Integrating Nā Hopena A'o Into Health Education: A Pilot Study and Professional Development Evaluation

• In Event: Friday Roundtable Session 11:25 am
  In Roundtable Session: Research on Indigenous Issues in Education: Students With Exceptionalities; Cultural Practices and Language Production; Health Education; Reading Achievement; and Teachers’ Beliefs About Indigenous Children (Table 7)

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to provide insight into the need for culturally responsive programming in health education and discuss the impact that a single 2.5-hour professional development had on cultural knowledge and practices in relation to health education curricula. A total of 42 teachers completed an initial survey focusing on health education and the Nā Hopena A'o (HĀ) framework. After the training, 17 teachers across eight schools completed the post-survey. Results revealed that the professional development increased teachers knowledge and comfortability of HĀ and the health education standards and curriculum. Additionally, teachers felt more comfortable integrating various components of the HĀ framework into their classrooms.

Authors

• Erin Elizabeth Centeio, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa

• A. Kuʻulei Serna, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa

• Crystal Hafoka, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa

• Shoshana K. Cohen, University of Hawaii - Manoa