Test Design and 
Test Framework

Field 217: Family and Consumer Sciences

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The test design below describes general test information. The framework that follows is a detailed outline that explains the knowledge and skills that this test measures.

Test Design

Format	Computer-based test (CBT)
Number of Questions	100 multiple-choice questions
Time*	3 hours, 15 minutes
Passing Score	240

*Does not include 15-minute CBT tutorial

Test Framework

Subarea 1—Human Development, the Family, and Parenting

Objective 0001—Understand human growth and development across the life span.

For example:

• Demonstrate knowledge of principles and processes of physical, social-emotional, belief system, and intellectual development across the life span and the interrelationship between these areas of development.
• Demonstrate knowledge of current and emerging research on human growth and development, including research on brain development.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the effects of factors such as gender, ethnicity, culture, socioeconomics, and life events on human development and individual needs.
• Apply knowledge of the effects of heredity and environment on human growth and development.
• Apply knowledge of the role of nurturance and communication on human growth and development.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the impact of external forces and influences (e.g., social, economic, technological, biological, geographic, political, global) on human growth and development.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the role of family and social support in meeting human growth and development needs.

Objective 0002—Understand the family, including nutrition and wellness practices that enhance individual and family well-being.

For example:

• Demonstrate knowledge of the significance of family as a basic unit of society, the effects of the family as a system on the well-being of individuals and society, and the reciprocal effects of participation in community activities.
• Demonstrate knowledge of various family structures, the role of the family (e.g., transmitting societal expectations, culture, traditions), and strategies for managing multiple roles and responsibilities (e.g., individual, family, career).
• Demonstrate knowledge of the diverse perspectives, needs, and characteristics of families and family members and external influences on individuals, families, and society (e.g., diversity, globalization, economic conditions, change and transitions).
• Demonstrate knowledge of the effects of family conflicts, crises, recurring situations, change, and transitions on personal and family life as well as factors that influence a family's ability to manage these situations.
• Demonstrate knowledge of physical, social-emotional, and psychological components of individual and family wellness and communication skills that contribute to positive family relationships and personal responsibility.
• Demonstrate knowledge of various influences (e.g., psychological, cultural, social, public policy, economic, technological, global and local conditions) on nutrition and wellness practices across the life span and the relationship of nutrition and wellness to individual and family health.
• Apply knowledge of nutritional needs in relation to health and wellness across the life span, including strategies for meeting the health and wellness requirements of individuals and families; the effects of nutrients on health; and dietary guideline standards.
• Apply knowledge of how families acquire, handle, and use food to meet the nutrition and wellness needs; sources of food and nutrition information related to wellness; and how to select, store, prepare, and serve nutritious and aesthetically pleasing foods in a safe manner.

Objective 0003—Understand parenting roles, responsibilities, and practices.

For example:

• Demonstrate knowledge of parenting roles, expectations, and responsibilities across the life span and the impact of parenting roles and responsibilities on strengthening the well-being of individuals and families.
• Apply knowledge of communication strategies and nurturing practices that support growth, development, and positive self-esteem in family members as well as the impact of parenting practices to the individual, family, and society.
• Demonstrate knowledge of cultural differences in roles and responsibilities of parenting and societal conditions that influence parenting across the life span.
• Apply knowledge of parenting practices and emerging research about discipline and human growth and development, including the effects of abuse and neglect on children and families.
• Demonstrate knowledge of physical and emotional factors related to alternatives to biological parenthood, prenatal development, birth, and health of mother and child.
• Demonstrate knowledge of external support systems that provide resources and services for parents, including prevention of child abuse and neglect, and criteria for selecting care and services for children.
• Demonstrate knowledge of current laws and policies related to parenting as well as legal and ethical impacts of current and emerging technology on fertility and family planning.

 

Subarea 2—Direct Service Career Paths in Family and Consumer Sciences

Objective 0004—Understand knowledge, skills, and practices relevant to careers in family and community services, early childhood education, and related services.

For example:

