Home economics and the Australian Curriculum

HEIA, October 2010

HomeEconomicsInstituteofAustraliaInc.

Position paper
Home economics and the Australian Curriculum
October 2010
Fast facts

The central focus of home economics is the wellbeing of individuals and families in their
everyday living. Home economics education takes an action-oriented, empowerment
approach that enables students to build capacity for critical and creative approaches to
decision-making and problem-solving related to fundamental needs and practical
concerns of individuals and families, both locally and globally. In an ever-changing and
ever-challenging environment that puts centre stage issues such as food security,
emotional health, sustainability, consumer excesses and a widening poverty gap, one of
home economics educations unique strengths is that it prepares students to respond to a
range of real-life challenges. Its other unique strength is its practical orientation, which for
many students provides opportunities for concrete achievements and increased selfesteem.
Home economics makes a valuable contribution to secondary education across Australia
and should be recognised by ACARA and the schooling sector as a discipline area in its
own right.
The Home Economics Institute of Australia Inc. (HEIA) recommends that the Australian
Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) develops national guidelines
for home economics education in Years 710 in Australian schools to support quality
practice in home economics education.
These guidelines would:
use a home economics lens to integrate and build on learning in ACARAs Health and
Physical Education and Design and Technology syllabi
include specific home economics concepts, content and processes not necessarily
accommodated in these learning areas.
The guidelines would enable sectors and/or schools to develop home economics-related
courses to meet local needs.
HEIA offers its services in the development of these guidelines.

1.0 Introduction
The Home Economics Institute of Australia (HEIA) is the peak professional body for home
economics professionals in Australia. Formed in 1993, the Institute has a growing
membership of approximately 1500, with members in every state and territory. The majority
of members are teachers. In addition, there are state-based home economics professional
associations.
This position paper has been developed for ACARA to inform its thinking on matters related
to home economics education and the upcoming Australian Curriculum. The paper is a result
of wide consultation with members of HEIA through paper and electronic questionnaires,
face-to-face focus groups held in every state and territory and web conferencing.
The statements made about home economics education in this paper do not necessarily
reflect current practice across Australia. Rather, they reflect the essence of what practice
should be like in a new era, with new guidelines to guide this practice.

Home economics and the Australian Curriculum

HEIA, October 2010

2.0 Defining home economics education

The central focus of home economics is the wellbeing of individuals and families in their
everyday living.
Home economics education takes an action-oriented, empowerment approach that enables
students to build capacity for critical and creative approaches to decision-making and
problem-solving related to fundamental needs and practical concerns of individuals and
families, both locally and globally.
In an ever-changing and ever-challenging environment that puts centre stage issues such as
food security, emotional health, sustainability, consumer excesses and a widening poverty
gap, one of home economics educations unique strengths is that it prepares students to
respond to a range of real-life challenges. Its other unique strength is its practical orientation,
which for many students provides opportunities for concrete achievements and increased
self-esteem.
Home economics education is about students learning how to become independent, how to
connect with others, and how to take action towards futures that support individual and family
wellbeing. Students bring together practical and cognitive capabilities and address
increasingly complex challenges related to everyday livingfor example, those challenges
related to human development and relationships, food, textiles and shelter and their impact
on physical, social and emotional health. At one level, the focus of the challenge is how to
achieve goals to enhance personal and family wellbeing. On another level, home economics
education is concerned with challenges related to societal practices and structures,
processes and systems that favour some groups more than others. Students learn to
promote a more socially-just and sustainable society as they come to understand how their
own actions and those of corporate organisations and governments impact on the wellbeing
of individuals and families, both locally and globally.
In making their decisions, home economics students are concerned with the moral and
ethical dimensions of human problems and their solutions.
The HEIA definition of home economics education aligns with that of the International
Federation for Home Economics (IFHE) which states that all home economics subjects and
courses of study must exhibit at least three essential dimensions:
a focus on fundamental needs and practical concerns of individuals and family in
everyday life and their importance both at the individual and near community levels,
and also at societal and global levels so that wellbeing can be enhanced in an everchanging and ever-challenging environment
the integration of knowledge, processes and practical skills from multiple disciplines
synthesised through interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary inquiry and pertinent
paradigms
demonstrated capacity to take critical/ transformative/emancipatory action to enhance
wellbeing and to advocate for individuals, families and communities at all levels and
sectors of society (IFHE, 2008).
As stated by the Queensland Studies Authority (QSA, 2010), the belief that todays actions
and attitudes determine present and future wellbeing is central to Home Economics.

