Home economics class has an important role in education as it enables students to acquire knowledge and skills that are important for a quality life in family and society. However, home economics class is still perceived in terms of content as one of the less demanding classes. Students agree that home economics class brings an individual and society an improvement to family and interpersonal relationships, behavioural changes related to health and nourishment, and acquisition of knowledge on how to become a more conscious consumer. Home economics literacy helps shaping more productive, healthier and more creative individuals who strive for a sustainable quality of life. The purpose of the master’s thesis is to determine students’ standpoint on perceptions of needs and attitude towards home economics class based on research. I have obtained the data through qualitative research by interviewing students. The research included nine students of the ninth grade of primary school. In the research I used a descriptive research method; the interview technique was used.
The results of the research have shown that the students find it important to acquire knowledge and practical life skills in different fields of expertise. They are interested in subjects that are important to them for enrolment to secondary schools and their careers. The students want more practical work at schools, and at the same time point out the need to acquire more skills. In the home economics discipline, they see important knowledge and life skills that would help them improve the quality of life. According to the students’ opinion, they should be adequately literate in home economics by the end of the primary school. They point out the nutrition, environmental, financial and health literacy. They find it important to gain more skills in cooking, for example, easy dishes such as pasta, soups and that they can also cook other easy meals without following a recipe. The students also give great importance to knowledge and skills in financial literacy, as they should know how to handle and manage money. Besides the important knowledge and skills acquired in different fields of expertise, the students also consider the social skills important. The students find it important to become independent and to know how to properly react in various situations. The students emphasize that it is the school’s task to deliver the knowledge and skills, and to prepare them for later life. At that point it is crucial how much students are motivated. They perceive teachers as an important factor in school’s role. They find it important that teachers know how to motivate and encourage, as in doing so students are more interested and successful. Parents are often not able to dedicate themselves to students or assist them in acquiring knowledge due to lack of time, stress at work, incompetency and education. The students point out that home economics classes should be carried out in all educational periods of primary school, as with that they would improve knowledge and skills for the benefit of an individual and society. The meaning of home economics education is seen by students in a quality and independent life.
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