Course Syllabus

Independent Study in Idaho

ISI Website | indepst@uidaho.edu | 208-885-6641

FCS 4280 Housing America’s Families

COURSE FORMAT: Independent Study in Idaho (Self-Paced)

SPONSOR INSTITUTION: University of Idaho

COURSE AVAILABILITY: 365 Days

CREDITS: 3

Instructor Information

Course Instructor: Kelsie Smathers

  • Email: ksmathers@uidaho.edu
  • Phone: 208-596-0766
  • Office Hours: By appointment – please email to discuss
  • Copy the ISI office at indepst@uidaho.edu on all communications.

Kelsie Smathers currently lives in Moscow, ID with her husband, Samuel, and four school aged children. Kelsie received her MS in Family and Consumer Sciences with a focus on personal finance education from the University of Idaho.  Kelsie has over a decade of teaching experience in a variety of topics such as: Human Development, Resource Management, Personal Finance, Consumer Economics, Housing America's Families, Financial Counseling and Debt Management, Personal and Family Finance and Management, Adulting 101, and more.  Kelsie is passionate about applying course material to everyday life and looks for ways to make every topic applicable.   In her spare time, Kelsie enjoys baking, gardening, singing, volunteering in her kids' classrooms, and taking her kids to all the extra curriculars. 

Course Description

This course is designed to provide you with knowledge of the basic issues and concepts in housing across the lifespan that influence individual and family well-being. This includes housing choices as affected by social, psychological, economic, technological, and political factors.

Through textbook readings, lectures, hands-on experiential assignments, workbook assignments, and extra videos and articles this course is designed to be a practical approach to the subject of housing. This course begins by looking at the life stages of families and individuals and what housing needs might look like at different stages. The concept of Universal Design is woven throughout the course to give a picture of the importance of designing well. Students will learn how a house is built starting with the floor plan and finishing with the interior décor and final personalized touches. For many people, financing a home is one of the biggest financial decisions they ever make and this course reviews the process of purchasing a home and the various financing options. There are advances in technology every day as well as innovative ways to have a sustainable house. This course address environmental factors that we all care about such as air quality not only outside but also inside our homes. Moving out of the house this course examines the exterior living space and individual or family wants and needs in this space. The course finishes with a look at careers in housing and related fields.

Course Learning Outcomes

  • Identify how housing values, needs, and lifestyle influence housing choices for different socioeconomic groups across the lifespan.
  • Develop an understanding of the role housing plays in the quality of life.
  • Describe the social, economic, environmental, technological, and government influences on housing.
  • Examine housing from a historical perspective.
  • Develop knowledge of the advantages and disadvantages of living in many types of housing structures including the site built, single family home, manufactured housing, condominiums, modular housing, and apartments.
  • Examine environmental issues, “green building,” and LEED certification
  • Determine decision-making strategies for evaluating, financing, and purchasing a home.
  • Understand the home-buying process and the options available for financing.
  • Explore universal design in housing and how it can benefit at-risk populations such as persons with a disability and the elderly.
  • Explore and understand housing options for those living in poverty.

Required Materials

Required Textbook: Lewis, Evelyn L., and Carolyn S. Turner. Housing and Interior Design, 12th Edition. Goodheart-Willcox Company, Inc., 2023. ISBN: 978-1-64925-940-0

Required Student Workbook: Lewis, Evelyn L. and Carolyn S. Turner. Housing and Interior Design, 12th Edition Workbook. Goodheart-Willcox Company, Inc., 2023. ISBN: 978-1-64925-946-2 

Course Rules and Requirements

Grade Information

You can expect to see a grade within two weeks of your submission.  If you have questions about the grade received, you have two weeks to contest that grade: please email your instructor directly.  Remember, a grade is earned not given.  If you do not have the scores you would like, first identify and analyze your decisions and actions regarding the course (have you been reading the chapters, are you reviewing the extra material, etc.), then make an appointment to talk with your instructor about your options. 