3.0 Current positioning of home economics in the schooling sector

Currently home economics-related subjects are offered in all states and territories across
Australia in the secondary years of schooling, featuring varying content and pedagogical
approaches.

Home economics and the Australian Curriculum

HEIA, October 2010

Typically, across all Australian states and territories, it is a school-based decision whether to
offer a holistic home economics subject, or specialisations within home economicsfor
example, Food for Living, Food Technology, Fashion by Design, Human Development, Early
Childhood Development, Family Studies.
Since the inception of national approaches to curriculum dating back to the mid 1990s, home
economics education has traditionally been aligned with two learning areas: Health and
Physical Education, and Technology. States and territories differ in the formal curriculum
documents that are used in home economics faculties. In some, teachers work from Health
and Physical Education and Technology curriculum documents. In others, specialist home
economics-related curriculum documents are used.
The past fifteen years has shown that offering home economics through Health and Physical
Education and Technology is fraught with difficulty. In some cases it has become splintered
and fragmented and most importantly, lost its interdisciplinary nature and, in some cases,
itsfocus on the wellbeing of individuals and families. Home economics is best implemented
in a way that not only draws from elements of Health and Physical Education and
Technology, but also draws on those aspects of home economics not accommodated in
these learning areas.

4.0 Positioning home economics in the Australian Curriculum

The position of the Council of HEIA in relation to home economics and the Australian
Curriculum, is that home economics makes a valuable contribution to secondary education
across Australia and as such, should be recognised by ACARA and the schooling sector as a
discipline area in its own right. The ever-changing and ever-challenging nature of society
(see section 5.0) is placing increasing demands on young people to enable them to be
critical and creative decision-makers as they address the practical and cognitive demands of
everyday living. This is the domain of home economics.
There should be national guidelines to support quality practice in home economics. Greater
consistency across the states and territories would provide a shared platform as the basis for
professional conversations, professional learning and the development of resources.
The proposed guidelines should build on relevant aspects of the Health and Physical
Education (HPE) and Design and Technology (D&T) syllabi but also include learning specific
to home economics. They would:
use a home economics lens to integrate transdisciplinary theoretical and practical
learning
ensure practical, meaningful learning that goes beyond knowledge and understanding
and recognises the importance of an action-oriented, empowerment approach towards
wellbeing
include aspects of home economics not necessarily accommodated in other learning
areasfor example, the importance of families, practical food preparation, and consumer
and financial literacy.
The guidelines would be applicable to a range of system or school-developed courses,
regardless of whether offered as Home Economics, Food for Living or any other
specialisation of home economics. Each would have the underpinning philosophy of the
wellbeing of individuals and families.
The changes in policy in the United Kingdom regarding cooking in schools are well
documented by Caraher and Seeley (2010) and note the need to urgently retrain teachers
and equip schools for food and nutrition studies after a decline in teaching home economics.
There is an opportunity through the Australian Curriculum to prevent the need for similar
catch-up measures in Australia.

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HEIA, October 2010

HEIA offers its services to write the proposed guidelines. HEIA has a wealth of expertise in
curriculum development with its members having been involved in the Curriculum
Corporation projects Home Economics in Secondary Schools and Family Studies, and the
development of curriculum documents across Australia. HEIA has produced its own
resources Home economics education: Making it work, A curriculum framework for home
economics in the junior secondary school, as well as the highly successful school text
NutritionThe inside story. It has a culture of consultation and a commitment to collaborative
development of resources. Members of HEIA have been invited to speak at international
forums on the future of home economics, as well as on home economics pedagogy and
elearning.

