Search This Blog

Monday, May 14, 2012

Pedagogical Integration of Technology with Curriculums in a Traditional Hawaiian Classroom

          The kumu (teachers) Gibson and Puniwai designed a prototype course in cooperation with the

Center for Gifted and Talented Native Hawaiian Children, which is a center for "increasing the

educational enrichment opportunities for Native Hawaiian Children" (Gibson and Puniwai, 2006, p.

288). Native Hawaiians view all children as gifted (Gibson, et al, p. 288). Three key elements

represent the Hawaiian children's educational experience: "the sense of self, ohana (family), and

Native Hawaiian perspective (culture)" (Gibson, et al, p. 288). Gibson's and Puniwai's (2006)

archetype proposed integration of Hawaiian Traditional Knowledge (H.T.K.) with Earth system

science exposing "students to geospatial technologies" using a "global positioning system (G.P.S.)"

and "a geographic information system (G.I.S.)" (Gibson, et al, p. 289). Discussion related to

Gibson's and Puniwai's project ensues, which reviews pertinent strategies supporting the

technological integration with H.T.K., potential challenges, how the curriculum and technological

standards were integrated and complimented each other, and observations by Gibson and Puniwai,

which summarize the effectiveness of implementing the curriculum with new technologies.

Curriculum Content

         The proposed curriculum consists of Earth system science, traditional (indigenous) knowledge, and geospatial technologies. Indigenous knowledge is the curriculum that Gibson and Puniwai (2006) suggest could "create a pathway to attract more indigenous peoples (in the Pacific Rim) into the geosciences" (Gibson, et al, p. 289). Twelve students between the ages of 13 and 15 of Hawaiian ancestry were initially trained on hand-held G.P.S. devices to map and locate specific geographic points at the University of Hawaii (Gibson, et al, p. 289), and included discovery of various ecological and geological formations on the campus. The students and teachers then visited the Keaukaha Lake's shoreline for the course's marine component to map different animal and plant habitats. The teachers arranged for a Native Hawaiian shoreline caretaker (kahu) to join the group to enrich the students with H.T.K., which included cultural information, and Native Hawaiian science details about the "tidal flux, wave action, ocean currents, living organisms, and geology" (Gibson, et al, p. 290). The students used "her verbal map as a guide", and explored the habitat's "tidal pools, splash zone, fish ponds, and mixed rocky/sandy beaches" (Gibson, et al, p. 290). Gibson and Puniwai then explained "geological formations, composition of sand, coral reef formation, tidal influence and many other topics" (Gibson, et al, p. 290) to the students mixing native Hawaiian knowledge with science.
         The terrestrial part of the curriculum included "field-based, service learning" at the Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge. Cultural content for this curriculum portion included teaching the students an 'oli komo (chant), which calls upon ancestors "to watch over and grant blessings, knowledge, and good judgment" (Gibson and Puniwai, 2006, p. 290). Additionally, the teachers shared information about how the students' ancestors used the forest's resources, and how geoscience topics (hydrology, erosion, and runoff) related to those resources and culture (Gibson, et al, p. 290). G.P.S. devices were employed and students recorded data located on existing plant labels. The data was later input by the students on computers to create a "shapefile of the plant locations" (Gibson, et al, p. 291), and provided to the United States Forestry personnel, who updated their records. Outcomes and assessments were conducted at class-end.
Strategies Supporting Technological Integration
         Those living in the Pacific Rim are "among the most vulnerable to climate change" (Gibson and Puniwai, 2006, p. 287). Two potential geoscience threats exist for those living in the Pacific Rim: low-lying populated islands experiencing a small sea level rise and complete inundation, and the fresh water supply in the nearby populated areas not flooded, which becomes compromised by infiltrating sea water (Gibson, et al, 2006). Consequently, a keen desire emerged by natives in the Pacific Rim to more fully understand and monitor environmental changes, and reduce the impact of weather-related risks for the living (Gibson and Puniwai, 2006). Assimilating traditional environmental knowledge of Pacific Rim natives with modern- day geoscience technology effectively delivers a "culturally appropriate" teaching and learning model (Gibson, et al, p. 287). Designing a teaching and learning model infused with tradition, culture, and area history together with modern-day geoscience technologies should promote heightened interest in minorities of the Pacific Rim who seldom enter "geoscience-related professions" (Gibson, et al, p. 287).
Potential Challenges