• Demonstrate knowledge of the roles and functions of individuals engaged in family and community services, early childhood education, and related careers; opportunities for employment and entrepreneurial endeavors; and education and training requirements for career paths in these areas.
• Demonstrate knowledge of services and support resources for individuals and families with a variety of conditions (e.g., person-centered strategies; coping, adjustment, or stress management practices; decision-making support; licensing laws and regulations; individual and family rights and responsibilities information; advocacy).
• Demonstrate knowledge of issues affecting individuals and families with a variety of conditions (e.g., health, wellness, safety, living environment, social, emotional, economic, vocational, educational, recreational); situations that require prevention or intervention, professional assistance, or crisis intervention; and appropriate support to address these issues and situations.
• Apply knowledge of professional behaviors, skills, and knowledge related to providing family and community services (e.g., rules, regulations, work site policies, professional and ethical collaboration, accurate and confidential documentation); how to use formal and informal assessment practices to identify strengths, needs, preferences, and interests; and the use of technology in family and community services.
• Demonstrate knowledge of developmentally appropriate practices for planning early childhood education and related services.
• Apply knowledge of integrated curriculum and instruction to meet children's developmental needs and interests, including curriculum and instructional models; teaching methods; use of learning centers; management of routines and transitions; and considerations of children's language, learning preferences, early experiences, and cultural values.
• Apply knowledge of how to create a safe and healthy learning environment (e.g., managing physical space, modeling and teaching health and safety practices, planning meals and snacks, addressing illness and communicable diseases, reporting suspected abuse) and techniques for establishing collaborative relationships with children and families.
• Demonstrate knowledge of professional and ethical practices and standards related to working with children (e.g., continuing education, business management skills, commitment to improvement) as well as federal, state, and local laws, standards, policies, and regulations.

Objective 0005—Understand knowledge, skills, and practices relevant to careers in human, economic, and environmental resources and consumer services.

For example:

• Demonstrate knowledge of how to organize tasks and responsibilities; and how individuals and families make choices to satisfy needs and wants as well as consumer skills needed for decision making and management of individual and family resources (e.g., food, clothing, shelter, recreation, health care, transportation, time, human capital).
• Demonstrate knowledge of the relationship of the environment to family and consumer resources; the relationships between the economic system and consumer actions (e.g., use of resources to satisfy needs and wants, practices for maintaining economic self-sufficiency); and policies that support consumer rights and responsibilities.
• Apply knowledge of how to identify and manage financial resources to meet the goals of individuals and families across the life span (e.g., financial planning and practices, insurance decisions, personal and legal documents related to individual and family finances).
• Demonstrate knowledge of the roles and functions of individuals engaged in consumer services careers, opportunities for employment and entrepreneurial endeavors, and education and training requirements for career paths in these areas.
• Demonstrate knowledge of influences (e.g., advocacy organizations, policy makers, consumer protection laws, media, business and industry policies, educational and promotional materials) on consumer advocacy; strategies for reducing the risk of consumer fraud; and strategies for enabling consumers to become advocates.
• Apply knowledge of the components of the financial planning process that reflects the distinction between needs, wants, values, goals, and economic resources as well as strategies for and considerations in developing a long-term financial management plan (e.g., consumer credit, investment alternatives, risk management, life transitions, estate planning).
• Demonstrate knowledge of resource consumption for conservation and waste management practices (e.g., sources and types of residential and commercial energy, water policy and usage, waste disposal, pollution issues); strategies, practices, and programs to conserve energy and reduce waste at the local, state, and national levels; and the roles of government, industry, and family in energy consumption.
• Demonstrate knowledge of principles and practices involved in product development, testing, and presentation (e.g., market research, valid and reliable testing procedures and statistical analysis, product analysis, marketing and sales techniques).

Objective 0006—Understand knowledge, skills, and practices relevant to careers in hospitality, tourism, and recreation.

For example:

• Demonstrate knowledge of the roles and functions of individuals engaged in hospitality, tourism, and recreation careers; opportunities for employment and entrepreneurial endeavors; and education and training requirements for career paths in these areas.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the importance of safety, security, and environmental issues related to hospitality, tourism, and recreation (e.g., procedures for ensuring guest or customer safety, evacuation plans, emergency procedures, resource management and conservation, event security procedures).
• Demonstrate knowledge of industry standards for service methods that meet expectations of guests or customers and the effects of customer relations on success of the hospitality, tourism, and recreation industry, including meeting the needs of all guests.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the relationship between employee attitude, appearance, and actions and customer satisfaction as well as systems for evaluating and resolving employee, employer, guest, or customer complaints.
• Apply knowledge of practices and skills involved in lodging occupations (e.g., office and customer service; accounting and financial; convention, meeting, and banquet support; catering; sales and marketing; maintenance).
• Demonstrate knowledge of time and work management skills in lodging operations.
• Apply knowledge of how to gather information about various regions and countries (e.g., geography, climate, sites, time zones, customs, food, etiquette) and practices and skills for travel-related services (e.g., preparation of travel documents and itineraries, provision of information for domestic and international travel, monitoring of travel arrangements).
• Apply knowledge of practices and skills for managing recreation, leisure, and other wellness programs and events (e.g., coordinating client requests; developing themes, timelines, and budgets; logistics and marketing).
• Apply knowledge of technological tools and resources in the areas of hospitality, tourism, and recreation.

 

Subarea 3—Indirect Service Career Paths in Family and Consumer Sciences

Objective 0007—Understand knowledge, skills, and practices relevant to careers in food and beverage production and services, food science and technology, and dietetics.

