As the world economy continues to evolve, businesses and industries must adopt new practices and processes in order to survive. Quality and cost control, work teams and participatory management, and an infusion of technology are transforming the way people work and do business. Employees are now expected to read, write, and communicate…

This paper explores the use of simulations in virtual reality to teach students the fundamental processes behind retailing and product development. The project described involved one class of students who developed their own clothing lines of "virtual merchandise." A second class of students then "purchased" the wholesale…

Secondary vocational-technical education programs in Mississippi are faced with many challenges resulting from sweeping educational reforms at the national and state levels. Schools and teachers are increasingly being held accountable for providing true learning activities to every student in the classroom. This accountability is measured through…

This document, which reflects Mississippi's statutory requirement that instructional programs be based on core curricula and performance-based assessment, contains outlines of the instructional units required in local instructional management plans and daily lesson plans for marketing I-II and fashion merchandising. Presented first are a program…

This curriculum guide for occupational home economics programs was developed by the state of Mississippi to standardize vocational education course titles and core contents. The objectives contained in this document are common to all occupational home economics programs in the state. The guide provides units on the following topics: aging I and…

Standardized curricula are provided for two courses for the secondary vocational education program in Mississippi: commercial garment and apparel construction I and II. The seven units in commercial garment and apparel construction I are as follows: orientation; securing a job; human relations; safety; maintenance; needle trade techniques; and…

A project was developed to (1) utilize a steering committee for project planning, review, and evaluation; (2) catalog, review, and analyze systems and studies that impact on identification/selection of mentally handicapped and slow learners for vocational programs; (3) design tests involving vocational skill prediction for use with mentally…

Standardized vocational education titles and core contents are provided for 10 home economics courses offered in Mississippi: (1) living skills; (2) exploratory home economics; (3) consumer homemaking I; (4) child care; (5) clothing and textiles; (6) consumer education; (7) family living and parenting; (8) family/individual health; (9) foods and…

Standardized course titles and core contents for seven marketing and cooperative vocational education courses in Mississippi are provided: (1) marketing education, part one; (2) marketing education, part two; (3) fashion merchandising; (4) marketing cooperative education, part one; (5) marketing cooperative education, part two; (6) diversified…