College of Education, University of Hawaii at Manoa

3 days ago

COE Alumnus Leads Robotics Project to Help COVID-19 Frontline Workers

"Han, who previously taught math, physics, and computer science at Assets, says his students really wanted to contribute in some way during the pandemic. Through virtual meetings, his robotics class designed and built the structure over a three-month period."

Read the full story here: coe.hawaii.edu/medt/news/coe-alumnus-leads-robotics-project-to-help-covid-19-frontline-workers/

#robotics #covid19 #frontlineworkers #highschoolstudents ... See MoreSee Less

College of Education, University of Hawaii at Manoa

4 days ago

“Remote island communities need agricultural science education to address important regional issues of food security and sustainability, but they lack accessible distance learning resources for students and teachers,” Andersen stated. “The ultimate goal of FEAST is to increase student access to and participation in agricultural science education by providing teachers with high-quality, low-technology distance learning resources.”

Read the full article at bit.ly/AndersenUSDAgrant

#scienceeducation #islandcommunities #foodsecurity #distancelearning ... See MoreSee Less

College of Education, University of Hawaii at Manoa

4 weeks ago

Dissertation Defense: Friday, October 30 at 3:30 pm HST
(Email nguyen@hawaii.edu to get the Zoom link)

Making Sense of Teachers' Initial Steps with the NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards)

Alvin Lin
Ed.D. Candidate

ABSTRACT: Despite the potential of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) to positively impact science education, educators require time and support to learn the standards and their implications for science teaching and learning in the classroom. The Hawai‘i Department of Education adopted the NGSS in 2016. While schools received professional development for the NGSS, little is known about how teachers view the NGSS or are applying the standards in their science teaching practices. In this multiple case study, I investigated how five middle school science teachers in one complex area of Hawai‘i were making sense of the NGSS in terms of their beliefs and practice. Using semi-structured interviews, I investigated teachers' views and beliefs about the NGSS. Through the analysis of teachers’ lesson descriptions, I examined the presence of the three-dimensional elements of NGSS in participants’ lessons. My findings revealed that the five participating teachers attended to the three dimensions more than any of the other conceptual shifts of the NGSS. However, although the three dimensions were present in all participants’ lessons, the three dimensions were seldom present at the appropriate middle school grade level. Participants also expressed a range of conceptions about phenomena when describing the phenomenon in the lesson, which suggests participants have some uncertainty about what phenomena are and the role phenomena play in science teaching and learning for the NGSS. Furthermore, participants from the same school tended to espouse similar beliefs about the NGSS. These findings provide clues about where teachers may be most likely to struggle during the initial stages of implementing the NGSS. While the findings should be weighed against the limitations of this exploratory multiple case study, the results of the study provide useful points for discussion to those interested in supporting teachers and schools with implementing the NGSS in science teaching and learning.

#dissertationdefense #Hawaii #NextGenerationScienceStandards #curriculum #scienceeducation ... See MoreSee Less

College of Education, University of Hawaii at Manoa

4 weeks ago

Hawaii Disability Rights Center Voting Tips #WeVote #CripVote

HAWAII DISABILITY RIGHTS CENTER EMPOWERS PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES TO EXERCISE THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE

HONOLULU, HI – The Hawaii Disability Rights Center – the state’s protection and advocacy agency for individuals with disabilities – understands that people with disabilities can face many hardships, but casting a ballot shouldn’t be one of them. HDRC supports residents with disabilities on all islands to exercise their protected right to vote and fully participate in this significant act of democracy. To successfully navigate Hawaii’s first all-mail general election, HDRC recommends familiarization with the new process; voting early in case problems arise; and tapping HDRC as a free and confidential source of assistance if needed.

According to research conducted by Hawaii Pacific Health and Pali Momi Medical Center (2018), a tenth of the state’s population has reported having a physical, mental or emotional disability. When broadening the definition of disability to include capacity for self-care, mobility, independent living, economic self-sufficiency, self-direction, etc., the figure, according to the U.S. Census, rises closer to fifteen percent; a large enough voting bloc to potentially impact election results.

“It is important for people with disabilities to know that the new systems in place are still required to be accessible” said HDRC’s executive director Louis Erteschik. “We’d like to stress that the Hawaii Disability Rights Center is part of a federal system that’s in every state to protect the right to vote, so that citizens with disabilities and their caregivers have someone reliable to advocate on their behalf.”

HDRC’s work in this area stems from the Help America Vote Act (2002). Their staff of attorneys and advocates strive to ensure that the provisions set forth in HAVA are followed as they relate to people with disabilities.

