BUS5910 - Indigenous Perspectives on Knowledge: Kanaka Cultural Practice in Pu`uloa

Course Description

Indigenous Perspectives on Knowledge analyzes a broad range of instructional strategies, approaches, technologies and worldview that are practiced among native populations throughout Hawai’i and Polynesia.

This course examines indigenous ecological knowledge models from the perspectives of Native Hawaiian culture and other Pacific Islanders.  Students will be able to identify and apply pedagogy from various educational traditions to specifically address Native Hawaiian, and non-native Hawaiian student learning, and generally support teaching and learning for diverse populations.

Course Outline

This course on indigenous perspectives on knowledge will link theory and practice thru student-centered curriculum, encouraging reflection, discussion and demonstration of strategies to ensure the development of a community of learners in diverse classrooms and Mala Enhanced learning.  Topics covered in this course will include but are not limited to:
1)  Culturally grounded Historically and Place-based value Character Education
2)  Mala Garden-based learning that increases students’ exposure to nature and connects  them to engaging activities for higher classroom achievement
3)  Traditional learning systems in Hawai’i prior to Western contact
4)  Cognitive benefits of second language learning
5)  Participating in a community experience as text to learn values of character education as course content
6)  Current disparities in education among all students
7)  Benefits of language, place and culture-rich curriculum for native children
8)  Closing the achievement gap for indigenous students
9)  Reconciliation through native education 
10)  Educational equality for all students
11)  Reflection on course learning and application for potential future teaching
12)  Participating in service/ and/or civic engagement for the purpose of growing their 
capacity as civic actors
13) Mentoring students in grades 9-12 as Kanaka cultural practitioners through ‘Olelo Hawai`i (Hawaiian language), Mo`omeheu (culture and history), Hana No`eau (fine arts), and Ho`ona`auao (Values Character development).
 

Learner Outcomes

Learning outcomes in this course include:

1)    Participating in service and/or civic engagement for the purpose of growing their capacity as civic actors
2)    Participating in a community experience as test to learn course contents
3)    Collaborating to address community-identified challenges
4)    Developing and enhancing academic and professional knowledge and skills and deploy them for personal and community benefit
5)    Contributing to research with, by, and for community for the purpose of capacity building and empowerment
6)    Engaging with community primarily though observation dialogue and social/cultural activities  
7)    Cultivating kanaka cultured practitioners
8)    Analyzing language development and reflecting on the connection between language, identify and learning
9)    Identifying indigenous educational frameworks and teaching practices and their impact in Native Hawaiian and other diverse populations
10)    Self-care