RELEVANCE OF HOME SKILLS AS A REQUIRED COURSE AMONG AUP UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

Abstract

This participatory action research using multiple sources of data including interviews with both Home Skills previous and present lecturers who are co-researchers  of this study and students also by past and current lecturers was conducted to determine the relevance of Home Skills to AUP students. It sought better understanding  of the students’ identified home skills in order for the participating teacher researchers to improve their course syllabi and manual. Six students, under the past lecturer and six students under the new lecturer, three males and three females for each group, were interviewed by the main author. For triangulation, documents such as Home Skills syllabi and manuals, both past and current, were analyzed. The results show that with the past Home Skills classes, students explained how their experiences in Home Skills classes in terms of cooking, home budgeting and planning, Christian family life, and hand sewing has helped them to be prepared if they have their own family someday. On the other hand, former students who used the current Home Skills Manual reported that home maintenance  skills such as door knob changing, basic electricity, plumbing, and painting are the skills that they find very useful as these are all new skills to them whether male or female. Some also mentioned that they improved their leadership skills through Home. A Theology student said that he uses home maintenance skills for ministry as there are people who need help in changing door knobs, electrical wirings or lights, plumbing, and painting. Those who used the new manual, however, suggested that more emphasis should be given to cooking instead of baking as cooking is done on a daily basis while baking is not. They also suggested that in painting lesson, it should include the basic steps such as sanding the surface before painting so that students can perform permanent painting in their own homes.