5.0 Societal context for home economics education

As we move through the new millennium, young people need the knowledge, skills and
attitudes developed in the study of home economics. Home economics education has the
potential to play a major role in supporting young people to participate effectively in changing
social, cultural and economic times. An overview of some major societal trends indicates the
ongoing need for home economics education.
5.1 Family structures and how families function
Changes to how families are structured, and how they function, point to many more people
either living by themselves or within a small family base, exemplifying the importance of the
development of life skills such as those developed in home economics courses of study.
Similarly, the range of societal issues that impact on families call for educating and
empowering young people to develop practical, creative, personal and interpersonal skills
that support their physical, social and emotional wellbeing and better prepare them for
diverse futures. In preparing for the future, students need to clarify their values related to a
range of topical, family-related issues such as same-sex parenting, teen parenthood, stemcell research, respect for other peoples property and homelessness. The need for emotional
strength, independence and life skills has never been so important. All of these are the
domain of home economics.
The following examples indicate the changes and challenges confronting young Australians:
Shift from extended to nuclear and other family types
Rise of one-person households and of cohabitation (Australian Bureau of Statistics,
2010)
Falling fertility rates (Hayes, A., Weston, R., Qu, L., & Gray, M., 2010)
Migration, and resultant social and consumer issues for some migrant families
Increase in gambling and alcohol and drug use
Increase in violence and homelessness
Increase in adolescent depression and childhood bullying including cyberbullying
Increase in divorce rates, although these have stabilised since the 1980s (Australian
Bureau of Statistics, 2008a)
Increase in the number of older persons (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2009a)
Smaller-size households (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2010)
Increase in age at first marriage (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2008b).
Better educational and employment opportunities for previously marginalised groups
such as women and Indigenous Australians
Men and women on double shift, poor work-life balance, time poor
Higher levels of disease risk factors in people living in rural and remote areas
compared to those living in cities (AIHW, 2010c).
5.2 Food and nutrition issues
In an era of unprecedented local and global food and nutrition issues, the importance of the
centrality of food literacy education, a key component of home economics courses of study,

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HEIA, October 2010

is brought sharply into focus. Food literacy education approaches food and nutrition
education from a positive orientation of encouraging healthy eating, rather than fixing
problems that arise from unhealthy eating.
Current local and global issues related to food security and nutritional health include the
following:
The 2007 Australian National Childrens Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey
(Department of Health and Ageing, 2007) found that the children surveyed
demonstrated a low level of observance of the Dietary guidelines for children and
adolescents in Australia.
Allergies, additives and reading food labels continue to confound some families, with
unethical marketing making it even more difficult to make wise consumer choices.
Research indicates a decline in cooking skills and a possible links with food security.
Food accounts for approximately 30% of Australias ecological footprint.
Availability of better nutrition choices declines with remoteness of location in
Australia.
Diet-related diseases continue to be a major lifestyle issue and economic concern in
Australia. The following indicate the severity of the outcomes of diet-related diseases:
Approximately 23% children aged 216 years and 62% adults were considered
overweight or obese in 2007 surveys (Department of Health and Ageing, 2007;
ABS 2009b), with Australia now being ranked as one of the fattest developed
nations.
Obese young Australians are subject to bullying and social exclusion.
Heart, stroke and vascular diseases kill more Australians than any other disease
group, with Australians in the most disadvantaged groups most vulnerable.
The proportion of Australian adults with diet-related risk factors for cardiovascular
disease is high: 60% overweight, 51% high blood cholesterol, 30% high blood
pressure and 8% diabetes and in 2007 it was estimated that one-third of cancers
were attributed to poor diet, inadequate physical activity, alcohol and overweight
and obesity (WCRF, 2007).
In the 200405 National Health Survey, 699 600 Australians reported having
diabetes, with rates increasing in all age groups. Rates of Type 2 diabetes in
some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are among the highest in
the world.
In an era when much food preparation occurs outside the home and for some, an unhealthy
reliance on fast food, the home economics classroom provides opportunities for students to
develop cognitive and practical skills to support a healthy lifestyle and come to understand
the importance of food and nutrition for physical, social, emotional and intellectual
development.
5.3 Consumerism
Consumer trends are the concern of home economics, especially as they pertain to food,
fashion and household expenditure. The following points indicate the need for informed and
ethical consumer decision-making and the need to challenge marketing that creates social
pressures and promotes unsustainable and unhealthy consumption patterns.
In Australia in 2004, food and non-alcoholic beverages were the biggest single household
expenditure item, with an average $153 spent per week (17% of goods and services). 25%
($42) of this expenditure was on meals out and takeaway food whilst only 5% ($11) was
spent on vegetables (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2006).
At the same time, the fashion industry has created a culture of the throw-away society,
promoting new clothing for every season, with many not understanding the implications for
the environment, or the impact of cheap clothing on people in sweatshops or in the clothing
trade in other countries.

