Family Science Undergraduate Programs: Time For a New Approach?

2011

FSR

ABSTRACT. Most prospective students are unfamiliar with Human Development and Family Science (HDFS), which makes building program enrollment among incoming students challenging. This study used the Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1991) to conduct a twostage empirical analysis of attitudes associated with majoring in HDFS. HDFS students demonstrated many significantly different attitudes toward majoring in the field than did non-HDFS students. They possessed more positive attitudes toward the discipline's treatment of human sexuality, its development of interpersonal communication skills, and its potential for strengthening families. These findings may prove beneficial to HDFS departments that want to improve perceptions of the field and build enrollment. Several strategies for program development and communication enhancement are presented.Family science is a relatively young discipline, and as such, does not possess the same recognizability that other social science programs such as psychology or sociology enjoy. Unlike majors such as chemistry, social work, and history, our own experience suggests that Human Development and Family Science (HDFS) tends to be a discovery major, meaning that most incoming college students are unfamiliar with the field and only learn about such programs after they have been on campus a semester or more. Furthermore, once they do hear about HDFS, it is not unusual for students and their parents to have questions about the curricular content of such programs, to wonder how the discipline of family science is distinctive from other social science fields, and to ask about the types of careers that are available to persons with an HDFS degree. This unfamiliarity with the discipline of HDFS may contribute to low numbers of first year students enrolling in HDFS programs, suggesting that those in the field have considerable work to do in terms of educating prospective students, their families, potential employers, and colleagues in other departments about HDFS.A first step in effective education often involves identifying what learners already know, which also serves to reveal what they do not know. The current study sought to discover what prospective students know and do not know about HDFS by comparing their attitudes toward majoring in the field against those of students who have already chosen the discipline. As might be expected, this empirical analysis revealed many significant differences in attitudes between the two sample groups. However, the value of the research came from identifying the specific beliefs and affections responsible for the differences, which might be useful in developing HDFS Please direct correspondence to Dr. Raeann Hamon at rhamon@messiah.edu.

Section: Table1supporting

confidence: 77%

Understanding Student Attitudes toward Majoring in Human Development and Family Science

Hagenbuch¹,

2011

FSR

“…Efforts at promoting the discipline should emphasize this commitment to application of scholarship in service to families and communities. As we continue to articulate unique knowledge and skill sets developed in family science programs, graduates will be better able to fortify an “occupational identity” (Brock, , p. 74).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This work is helpful in differentiating professional roles and clarifying several career paths. Family scholars and educators have also delineated a number of competencies, skills, and experiences that family science professionals and future family science faculty should possess (Arcus, 1995;Brock, 1987;Ganong, Coleman, & Demo, 1995;Koblinsky, Kuvalanka, & McClintock-Comeaux, 2006). Similarly, attention has been given to the vast array of professional contexts and career opportunities available to those in family science (Hollinger, 2002;Keim, 1995;NCFR, 2009).…”

Section: Family Relationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Discipline of Family Science and the Continuing Need for Innovation

Smith

2014

Family Relations

The discipline of family science is entering a new phase, the evaluation and innovation stage. With shrinking academic budgets and threats of departmental dissolution or mergers, it is imperative for administrators of family science programs to be able to articulate the distinctiveness of the discipline, the worth of the unique skills and perspectives afforded by family science programs, the challenges affecting the field, and the solutions and resources necessary to propel family science to new levels of relevance and application. This article reviews the history of the development of the field of family science and then reports survey results from representatives of family science programs related to each of these matters. Innovative strategies for advancing the field and family science programs are discussed.

“…What should be taught in family science programs? Family scholars and educators have also delineated a number of desirable competencies, skills, and experiences for undergraduate (see Arcus, 1995Arcus, , 1999Boyd-Soisson & Hamon, 2007;Brock, 1987;Hamon & Smith, 2014;Keim, 1993Keim, , 1995Smith & Hamon, 2012) and graduate students (see Duncan, 2009;Ganong, Coleman, & Demo, 1995;Koblinsky, Kuvalanka, & McClintock-Comeaux, 2006). Brock (1987) asserted that family science programs need to focus on "content and the skills needed to change family life" (p. 75), emphasizing a commitment to translation.…”

Section: An Expansive Collection Of Theory and Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Family scholars and educators have also delineated a number of desirable competencies, skills, and experiences for undergraduate (see Arcus, 1995Arcus, , 1999Boyd-Soisson & Hamon, 2007;Brock, 1987;Hamon & Smith, 2014;Keim, 1993Keim, , 1995Smith & Hamon, 2012) and graduate students (see Duncan, 2009;Ganong, Coleman, & Demo, 1995;Koblinsky, Kuvalanka, & McClintock-Comeaux, 2006). Brock (1987) asserted that family science programs need to focus on "content and the skills needed to change family life" (p. 75), emphasizing a commitment to translation. In addition to acquiring professional skills and the competencies employers want (Boyd-Soisson & Hamon, 2007;Smith & Hamon, 2012), students should be able to articulate the skills they have acquired and how they can apply them (Brock, 1987;Hagenbuch & Hamon, 2011).…”

Section: An Expansive Collection Of Theory and Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Family Science as Translational Science: A History of the Discipline

Smith

2017

Family Relations

Family science has been a translational science since its inception. The history of family science began with an interdisciplinary group of scholars who came together to explore the complex nature of families during the discovery phase, paying particular attention to applying information to resolve family challenges. In the pioneering stage, family professionals struggled with naming the discipline and assembled professional groups that collected and applied information to benefit families. In the maturing stage, disciplinary leaders deemed that family science met the criteria of a bona fide discipline and the field's identity became more pronounced, with a great deal of translational work occurring. During the current stage, evaluation and innovation, family science professionals need to assess programs and practices to refine and better articulate and distinguish the field. This historical account accentuates the central importance of the translational nature of family science to the discipline's identity.