The WDE section head works with the faculty to manage the programs and interact with the director of the School of Physical Activity and Educational Services (PAES). This is a rotating position among the WDE faculty. Drs. Hawley, Stein and Zirkle have all held this position and now it is my turn. The section head monitors the promotion, recruitment and admission of graduate and undergraduate students into WDE, assures scheduling and staffing of all WDE courses, manages correspondence with students, colleagues and friends of WDE, and attends or arranges working sessions with faculty and administrators in PAES. The WDE faculties have some special challenges as we move courses and programs to semesters, and realign colleges and sections into departments.
Dr. Ruth Dohner in the classroom
My graduate study was at The Pennsylvania State University and I have been a professor at Ohio State for 33 years. When the College of Education and Human Ecology merged I moved the Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) Education B.S., Post-baccalaureate, and Master’s degree programs from Human Ecology to join Career and Technical Education (CTE) in Workforce Development and Education. FCS is historically one of several career areas in CTE and in Ohio is organized together in the state system to establish effective secondary programs. The goal of FCS programs is to strengthen individuals and build strong families to nourish strong communities and members of the workforce.
At Ohio State Family and Consumer Sciences Education is a Bachelor’s of Education, post-baccalaureate (already have a B.S. degree and seeking a FCS teacher license), and a Master’s of Education in WDE which includes a FCS teacher license. The course work is a combination of general education, human ecology, education, and sequence of FCS teaching methods and field experiences. FCS ED provides scholarships for all the students each year they maintain the required academic and admission standards. Family and Consumer Sciences teachers are in demand in Ohio.
Dr. Ruth Dohner with her daughter Alexis and grandson Scottie
My recent academic work has been to develop standards for students in the Ohio Family and Consumer Science secondary programs. This includes inquiry projects to assist students to successfully transition at educational points from middle to high school and from high school to post-secondary education. My current work is to develop healthy food and lifestyle secondary courses and to prepare FCS teachers in educating middle and high school students to lead healthy and environmentally sustainable lives. A new course available during Maymester and summer semester is titled Toward Just, Healthy, and Secure Choices. This is a course to study environmentally sustainable, healthy food practice and is designed for FCS ED students and invites all students interested in designing a healthy lifestyle.