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HEIA, October 2010

As personal and household consumption grows, environmental pressures also grow (OECD,
2002) with increased use of natural resources, energy, transport, packaging, overall waste,
pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Home economics education is ideally placed to
promote the concept of good citizen along with being a good consumer so that ethical
decision-making takes account of wider societal impacts, especially as they pertain to food
consumption (packaging, food miles, processed and take-away foods), textile consumption
(disposable fashion, low-impact fibres and processing, recycling, biodegradability,
packaging), the use of energy within the home and overall waste.
In the October 2009 Nielsen Global Online Consumer Survey, when asked which of a list of
items respondents would continue to do when the economic conditions improved, the top
three items were:
try to save on gas and electricity (50%)
cut down on takeaway meals (37%)
switch to cheaper grocery brands (32%).
There is no indication that these trends have discontinued, and are all items that are the
concern of home economics.
5.4 Generation Y (born 19822002) social and consumer trends
The fascination of young Australians with the internet and digital social networking comes
with advantages and disadvantages, and runs parallel to changes in the way relationships
are conducted, changes in purchasing options and increasing number of young Australians
experiencing mental health issues. At the same time, young Australians are often confident,
optimistic, team-oriented and achieving. With discussions about families, peers, interpersonal
relationships and a range of social issues related to people, food and textiles, the home
economics classroom provides a unique context for Gen Y to channel their optimism into
collaborative discussion about values and choices related to real-world, important issues.
As reported in the Herald Sun (July 2008) Gen Ys, our students and young professional
colleagues, are great consumers. Of the record 3.7 million new credit-card applications in
2007, almost a third were from those aged 18 to 27. However, a third of people failing to pay
their bills are Gen Ys. At around the same time, The Age (2008) reported Gen Ys have an
urge to update and seek instant gratification with new fashion, fast food, brand names etc, all
adding to unnecessary and often unwise consumption patterns. With two of its content bases
being food and nutrition and textiles and fashion, home economics is ideally placed to
challenge instant gratification and promote ethical and responsible consumer and financial
literacy with this young generation.

6.0 General capabilities (21st century skills) developed in home economics

Home economics attends to the general capabilities identified by ACARA (2009), both in
pedagogy and in the application of to everyday living.
As noted by Street (2006), home economics learning experiences enable students to
develop a number of general capabilities, making connections between their daily lives and
their future world, and strengthening their understanding of the interconnectedness of
dependence, independence and interdependence within families and society. Street adds
that research undertaken in New Zealand identifies a philosophical shift in practice and
pedagogy for home economics, with positive outcomes for students. This shift includes
encouraging students to clarify their own ideas, make their own decisions, use critical
analysis, reflect on their learning, use research tools and strategies, explore issues,
encourage discussion and group work, and ensure higher order tasks involving the
generation, application, analysis, and synthesis of ideas (Hipkins & Conner, 2005 in Street,
2006). Given the similarities of home economics education in New Zealand and Australia,

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HEIA, October 2010

there is reason to believe that these shifts have also occurred in Australia.
The table below provides examples of how the general capabilities, as cited by ACARA, are
developed in home economics contexts.
General
capabilities
Literacy and
numeracy

Thinking skills

Examples of how the capability is developed in home economics

education
Home economics learning experiences enable students to develop
literacy and numeracy capabilities related to everyday living contexts
that they face throughout their lives. The unique contexts of engaging
students in both theoretical and practical dimensions of learning afford
ample opportunities to develop written, spoken and visual literacies. For
example, students:
use a range of measurement techniquesweight, length,
volume, area when producing food and textiles items
develop skills in estimatingquantities of ingredients, costs for
producing food and textiles items
develop skills in using formulaecalculating quantities of
ingredients for smaller or larger groups than intended by a
recipe, adapting patterns for textile items
analyse statistical data e.g. health statistics
develop financial literacy when considering consumer decisions
related to, for example, food, clothing, mobile phones
develop and interpret graphs related to surveys and dietary
analysis
develop skills in reading, interpreting and comparing food labels
and decoding advertising messages
develop expertise in using a range of genres such as
procedures (recipes), persuasive arguments (debating
contentious issues such advertising, fairtrade, use of
outworkers, eco-friendly products etc.), reports (on
investigations, design challenges etc.)
develop oral language skills as they ask questions, seek advice,
present viewpoints and discuss their practical tasks.
Home economics learning experiences enable students to develop the
capability to solve problems, make decisions, think critically, develop an
argument, use evidence in support of that argument and critically reflect
as they engage in complex challenges related to everyday living. For
example, students:
use empowerment, social inquiry and technology processes to
make decisions and solve problems related to planning and
making changes to food intake, advertising, and the impact of
fashion trends and marketing on individuals and families
think critically when considering competing values, rights,
responsibilities, interests and social norms about local and
global issuesfor example, same-sex marriages, child abuse,
homelessness, food miles, sustainable food futures, fashion
models and ethical issues such as fairtrade and fairwear
develop arguments and justify positions on a range of issues
such as advertising junk food to children, body image and the
fashion industry, unsustainable farming practices
advocate for policies and practices that are socially just and
promote individual and family wellbeing
apply consumer and financial literacy skills to food and clothing
choices.

