Twelfth International Conference on e-Learning & Innovative Pedagogies

Abstract

Great pedagogy is learner-centered, active, supportive and personal. All of these principles can be transferred from a live setting to a digital environment. Dr. Deering, a former middle school teacher, runs the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa’s PACMED Program – the Master of Education Degree in Curriculum Studies with a focus on Pacific, culturally-responsive, place-based teaching of science, technology, engineering, arts, math and social sciences (STEAMS). PACMED (and an earlier iteration with a focus on adolescent learners) has been run as a synchronous, online program for working teachers since 2009. Students come from all the Hawaiian Islands, the US Mainland, American Samoa and the Republic of the Marshall Islands. All but two of the 107 students admitted to the online program graduated, with another 80 currently involved. Graduates have been key innovators and leaders, winning numerous awards such as the Hawai‘i Teacher of the Year, Hawai‘i Middle Level Educator of the Year, American Samoa Territorial Teacher of the Year, Fulbright Fellowships, and others. The working-adult-friendly delivery, plus a highly supportive two-year cohort structure of about twenty-five students and smaller home bases with faculty advisors are keys to the high graduation rate. Carefully planned, active class sessions via Zoom technology (and previously Blackboard Collaborate), keep students engaged at a high level. A formative/summative e-Portfolio in Google Docs assures that all students successfully apply all program standards in their workplaces. Workshop participants will learn how to maximize participants’ learning, involvement and success in the online environment and in their workplaces.