Teaching out-of-field in home economics: A systematic quantitative literature review

Out-of-field teaching (OOFT) is a global phenomenon impacting student learning outcomes and teacher attrition. Anecdotal evidence suggests that home economics teacher shortages drive OOFT, yet there is an absence of research regarding its impacts. A systematic quantitative literature review (SQLR) was conducted to address this research gap and establish a baseline. The inclusion criteria were secondary school home economics education and OOFT, peer reviewed, full-text, and published in English. The date of publication was not a limiting factor. Nine databases were searched in March 2022 and, following exclusion protocols, 25 papers were retained. The qualifying papers were published between 1979 and 2021 with authors from 13 countries. Five papers focussed exclusively on OOFT and home economics. The most used terminology to describe OOFT was 'qualified/unqualified' (n=19; 76%). A global shortage of in-field home economics teachers was the most reported cause for OOFT (n=17; 68%). Impacts on students included lower-quality teaching experiences. OOF teacher self-efficacy was negatively impacted. The impacts on students, teachers, and schools were found to be interlinked. This study provides a baseline to understand the causes and impacts of OOFT in home economics classrooms. Overall, there was a paucity of data available regarding this topic, especially concerning its prevalence and reported experiences. This gap indicates the need for further research regarding OOFT in home economics, especially as OOFT is increasingly under scrutiny in all fields of education due to the negative effects on teachers, student learning outcomes, and school operations. The study also affirmed the need for advocacy to ensure policymakers are aware of the negative impacts of OOFT in home economics and act to seek remedies.