. Do not insert page breaks. Single-space the references, using the Hanging Indent feature (In Word, under Format/paragraph/special). Number pages sequentially. Avoid unnecessary use of ALL CAPS, underlines, boldface, and italics. Avoid excess formatting as it may have to be undone. Plain text without boxes, borders, shading etc. is preferred. (Use of italics in references to comply with APA style is acceptable.) Authors Page—for all submissions This page includes: the title of the manuscript; word count excluding abstract and references; full names, academic degrees, certifications related to FCS such as CFCS, and affiliations (position title, organization, address, telephone number, work number (if applicable), e-mail address, AAFCS membership number if applicable) for each author, and key words; indicate which author is the corresponding author. Type authors' names in the order they should appear in the published article. Title The manuscript title needs to be specific, informative, conveying the findings or relevance of the article. Titles serve two purposes: they describe the content and make locating an article in a database easier. The title should appear on the abstract, the first page of the manuscript text, the author's page, and in all correspondence. Avoid lengthy titles. Abstract 100-word limit. The abstract states the purpose and primary conclusions of the paper. Tables, Figures, and Illustrations, Footnotes Include tables, figures, and illustrations including photographs only if they are necessary to clarify a manuscript. Each table or figure should be understandable by itself and not require the reader to refer to the text. Avoid footnotes and avoid repeating the table information in the
108 TAFCS Research Journal 10(1), 2023 manuscript, if possible. Obtain permission to reprint if necessary and include copy of permission with manuscript. (See Sections 8.34 and 12.17-12.18 of APA Manual, 7th Edition for additional information on permissions.) MANUSCRIPT SUBMISSION (for all manuscripts) All items except the payment of review fee can be submitted electronically via the Google form. Submit the entire article in two documents that includes the, main article references, abstract, figures and tables. If certain graphics/illustrations (PowerPoint, etc.) cannot easily be embedded in the main article file, they can be in a separate document. Submit the author’s page as a separate document. Submit all submissions on the AAFCS-TX website via the Google form. SEND a $30 processing and review fee made payable to AAFCS-TX as soon as possible after submitting the manuscript for Scholarship or Strategies for Success manuscripts for peer review. Processing of manuscripts cannot begin until the fee is received. MAIL the $30 review fee along with a copy of the Author’s page to: AAFCS-TX P.O. Box 451984 Garland, TX 75045 Authors will receive in 1-2 weeks a notification of receipt of the manuscript. Before a manuscript is sent out for peer review (if required), an initial screening is performed. This may result in the manuscript being returned to the author(s) if relevance is not clear, guidelines are not met, if it is incomplete or if the editors believe that further work or development is necessary before it is sent out for peer-review. Manuscripts undergo a blind review process. Manuscripts are accepted at the discretion of the Journal editors and reviewers. If plagiarism is suspected, the author will be contacted. Manuscripts submitted for consideration or published elsewhere may not be submitted to or published by TAFCS. Theses and dissertations published in hard copy, microfiche, and/or electronic formats are not considered to be previously published. Manuscripts developed from theses and dissertations regardless of the publication format are eligible for submission to the TAFCS if not submitted to another journal. Manuscripts are considered with the understanding that they have not been published previously in print or electronic format and are not under consideration by another publication or electronic medium. Findings previously presented in an oral report or in an abstract in conjunction with a scientific or professional conference may be submitted for consideration. Copies of possibly duplicative materials that have been previously published or are being considered elsewhere must be provided at the time of manuscript submission and may preclude consideration by the TAFCS. For questions, please email Dr. Karen Alexander or Dr. Kyle Roberson. [email protected] [email protected]
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