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HEIA, October 2010

ICTs

Creativity

Self-management

Home economics enables students to develop expert novice

capabilities, that is, the ability to be good at learning in new contexts.
Home economics learning experiences enable students to develop the
capacity to both manage and use information technology safely and
responsibly, including the capacity to evaluate the source, reliability,
accuracy and validity of information that abounds in cyberspace. They
learn how to use digital technologies in academic, practical,
collaborative and creative pursuits, as well as in advocacy activities.
For example, students:
access and critically examine statistics from web-based health
and government agencies
critically examine reports from a range of web-based sources
about contentious issues in order to examine in whose interests
the reports are written and who stands to gain from the
reportsfor example, housing in remote communities, sweat
shop clothing production, reduction of meat intake
develop skills to undertake effective searches online and locate
appropriate information in a timely manner
use a comprehensive web-based dietary software program,
developed by Xyris Software (Australia) P/L in consultation with
HEIA, to critically examine food diaries, recipes and meal plans
and to create graphs and develop nutrition information panels
for food products
use digital technologies to design and administer surveys
related to social issues
use digital photography to represent stages in the development
of products or to provide evidence of their learning
engage in digital textiles printing
use blogs to create journals to monitor progress and thinking
use wikis and other web 2.0 tools to share ideas when
brainstorming design ideas or working collaboratively on a
research topic
critique blogs as a source of data when doing an investigation
use cloud computing to share ideas and resources for a
collaborative investigation
use online tools such as email and web 2.0 tools to
communicate with their teacher, class members and experts in
range of areas related to their studies
learn how to become digital citizens by using ICT in a safe and
responsible manner in their classes.
Home economics learning experiences enable students to develop the
capability to generate new ideas, see existing situations in new ways,
identify alternative explanations, see links and find new ways to apply
ideas in the context of everyday living. Students:
develop creative solutions when they apply divergent thinking to
resolving design challengesfor example, designing and
preparing foods that are low cost alternative to energy dense
take-away food, food/meal plans that have a low ecological
footprint, or creative textile items that promote their self-image
consider existing situations in new ways and identify alternative
explanations when they take a social inquiry approach to
controversial issues and examine the issue from alternative
stances as a strategy to move forward.
Home economics learning experiences enable students to develop the
capability to take responsibility for their own work and learning, manage
their learning, monitor, reflect on and evaluate learning, identify

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Teamwork

Intercultural
understandings

personal characteristics that contribute to or limit effectiveness, plan

and undertake work independently, take responsibility for their
behaviour and performance, and learn from successes and failures. In
addition to general pedagogical practice that promotes an ethos of selfmanagement, students, for example:
as part of the overarching home economics practices of
empowerment, social inquiry and technology practices, learn to
plan, undertake and evaluate work to accomplish a design
challenge
as part of these practices reflect on what they have learnt, how
they have learnt and what they might do differently another time
manage the promotion of their own and others health, for
example when they analyse their own diets and set and work
towards goals to improve their diets
manage their own and others safety when working in food
preparation and clothing construction areas and in an online
environment.
Home economics education enables student to develop the capability to
work effectively and productively with others, including working in
harmony with others, contributing towards common purposes, defining
and accepting individual and group roles and responsibilities, respecting
individual and group differences, identifying the strengths of team
members and building social relationships. For example, students:
work collaboratively to support each other to bring about
changes to their food habits or changes to societal practices
such as advertising or non-eco-friendly food and textiles industry
practices
work in teams to prepare, cook and serve food
work in socially diverse groups to solve problems and
accomplish tasks
work in teams to run playgroups
work collaboratively to use a range of technological skills to
complete a task such as making a movie
share with others food prepared in the home economics
classroom
interact with others to collect data on and then discuss with
peers social issues affecting the health and wellbeing of
families, community and the wider society
plan strategies and demonstrate interpersonal skills to
communicate appropriately with others about making healthenhancing food choices.
Home economics education provides opportunities for students to
appreciate and respect their own and others cultures, work and
communicate with those from different cultures, appreciate the special
place of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and respect
Australias multicultural composition. With the changing face of the
Australian population, students develop these intercultural
understandings when they, for example:
develop respect for and appreciation of their own and others
cultures by exploring family, food and clothing customs of other
cultures, especially Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and
those cultures in their own community or in the news
work and communicate with those from different cultures and
backgrounds, especially when they are preparing and sharing
food with peers in the class, often preparing food with different
flavours, preparation methods and equipment