Assignments

Guidelines

  • All assignments are viewed as a professional example of your understanding of the course material.
  • All assignments are expected to be free of spelling and grammatical errors. It is advised you follow APA style guidelines when composing the discussion portions of the assignments as detailed in the individual assignment instructions.  See your course module for more resources. 
  • Canvas will not open certain file types so be sure assignments are saved as a .doc, .docX, or PDF unless otherwise specified in the assignment instructions before submitting. If you are using a Mac and use Pages be sure to convert your assignment before submitting.
  • Attach your assignment file under the appropriate assignment link in Canvas. If you have more than one file to attach be sure to attach both and then submit.  If you discover an error in your submission you can always resubmit the assignment and leave a comment for the instructor.  
  • Do not copy and paste your work into the “submission” or “comment” box in Canvas.
  • If you need assistance submitting assignments contact Canvas Help.
  • Students may submit up to 2 assignments at once. Students may submit up to 2 assignments in one week.  Discuss with your instructor if you have a deadline to meet. 
  • Individual Assignment instructions are available in each Lesson's module.  
  • Student Workbook Assignments are graded on completion. 
  • Lesson Assignments are graded using individual rubrics available with the assignment instructions in the modules. 

Assignment Breakdown 

Assignment 

Points 

Approximate Percentage of Overall Grade 

10 Student Workbook Assignments 10 points each 

100

22% 

4 Lesson Assignments 25 points each 

100

22%

1 Final Project  

50 

11% 

2 Exams 100 points each 

200

45% 

Total 

450

100% 

 

Exam Guidelines

Exams mainly consist of short answer essay questions.  This gives you the opportunity to apply the material and demonstrate what you know.  Exams are available in Canvas, do not require a proctor, are are open book and notes. There are 2 exams for this course.  Once you being the exam a 2 hour timer starts. Each exam is worth 100 points.  For full points be sure to properly use and apply terms expressed in the question. 

Grading Scale

The final course grade is issued after all assignments and exams have been graded.

  • A = 90% to 100%
  • B = 80% to 89%
  • C = 70% to 79%
  • D = 60% to 69%
  • F = 59% or less

Course Policies

Refer to the ISI Policies for the most current policies and procedures, including information on setting up accounts, student confidentiality, exams, transcripts, course exchanges, refunds, academic integrity, library resources, disability support and other services. 

UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO POLICIES AND RESOURCES

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

A core value at UI is the ideal of academic honesty and integrity. UI students live and work in a community which emphasizes their responsibility for helping to determine and enforce high standards of academic conduct. The University of Idaho expects all students to adhere to the highest standards of academic honesty, and to refrain from any action which infringes upon academic freedom of other members of the community. Please review the UI Student Code of Conduct Article II - Academic Honesty. 

PLAGIARISM

Plagiarism is using someone else’s words, ideas, or work and presenting it as your own. This includes copying, rewording, or summarizing someone else’s writing without giving them credit, as well as taking another person’s ideas and putting them in new words without citing them.

Your assignments should be your original work. When using outside sources, you must cite them. If you use someone’s exact words, put them in quotation marks and give proper credit. If you use their ideas, make sure you cite them even if you’ve rewritten the wording. When you fail to do so, it constitutes academic dishonesty. 

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

As artificial intelligence tools become more widely available, it is important to clarify how they may or may not be used in this course. The following policy is designed to support your learning and ensure academic integrity.

AI Use Prohibited on Graded Assignments

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools—including but not limited to ChatGPT, Copilot, Perplexity, Grammarly, image generators, and automated coding/writing assistants—is not permitted in this course on assignments you submit for a grade (Student Workbook, Assignments, Exams).  

Unauthorized use of AI tools is considered a form of unauthorized assistance and undermines the core learning objectives of the class. This course is intentionally designed to build foundational skills—such as critical analysis, discipline-specific reasoning, original writing, and independent problem-solving—that require your direct engagement. Using AI tools to generate or revise work may hinder the achievement of these objectives and may compromise the integrity of your academic development.

