Course Description
Using theory, research, and professional practice, students will learn to develop and evaluate applied family life educational programs that address critical issues of concern to individuals and families across the life span. Taught from an ecological systems perspective and using best practices in family life education, students will also learn how to effectively teach program content.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Graduate students will be assigned additional readings and meet separately with the instructor to discuss their works. Graduate students will also be required to write a final paper in which they:
A) critically review the theoretical, research, and professional practice literatures on an applied topic and a specific target audience and community;
B) develop a written product for this audience based on this review; and
C) develop an evaluation plan to determine the effectiveness of the materials in meeting their educational objectives.
Athena Title
Family Life SL
Equivalent Courses
Not open to students with credit in HDFS 4880, HDFS 4880W or HDFS 4880, HDFS 6880W
Non-Traditional Format
Course includes a service-learning project during the semester that either employs skills or knowledge learned in the course or teaches new skills or knowledge related to course objectives. Students will be involved in the planning and implementation of the project(s) and may spend time outside of the classroom. Students will be engaged in the service-learning component for approximately 25-50% of overall instructional time.
Undergraduate Prerequisite
(HDFS 2100 or HDFS 2100H or HDFS 2100E) and (HDFS 2200 or HDFS 2200H or HDFS 2200E or HDFS 2950-2950L or HDFS 2950E) and 3 hours of HDFS courses at the 3000-level or above
Graduate Prerequisite
Permission of department
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
Students will be able to: 1. Identify major issues of concern to individual and family development and functioning; use information from theory, research, and professional practice to address these issues with a community partner; 2. Identify the theories, principles, domains, ethics, and methods of family life education; and 3. Use family education theories and methods to design family life education programs and strategies for evaluating their impact on individual and family development with a community partner; and 4. Identify differences in individual learning styles and use information from theory, research, and professional practice to create developmentally and culturally appropriate teaching strategies for a community partner; and 5. Identify best practices in family life education for recruitment, engagement, and retention of program participants; and 6. Use family education theories and methods to implement family life education programs and strategies for conducting informative process evaluation for a community partner.
Topical Outline
I. Theories and methods A. Overview of human and family development B. Service-learning philosophy and approach C. Theories, principles, and domains of family life education D. Ethics in research and family life education practices E. Methods for conducting summative evaluations II. Designing family life education programs with and for community partner A. Using theory and research to guide program development B. Conduct and use needs assessments to inform program decisions C. Designing logic models to inform program development D. Creating clear and appropriate instructional and teaching materials III. Facilitating family life education programs A. Overview of adult learning theories B. Theories and principles of effective family life educational instruction C. The influence of biological development and cultural experiences on learning D. Identifying effective strategies for recruiting and engaging your target audience E. Developing lesson plans that are developmentally and culturally appropriate for the target audience of community partner F. Using theory and research to guide program implementation G. Developing presentation materials and activities H. Practicing program facilitation I. Developing a marketing plan J. Identifying funding opportunities IV. Evaluation of family life education programs for community partner A. Understand the difference between formative and summative evaluation B. Establish clear and measurable goals and objectives C. Develop evaluation plan to assess short term, intermediate, and long term outcomes D. Conducting and using formative evaluation to inform enhancement E. Identify strategies to evaluate effective teaching and instruction F. Establish evaluation plan to assess and monitor program quality
Syllabus