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work and communicate with those from different cultures and

backgrounds, sometimes from interstate or overseas, in an
online environment to explore a range of home economicsrelated issues such as family life and health
develop appreciation of the special place of Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander cultures when they discuss family
structures and food traditions
develop respect for Australias multicultural composition when
they engage in investigations related to social issues in their
communities
consider the impact of Australian eating and advertising patterns
on migrant families
explore fashion body manipulation in other culturesfor
example, foot binding, plastic surgery.
Home economics education enables students to engage in critique of a
number of socially-unjust issues, debate, take a stand and take action
on contentious issues, and consider how their ethical actions can
contribute to the wellbeing of both local and global communities. They
develop these ethical behaviours when they, for example:
engage in social critique to identify right and wrong on a range
of social issuesfor example, globalisation, binge drinking, food
security, violenceand participate in social action to advocate
for change that enhances the wellbeing of individuals and
families
think, engage in debate, make judgments and take a stand
about contentious and/or sensitive issues related to families
(abortion, adoption by same-sex couples, euthanasia etc),
fairtrade, sweat shops, caring for an ageing population, use of
resources (land for grazing cattle, treatment of animals raised
for food etc), genetically modified foods, farming practices (for
example, battery hens), online communities (for example, digital
footprints and cyberbullying)
are encouraged to act with moral and ethical integrity and move
from debate to action on ethical and moral issuesfor example,
food miles, fast fashion, packaging, use of natural resources
such as water and fossil fuels etc
explore the impact of their own behaviours, such as consumer
practices related to fashion and food, on people in developing
countries and in rural communities
explore issues such as supermarket monopolies, growth of fast
food outlets and cheap clothing imports.
Home economics education enables students to interact with others,
explicitly develop personal development and communication skills, and
learn how to deal with issues related to identity. They develop this
social competence when they, for example:
interact with others in social and communal activities in practical
food preparation classes, engage with the wider community
when investigating social issues or prepare and serve food to
visitors, and in some cases participate in running playgroups
explore and develop strategies for effective personal
relationships both within families and among peers and the
wider community
select textiles and fashion items that reflect their sense of self
rather than media or peer expectations
interpret their own and others emotional states, needs and
perspectives

Ethical behaviour

Social competence

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examine the impact of peers and the wider community on their

own identityfor example, the impact of the fashion industry
and food advertising on body image and self-esteem
learn how to manage or resolve conflicts and foster inclusive
and respectful interactions.

7.0 Core content

The essential threads underpinning courses of study in home economics are:
becoming independent
connecting with others
taking actions towards futures that support individual and family wellbeing, both
locally and globally.
The areas of study that form the context for these essential threads are:
individuals, families and communities
nutrition and food
textiles and fashion.
Design, consumer and financial literacy, sustainability, social futures and management are
integrated across the areas of study. Shelter and housing are typically explored in the senior
phase of learning.
The three threads and three areas of study are elaborated below.
7.1 Essential threads
Becoming independent
Students develop personal independence in preparation for a range of personal, family and
community roles. They become confident and competent in making informed decisions and
taking actions that enhance personal independence and wellbeing. They develop the ability
to take account of personal and societal influences as they make decisions and take actions
in contexts related to individuals, families and communities, nutrition and food, and textiles
and fashion.
Connecting with others
Students develop an understanding of how wellbeing is influenced by connections with other
people and is interdependent with the broader society. They learn positive ways to
communicate, interact and live with others, prepare for diverse relationships and meet the
needs of others. They come to understand how decisions made at a local levelfor
example, consumer decisionsimpact on others in the global community.
Taking actions towards preferred futures
Students take actions to promote individual, family and community wellbeing, both locally
and globally. They develop an understanding of how decisions and actions of individuals,
governments, business and other organisations impact on individuals, families and
communities. Through empowerment practice, social inquiry and technology practice
(collectively called Home Economics Practice) students develop a sense of responsibility to
take action and advocate for actions that promote preferred futures for individuals, families
and communities.
7.2 Areas of study
Individuals, families and communities
With an emphasis on, but not exclusive to adolescence, students explore how humans grow
and develop, both physically, socially, emotionally, intellectually and spiritually, including how
identity and self-esteem are shaped and influence wellbeing. They consider how body image
is formed and the consequences of positive and negative body image, and how this links to
self-image and healthy minds.