Any use of AI tools for coursework, unless explicitly allowed by the instructor for a specific assignment, will be treated as a violation of academic integrity and may result in sanctions as outlined in the University of Idaho Student Code of Conduct. Students are responsible for reviewing and adhering to all university policies regarding academic honesty and should consult the Student Code of Conduct for further guidance.

AI may be used with Acknowledgement on Ungraded Assignments  

AI can be used as a study tool to access course-related information, clarify concepts, collaborate with peers, and enhance critical thinking and writing skills.  AI may be used in this course on ungraded assignments with the goal of facilitating further understanding and supporting provided course material if that use is properly documented and cited.  

Students must (1) cite any AI-generated material using a clear attribution and appropriate citation format (e.g. APA) and (2) include a brief (2–3 sentence) note explaining how the tool was used, including the prompt or settings. Unauthorized or undisclosed use of AI tools will be considered a violation of academic integrity under the University of Idaho Student Code of Conduct and may affect your grade.  

This practice helps you reflect on your learning process and ensures transparency in your academic work. If you're unsure how to document or cite AI use, please reach out or visit the University of Idaho Writing Center for support. 

LEARNING CIVILITY

In any environment in which people gather to learn, it is essential that all members feel as free and safe as possible in their participation. To this end, it is expected that everyone in this course will be treated with mutual respect and civility, with an understanding that all of us (students, instructors, professors, guests, teaching assistants, etc.) will be respectful and civil to one another in discussion, in action, in teaching, and in learning.

Should you feel any classroom interactions do not reflect an environment of civility and respect, you are encouraged to reach out to me or an appropriate campus resource to discuss your concern.

Some appropriate campus resources to express a concern or request support include the Dean of Students Office (208-885-6757 or VandalCARE referral), the Counseling and Mental Health Center (208-885-6716), or the Office of Civil Rights and Investigations (208-885-4285).

CENTER FOR DISABILITY ACCESS & RESOURCES (CDAR)

UI is committed to ensuring an accessible learning environment where course or instructional content are usable by all students and faculty. If you believe that you qualify for disability-related academic adjustments for this class, please contact CDAR to discuss eligibility. A current accommodation notification from CDAR is required before any modifications above and beyond what is otherwise available for all other students in this class will be provided.

Please be advised that disability-related academic adjustments are not retroactive. CDAR is located at the Bruce Pitman Building, Suite 127. Their phone number is 208-885-6307 and email is cdar@uidaho.edu.

For a complete listing of services and hours visit www.uidaho.edu/student-resources/disability-accessibility-resources.

NONDISCRIMINATION POLICY

UI has a policy of nondiscrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, or veteran status. This policy applies to all programs, services, and facilities, and includes, but is not limited to, applications, admissions, access to programs and services, and employment. Sexual harassment violates state and federal law and policies of the Board of Regents, and is expressly prohibited. UI also prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, as stated in FSH 3215. The entire FSH can be accessed online at www.uidaho.edu/policies/fsh.

Complaints about discrimination or harassment should be brought to the attention of the Office of Civil Rights and Investigations (ocri@uidaho.edu, 208-885-4285). Retaliation for bringing forward a complaint is prohibited by FSH 3810.

UI MOSCOW LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The University of Idaho welcomes and respects all people. UI Moscow is located on the homelands of the Nimiipuu (Nez Perce), Palus (Palouse), and Schitsu’umsh (Coeur d’Alene) tribes. We extend gratitude to the indigenous people that call this place home, since time immemorial.

TECHNOLOGY HELP

Keep Learning / CAPE Tech Support provides information on authentication and login issues, enrollment and registration, CANVAS help, dropping courses, profile updates, etc. You can also submit a support request if needed which can be directed to the Independent Study in Idaho office.