For example:

• Demonstrate knowledge of the roles and functions of individuals engaged in food production and services, food science and technology, and dietetics careers; opportunities for employment and entrepreneurial endeavors; and education and training requirements for career paths in these areas.
• Apply knowledge of food safety, food security, and sanitation procedures; characteristics and prevention of food-borne illnesses; and principles and procedures relevant to purchasing, receiving, storage, and safe handling of raw and prepared foods.
• Demonstrate knowledge of industry standards, requirements, and documentation related to food production and services (e.g., Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point [HACCPH A C C P], Occupational Safety and Health Administration [OSHA], OSHA Safety Data Sheets [SDSs]).
• Demonstrate knowledge of various types of equipment for food production and services as well as industry standards in selecting, using, cleaning, monitoring, maintaining, and storing food production and food services equipment.
• Apply knowledge of principles and techniques based on standardized recipes for planning menus to meet given needs and professional food preparation methods and techniques to produce food products for all menu categories.
• Demonstrate knowledge of how to implement food service management and leadership functions, including the concept of internal and external customer service.
• Demonstrate knowledge of risk and crisis management procedures in relation to food safety, food testing, and sanitation in accordance with industry standards and requirements.
• Apply knowledge of nutrition principles, food plans, preparation techniques, and specialized dietary considerations as well as the application of basic concepts of nutrition in various settings.
• Demonstrate knowledge of food science, dietetics, and nutrition management principles and practices, including the use of current technology in food product development and marketing.

Objective 0008—Understand knowledge, skills, and practices relevant to careers in housing, interior design, textiles, and apparel.

For example:

• Demonstrate knowledge of the roles and functions of individuals engaged in housing, interior design, textiles, and apparel careers; opportunities for employment and entrepreneurial endeavors; and education and training requirements for career paths in these areas.
• Demonstrate knowledge of commercial and residential housing design concepts (e.g., aesthetics, function, ergonomics, anthropometrics) and theories, including green design, as well as design and development of architecture, interiors, and furnishings through the ages.
• Apply knowledge of housing and interior skills and processes in meeting specific design needs and how to evaluate a client's needs, goals, and resources in creating design plans for commercial and residential housing and interiors.
• Demonstrate knowledge of construction document interpretation; space planning, including building codes, accessibility, universal guidelines, and regulations; and graphic communication tools (e.g., computer-assisted design [CAD], presentation software, sketching).
• Demonstrate knowledge of considerations related to fiber and textile products and materials (e.g., fiber characteristics; construction characteristics; safety, care, use, and maintenance), the application of principles and elements of design and technology in fashion, apparel, and textiles in residential and commercial settings.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the skills and tools needed to produce, alter, or repair various fashion, apparel, and textile products.
• Apply knowledge of key elements in fashion, apparel, and textile merchandising (e.g., research, promotion, ethics, cost analysis); components of customer service; and general operational procedures required for business profitability and career success (e.g., personal and employer responsibilities, security and inventory control, transaction methods).

Objective 0009—Understand knowledge, skills, and practices relevant to careers in facilities management and maintenance.

For example:

• Demonstrate knowledge of the roles and functions of individuals engaged in facilities management and maintenance careers, opportunities for employment and entrepreneurial endeavors, and education and training requirements for career paths in these areas.
• Apply knowledge of how to plan, organize, and maintain an efficient housekeeping operation for residential or commercial facilities, including knowledge of housekeeping standards and procedures, management of supplies, operation of cleaning equipment and tools, and laundering processes.
• Demonstrate knowledge of techniques for maintaining building interior surfaces (e.g., wall coverings, fabrics, furnishings, floors), established standards for performing facilities maintenance, energy efficient methods, and quality services in keeping with customer expectations.
• Apply knowledge of sanitation procedures for a clean and safe environment, including types of cleaning methods and their environmental effects; federal and state regulations regarding safe handling, use, and storage of chemicals; and integrated pest management systems.
• Demonstrate knowledge of regulations and guidelines of organizations related to facilities management and maintenance (e.g., Occupational Safety and Health Administration [OSHA], Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], Americans with Disabilities Act [ADAA D A], American Hotel and Lodging Association [AHLAA H L A]).
• Apply knowledge of procedures for safe and legal use, storage, and disposal of hazardous materials and waste products, including appropriate and timely recording related to the presence of hazardous materials and hazardous situations as well as proactive methods for waste management (e.g., waste minimization plan, recycling programs).
• Demonstrate knowledge of security and safety procedures for external and internal emergencies; control of infection; and use, care, and storage of equipment.
• Demonstrate knowledge of facilities management functions (e.g., customer service, staff planning and hiring, scheduling, training, purchasing and receiving, inventory control, marketing, principles of profit and loss).

 

Subarea 4—Career Development and Pedagogical Practice in Family and Consumer Sciences

Objective 0010—Understand relationships in work and community settings, career development process, and ways to support students' career development in family and consumer sciences.