Erteschik encourages anyone with a disability to make their vote count. “This year’s electoral process is significantly different, but it’s not too late to participate,” he said.

For the first time in state history, people with disabilities or special needs are qualified to request an electronic “Alternate Format Ballot”, emailed as a HTML file. If not dropped off, signed ballots can be faxed, or scanned and emailed to the State Office of Elections. Ballot drop boxes are accessible, and Voter Service Centers will offer accessible same-day registration, in-person voting and ballot collection. As a reminder, Voter Service Centers are limited to one or two in each county, but should have trained staff to help people with disabilities use assistive technology, or voters with disabilities may opt to bring in someone to assist them. A ballot signature issue can be resolved up to five days after the election.

People with disabilities may be more vulnerable to the coronavirus due to health conditions. The State Office of Elections has implemented safety protocols to address public health, including cleaning machines and providing personal protective equipment for staff. PPE is also available for voters.

Historically, voters with disabilities have faced obstacles that hinder civic participation. These issues may be further exacerbated by COVID-19 measures in place due to limited mobility; difficulty grasping or practicing preventative measures, and communications. Anyone with a disability who encounters an accessibility problem, including untrained workers to assist them or lack of a working electronic voting machine, can call HDRC to make a complaint.

For information or to speak to an advocate about a concern, individuals with disabilities can contact visit hawaiidisabilityrights.org or call (808) 949-2922 or toll free at (800) 882-1057.

# # #

About Hawaii Disability Rights Center

Hawaii Disability Rights Center is a nonprofit Hawaii corporation founded in July 1977 primarily to protect and guarantee the human, civil, and legal rights of persons with developmental disabilities, mental illness, and other disabilities of all ages in the State of Hawaii. HDRC is Hawaii’s designated Protection and Advocacy (PAVA) system for people with disabilities and Hawaii’s designated Client Assistance Program (CAP) for applicants and clients of programs funded under the federal Rehabilitation Act. HDRC provides information, education, outreach and advocacy throughout the state for eight PAVA programs and CAP. Additional information can be found at hawaiidisabilityrights.org.

Media Contacts – MVNP on behalf of Hawaii Disability Rights Center:

Kashmira Reid, (808) 784-3648, (808) 389-3771; kreid@mvnp.com

Pahee Sookkasikon, (808) 784-3141; psookkasikon@mvnp.com

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IMAGE DESCRIPTION: Media Image, HDR logo and text "Attention. Voters with Disabilities. Before you look at the Ballot look at these changes. You need to know this: 1) people with disabilities can request an alternate electronic ballot. 2) Voter Service Centers offer accessible in-person voting, same-day voter registration, and ballot collection. 3) Completed ballots can be mailed or dropped off at Places of Deposit. here's one thing the didn't change. The Hawaii Disability Rights Center is always here to protect your right to vote. If you need assistance, let us help you be counted. Call 808-949-2922 or visit hawaiidisabilityrights.org. ... See MoreSee Less

College of Education, University of Hawaii at Manoa

4 weeks ago

Dissertation Defense: Thursday, October 29 at 3:00 pm HST
(Email jamiesim@hawaii.edu to get the Zoom link)

"If you Can Hear My Voice..."
The Professional Journey of Eight First-Year Teachers

Ronnie Tiffany-Kinder
Ph.D. in Education Candidate

ABSTRACT: The first year of teaching is a time of excitement, wonder and exploration. It can also be a time of uncertainty, doubt and survival. This qualitative study explores the questions, “What are the experiences of first-year elementary school teachers in Hawaiʻi public schools” and “What can be learned from these experiences?” The participants were eight first-year teachers who graduated from an undergraduate teacher preparation program that followed a cohort model. The purpose of this study was to understand the participants’ experiences, as told through their stories. They shared their stories through semi-structured individual and focus-group interviews over the course of one academic year. The theoretical framework of Figured Worlds provided the lens for analysing these stories. Findings suggest the experiences of these first-year teachers were impacted by their social and cultural interaction with their colleagues, mentors, students and parents, which in turn played upon their self-efficacy and confidence. Furthermore, workload challenges, in and out of the classroom, caused them to create systems to manage their time and tasks. Based on these insights into the experiences of first-year teachers, this study calls for reimagining how we prepare teachers and how we support them during their early career years.

#dissertationdefense #Hawaii #firstyearteacher #teachereducation #publicschool #HI4PublicEd #PublicSchoolProud #teachervoice ... See MoreSee Less