Browsing by Author "Aula, Olga"

Objectives. This study was inspired by the lack of environmentally sustainable food habits in Home Economics Teacher education even though sustainable development and growing to responsibility are an important part of home economics teaching in schools. Also results of previous studies support this notice. The objective of this study was to provide research results for Home Economics Teacher education about improvement needs in curricula development. This study investigates how home economics teacher students perceive environmentally responsible food habits as part of their daily life, home economics teaching of schools and Home Economics Teacher education. Methods. This was a quantitative study and the research data was gathered with a web questionnaire. Home economics teacher students formed the universe of this study and the sample was formed by home economics teacher students from Helsinki University and University of Eastern Finland (n = 79). The sample represented the universe quite well according to sex, starting year of studies and major subject, but not very well according to university due to underrepresentation of students from University of Eastern Finland in the sample. Statistical analysis and content analysis were used to analyse the data. Results and conclusions. The results show that home economics teacher students practiced some environmentally responsible food habits more than others. Teaching environmentally responsible food habits were considered rather important however environmental responsibility was not as strongly present in choices of food materials in home economics teaching preferences. In daily life practiced food habits of home economics teacher students were rather parallel to the food habits considered important in home economics teaching. The results also show that according to home economics teacher students environmentally responsible food habits should be taught more in Home Economics Teacher education. The results reflect that environmentally responsible food habits should be taught more and from wider perspective in Home Economics Teacher education and in extension studies. The results are mainly consistent with the results of previous studies.