For example:

• Demonstrate knowledge of the functions and expectations of various types of relationships in work and community settings; the effects of individual needs and characteristics (e.g., self-esteem, personal standards) on relationships; and processes for building and maintaining relationships.
• Apply knowledge of the roles and functions of communication; effective communication skills (e.g., verbal and nonverbal behaviors, listening and feedback, digital communication); strategies for overcoming communication barriers; and ethical principles of communication in work and community settings.
• Apply knowledge of skills for teamwork, leadership, problem solving, and ethical decision making; standards that guide behavior in work and community settings; and strategies for preventing and managing stress and conflict in work and community settings.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the foundations of work and the interactive effects between family and consumer sciences careers and local, state, national, and global economies.
• Apply knowledge of career development concepts; the career planning process; transferrable and soft skills; and strategies for advising students in the career planning process.
• Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for assisting students in creating an employment portfolio for use in applying for internships and work-based learning opportunities.
• Demonstrate knowledge of skill standards appropriate to the individual disciplines, Illinois Occupational Skill Standards, and strategies for supporting students in achieving relevant standards.
• Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for developing partnerships with members of the business community to provide learning opportunities for students.

Objective 0011—Understand the process of reading and apply knowledge of strategies for promoting students' reading development in the family and consumer sciences classroom.

For example:

• Demonstrate knowledge of the reading process (e.g., the construction of meaning through interactions between a reader's prior knowledge, information in the text, and the purpose of the reading situation), and apply knowledge of strategies for integrating the language arts into family and consumer sciences instruction to support students' reading and concept development (e.g., providing purposeful opportunities for students to read, write about, and discuss content in order to improve their understanding).
• Apply knowledge of strategies that foster reading in the family and consumer sciences classroom (e.g., incorporating relevant literature for adolescents in the curriculum; building and maintaining a classroom library; encouraging students' independent reading, research, and inquiry related to family and consumer sciences).
• Demonstrate knowledge of the role of vocabulary knowledge in supporting students' reading comprehension and concept development, and apply knowledge of strategies for promoting students' discipline-specific vocabulary development (e.g., recognizing structural and/or meaning-based relationships between words, using context clues, distinguishing denotative and connotative meanings of words, interpreting idioms and figurative language, consulting specialized reference materials).
• Apply knowledge of strategies for preparing students to read text effectively and for teaching and modeling the use of comprehension strategies before, during, and after reading, including strategies that promote close reading (e.g., breaking down complex sentences, monitoring for comprehension to correct confusions and misunderstandings that arise during reading).
• Apply knowledge of strategies for developing students' ability to comprehend and critically analyze discipline-specific texts, including recognizing organizational patterns unique to informational texts; using graphic organizers as an aid for analyzing and recalling information from texts; analyzing and summarizing an author's argument, claims, evidence, and point of view; evaluating the credibility of sources; and synthesizing multiple sources of information presented in different media or formats.
• Apply knowledge of strategies for evaluating, selecting, modifying, and designing reading materials appropriate to the academic task and students' reading abilities (e.g., analyzing instructional materials in terms of readability, content, length, format, illustrations, and other pertinent factors).
• Apply knowledge of strategies for providing continuous monitoring of students' reading progress through observations, work samples, and various informal assessments and for differentiating family and consumer sciences instruction to address all students' assessed reading needs.

Objective 0012—Understand how to plan, deliver, and evaluate instruction appropriate to the individual disciplines of family and consumer sciences.

For example:

• Demonstrate knowledge of how to design and implement family and consumer sciences curricula that is aligned with relevant state and national standards in the individual disciplines of family and consumer sciences.
• Apply knowledge of educational assessment, the role of assessment in instruction, types of assessments applicable to the individual disciplines of family and consumer sciences, and how to use assessment data to inform instructional decision making.
• Apply knowledge of how to plan and deliver effective instruction in the individual disciplines of family and consumer sciences, including lesson planning, research-based instructional strategies, and appropriate student learning activities, that is responsive to trends in the profession, changing labor and career opportunities, post secondary admission standards, and relevant Illinois Occupational Skill Standards.
• Demonstrate knowledge of how to create safe, healthy, supportive, and motivating learning environments that promote respectful interactions and enable students to achieve learning goals and develop knowledge and skills in the individual disciplines of family and consumer sciences.
• Demonstrate knowledge of diverse learning characteristics and ways to differentiate family and consumer sciences instruction to meet the needs of individual and groups of students.
• Apply knowledge of strategies for developing partnerships with students, colleagues, community, business/industry, and families to maximize resources as well as ways to integrate Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLAF C C L A) activities, materials, and projects into the curriculum to promote student learning, leadership skills, and community involvement.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the benefits of participating in professional organizations, such as American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCSA A F C S), as well as techniques for developing a plan for continued personal and professional growth.

 

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