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Students develop understandings about relationships both within the family and outside the
family, learning a number of skills that help establish and maintain relationships among peers
and within families. They develop a range of interpersonal, communication and conflict
resolution skills. They come to understand how diverse social, cultural and environmental
factors influence relationships and self-management and shape personal development.
Students develop skill in the use of both written and verbal communication.
Students explore contemporary issues and social trends related to identity, families and
interpersonal relationshipsfor example, the impact of the digital world on relationships,
youth homelessness, consumer trends, double shifts, mens and womens roles in the family
and same-sex marriages.
Nutrition and food
Students learn how to make healthy food choices that take into account social, economic and
cultural influences. They learn how to use food selection tools and dietary guidelines to
critique and design a range of meals and meal plans that support health and minimise foodrelated health risks. With a focus on, but not exclusive to adolescence, they consider the
macro- and micro-nutrients important for development (for example, kilojoules, saturated fat,
calcium, folate, omega-3 fatty acids). The importance of food for brain development is also
explored.
They design, prepare and present nutritionally balanced, aesthetically appealing and costappropriate foods and come to realise that a wide range of practical skills is empowering for
sustainable food choices. They develop food preparation skills and techniques based on an
understanding of the scientific, sensory and aesthetic properties of foods that enhance the
quality of the food. They adapt recipes to maximise the nutritional value and/or costeffectiveness of the recipe, manage resources when choosing and preparing food, and
practise food safety and hygiene methods.
Students analyse and evaluate their own diets, and importantly they use empowerment
processes to make health-promoting, culturally-appropriate, sustainable changes to their
diets. This necessarily means that they develop the ability to think critically about the wide
range of influences on food choices, including contemporary issues such as Gen Y
characteristics, the fast food industry, advertising and marketing practices. They come to
understand the interplay between food and all dimensions of health (physical, social,
emotional and intellectual) and how the interplay among personal, social, cultural and
environmental factors influences health behaviours.
Students explore issues such as inequities and sustainable food futures both locally and
globally. They explore how their consumer choices related to, for example, packaging,
organic farming, non-meat options, impact on their health as well as the local and global
environment. They engage in social inquiry to challenge those practices that run counter to
healthy lifestyles, healthy self-image, food security and food accessibility.
Textiles and fashion
Students explore design, fibres and fabrics as well as fashion marketing and the social
messages of clothing. This enables them to make wise consumer decisions and choose
and/or create their own designs that respect their own personalities and needs, taking into
account aesthetic, design, functional, environmental and economic dimensions of their
purchases.
They explore how textiles and fashion choices impact on their identity, self-esteem and body
image, and how various fashion and textile industries use marketing and advertising to
promote inappropriate consumption patterns in the interests of their businesses. Students
engage in practical and design skills that enable them to develop their creativity in order to

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enhance and embellish textile articles and to create unique pieces that make a statement
about their identity.
At the same time they learn how to make ethical decisions to ensure that their decisions do
not impact negatively, or encourage practices that impact negatively on others in both local,
national and global communitiesthey consider, for example, sweat shops, fairwear, fast
fashion, nanotechnology and sustainability issuesleading to socially-just, environmentally
responsible choices.
They explore how innovations and emerging textile technologies are impacting on
communications, social practices and health and wellbeing.

8.0 Learning and pedagogy in the home economics curriculum

Learning in home economics integrates:
knowledge and understanding
thinking and reasoning
practical and creative performance
so that students can take critical and emancipatory action to enhance wellbeing and to
advocate for individuals, families and communities at all levels and sectors of society.
Literacy and numeracy skills, ICT competence, thinking skills, creativity, self-management
skills, teamwork, intercultural understandings, ethical behaviour and social competence are
developed as students develop understandings, think, reason and engage in practical tasks
that prepare them to respond positively to real-life challenges.
Quality home economics programs:
connect with students worlds
use contemporary educational research to guide planning
develop practices that are empowering, rather than isolated knowledges and skills.
8.1 Connecting with students worlds
The real-life context and practical orientation of home economics are invaluable in
connecting a wide range of students with deep and critical learning that prepares them for
independence, as well as a commitment to the wellbeing of self and others. Home
economics learning experiences connect with students worlds and the real-life contexts of
their familiesfor example, they explore fast foods, students own dietary intakes, fast
fashion, consumer textiles, conflict resolution, negotiation, digital communications and online
communities. They learn how to prepare nutritious food fast and with a minimum of fuss.
Issues in students worlds are explored in a way that promotes informed and ethical
citizenship, as well as personal wellbeing.
8.2 Using contemporary educational research to guide planning
Home economics pedagogy builds on research that indicates that:
students should engage in deep learning in order to develop deep understandings,
even if time constraints mean studying fewer topics to get this depth; they develop
conceptual understandings and establish relatively complex connections to the
central concepts, not volumes of facts that will be forgotten once the test or the
assignment is over
knowledge about, for example, food consumption, sun exposure, alcohol use and
fashion choices is necessary but insufficient to bring about behaviour change
promoting intellectual rigour is key to improving student outcomes
young people are concerned with health, particularly social and emotional health, and
concerned with relationships
students need both traditional and modern communication skillsdigital tools for
collaboration, negotiation, research and building critical literacy skills as well as faceto-face communication skills such as negotiation, conflict resolution, discussion,

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decision-making and advocacy.

