UH Mānoa College of Education wins grant to promote best practices among Native Hawaiian students

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
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Posted: Sep 24, 2007

HONOLULU - Dr. Lois Yamauchi, professor in the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Educational Psychology Department, received a three-year $749,000 award from the U.S. Department of Education. The project will focus on promoting best practices among K-12 teachers who work in schools with large concentrations of Native Hawaiian students.

"The courses are designed to increase the use of the Center for Research on Education, Diversity, and Excellence (CREDE) Standards for Effective Teaching and Learning, research-based principles of effective practice for culturally diverse students," said Yamauchi, who will serve as project director. Yamauchi was a part of a team of researchers at CREDE that developed the principles. The courses, which include introductory and advanced seminars, are free and worth three university credits.

Teachers receive a $750 stipend for their first year of participation and a $1,000 stipend for their second year of participation. The grant also provides airfare and accommodations for neighbor island participants. The CREDE team gave priority to teachers with higher concentrations of Native Hawaiian students and teachers who were willing to participate for two years, and teachers who are a part of a group from the same school or complex.

In August 2007, 10 teachers from Maui and Nanakuli began the first professional development course. Next year, 15 additional educators will be involved — 10 from two neighbor islands and five from O'ahu. "Our research team will study the effects of the professional development on teacher and student outcomes," Yamauchi said.

For more information about this project, contact Alice Taum at ataum@hawaii.edu.

For more information about the UH Mānoa College of Education, visit www.hawaii.edu/coe.

For more information, visit: http://www.hawaii.edu/coe