         Numerous challenges exist for integrating N.H.K. with geoscience. For example, people questioning credibility related to its purpose might ask, "Why change what has worked well for generations?" Difficulties between English and Hawaiian languages pose problems between the native students and the teachers. Another challenge includes training students on expensive new technological devices, which may be financially unfeasible. Traditional (indigenous) knowledge depends upon a "qualitative understanding of the whole Earth, to Western Science, which commonly requires quantitative data on parts of the Earth system (Gibson and Puniwai, 2006, p. 288). Many Native Hawaiians perceive "that their traditional knowledge is contradictory to Western science" (Gibson, et al, p. 289). Completely diverse philosophies would struggle for supremacy rather than equivocal complimentary positions.
         Armstrong, Henson, and Savage (2009) wrote that "Existing practices are preserved not only by technologies that allow no alternatives but also by tradition" (Armstrong, et al, p. 288). Static traditions and technologies disallow progress or potentially improved learner outcomes. "New technologies provide opportunities, but not mandates, for change" (Armstrong, et al, p. 289). Although some Hawaiians are willing to endorse new technology in collaboration with their native skills because native skills do not fully protect them from harm from the climactic changes, and technology can improve the number of saved lives by providing earlier bad weather warnings, willingness does not preclude successful implementation. The "technology usage gap is closing between Whites and Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders" (Armstrong, et al, p. 303), and the closure of this digital divide (Armstrong, et al, p. 302) will be expensive. Finally, students must be willing to learn. If students are not willing, teachers need to convince students to be willing to learn. However, conflicts between tradition and science may be difficult to surmount.
Curriculum and Technological Standards' Integration and Complimentary Aspects
         Teaching geoscience and infusing typical "community-based activities, cultural knowledge, and a 'place-based' approach" (Gibson and Puniwai, 2006, p. 289) significantly narrowed the gap between teaching Western Science and embracing Hawaiian's traditional knowledge. The melding of "traditional qualitative knowledge and cultural perspectives with quantitative (Western) Earth system science" (Gibson, et al, p. 289) was successful. Four elements improving the students' learning comfort levels included: (1) building upon a "student's interest and ability", (2) "helping and promoting the student's sense of self as related to their perspective of family, culture, and community", (3) integrating "Native Hawaiian culture and values into the education and learning process", and (4) "focusing on the influence of family" (Gibson, et al, p. 289).
         A trial class was conducted for testing assimilation of the Native H.T.K. with general geoscience information, and global positioning and mapping devices, which most students adapted to easily. Puniwai (Gibson, et al, p. 289), in addition to teaching geoscience, was a helper who "was responsible for integrating Hawaiian culture into the course" (Gibson, et al, p. 289). "Fostering inquiry about Earth system processes that Native Hawaiian children observe daily can create that critical link between science and traditional knowledge" (Gibson, et al, p. 290). Gibson and Puniwai (2006) successfully created that critical link.
Educators' Methods for Observing Effective Implementation
of Curriculum and Technology
         Gibson and Puniwai (2006) assessed the effectiveness of their two-week course by measuring how the students rated three questions, which mirrored the class' objectives: how well the students felt that their abilities improved, "did they learn 'things' Hawaiian?" (Gibson and Puniwai, 2006, p. 292), and whether they felt "good about the class overall" (Gibson, et al, p. 292). In addition, the teachers observed student presentations about what they learned, which included technical data and maps, and reviewed students' comments reflecting very successful learning. An increase in the students' technical ability of the G.P.S. device and PowerPoint software was demonstrated, and an end-of-course survey revealed a "modest to successful (learning) impact" (Gibson, et al, p. 292), which was enhanced due to the students' proficiency in Hawaiian and English languages. Eighty percent of the students responded between "good" and "excellent" about the course overall, and since no student remarked negatively about the course, the teachers interpreted the students' appraisals to mean that they "had taken some measure of learning and new knowledge with them" (Gibson, et al, p. 293).
Conclusion
         This evaluation of a pilot geoscience course created and conducted by Gibson and Puniwai(2006) describes the curriculum content for a group of Hawaiian students who are deeply engrained in traditional island folklore. Additionally presented were the strategies supporting the course's technological integration with H.T.K., the potential challenges for course implementation, and the integration and complimentary natures between the curriculum and geoscience technology. The effectiveness achieved when implementing the curriculum with geoscience technology concludes the
evaluation.

References:

Armstrong, D., Henson, K., and Savage, T. (2009). Teaching today, an introduction to education, 8th Ed. Pearson, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. 

Gibson, B., and Puniwai, N. (2006). Developing an archetype for integrating native Hawaiian traditional knowledge with earth system science education. Journal of Geoscience Education, 54(3). Proquest Education Journals.