8.3 Developing practices that are empowering, rather than isolated knowledges and
skills
Much of home economics education is concerned with actionsactions related to becoming
independent and actions related to interdependence, whether local or global. These actions
are taken in a context of multiple societal influences such as technology, multiculturalism and
the need for environmental sustainability. Knowledge and skills alone are inadequate to
enable students to take action as informed and ethical citizens. Effective home economics
education is about developing practices that are empoweringpractices such as
empowerment, social inquiry and technology.
Empowerment practice
Empowerment practice focuses on taking action to create positive outcomes on matters of
personal or community significance that are impacted on by societal influences. For example:
improving personal diet (positive personal outcome) in light of factors such as
advertising, time and peer pressure (societal influences)
critiquing and taking action on fashion choices in terms of the messages it conveys
about the wearer
critiquing digital environments in terms of personal safety and privacy and digital
footprint creation and promoting appropriate and responsible online behaviours.
Empowerment practice involves:
collecting, analysing and evaluating data related to the matter being investigated
setting goals
identifying barriers and enablers to the goals
planning to achieve the goals, including addressing barriers and enablers
taking action to achieve the goals
critical reflection on actions.
Each step in empowerment practice plays a critical role in empowering students to develop a
sense of control over their actions and factors that affect their actions. Where possible,
learners are actively engaged in working with others to assess and, if appropriate, modify
choices and practices. It is important that students understand the process so that they can
re-apply it in other situations without teacher guidance.
Social inquiry
A process of social inquiry is used to engage students in critical thinking about, and taking
action on, taken-for-granted assumptions in society that manifest themselves in the
perpetuation of inequality and injustice. A process of social inquiry developed for home
economics education (Home Economics Institute of Australia Inc., 2001) involves:
discussion and initial reaction to practices/beliefs
exploration of the practices/beliefsWhat is happening?
Critical evaluation to identify issues of ethics and justiceShould it be happening?
identification and clarification of the issue.
Possible contexts for social inquiry include the following:
Food choices that use excessive food miles
Food packaging that has negative impacts on the environment
Images in fashion magazines that may lead to poor self-esteem and/or unhealthy
eating habits in a desire to become thin
Advertising during childrens peak viewing time that may promote poor food habits
among children
Toys that promote gendered roles
Mens participation in family roles
Family norms portrayed on television or other media.

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Technology practice
Technology processes are used to meet challenges designed to promote health and
wellbeing. Home economics education promotes an approach where this technology process
is an iterative process, with activity moving back and forth through the process and not as a
series of steps or stages progressing in a linear fashion. Having developed processes and/or
products that promote wellbeing, students are encouraged to promote use of these products.
When students apply the technology process to design/create technologies they consider the
beliefs and values of both the developer of the technology and the user of the technology
for example, the aesthetic, social, environmental, cultural and economic values and beliefs.
The following illustrate some possible home economics learning experiences:
Using a range of information communication technologies to illustrate the impact of
television on how families function
Developing, testing, evaluating and justifying a range of food products to meet predetermined family needs
Investigating, devising and evaluating an interactive web-based article targeting a
teenage audience, entitled Living with (students to decidefor example, parents,
grandma).
Developing, testing, evaluating and justifying a range of recycled and rebadged
fashion items that reflect their personality.

Conclusion
There is clearly a need for home economics education in the 21st century. HEIA urges
ACARA to develop national guidelines for home economics education in Years 710.
Extensive consultation with the profession has provided overwhelming support for this
position. This consultation has evidenced a powerful commitment to a futures-driven home
economics curriculum that maximises opportunities and provides skills to prepare students
for living in the 21st century. Home economics education offers a unique context of bringing
together transdisciplinary theoretical and practical learning. It builds capacity for students to
become active and informed members of society who are empowered to design their social
futures, contribute to the wellbeing of themselves and others, and to examine and take action
on matters of personal, community and global significance.

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