The College of Education STEMS² Program, in the Department of Curriculum Studies, has received a funding gift from the Nakupuna Foundation and Kamehameha Schools. The funding will provide tuition stipends for 10 kumu (teachers) to complete a 13-month STEMS² Master’s Program in which they will learn to create more culturally applicable contexts for STEM-based learning in Native Hawaiian schools. The funds are being made available to participants admitted to the MEd Curriculum Studies STEMS² Program Cohort 8 who are of Native Hawaiian descent or teach at Native Hawaiian-focused schools (i.e., Hawaiian immersion, Hawaiian culture-based schools), or teach in DOE public schools serving high numbers of Native Hawaiian students.

STEMS² is a reconceptualized form of STEM education that integrates social sciences and a sense of place with the science-technology-engineering-math construct, the STEMS² Program (spoken as STEMS squared) is designed for educators who want to be transformative, connect with community, and engage students in place and experiential learning.

Applications for Cohort 8 are currently being accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis. Completed applications submitted on or before February 15th will receive priority review. Completed applications will be accepted and reviewed until Cohort 8 is full (15-20 participants).

For more information about STEMS² and how to apply, please visit: https://coe.hawaii.edu/stems2/programs/masters/apply/