University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Hawai‘i Hall 107 manoa.hawaii.edu/assessment Assessment Office UH MĀNOA AS A HAWAIIAN PLACE OF LEARNING EXECUTIVE SUMMARY UHM has an obligation to provide students with opportunities to learn about Native Hawaiian culture, history, and values In strategic planning documents, UHM has positioned HPL as a fundamental element of the campus vision and referenced particular Hawaiian values and concepts as relevant to all parts of the University To help fulfill this vision, UHM created the Hawai‘inuiākea School of Hawaiian Knowledge, instituted undergraduate course requirements, and offers a variety of student support programs for Native Hawaiians The UHM Assessment Office started an investigation of student perceptions of UHM as a Hawaiian Place of Learning (HPL) by asking a representative sample of first-time, firstyear students to participate in a 6-year longitudinal study, 2010-2016 This report summarizes findings related to one of the study’s research questions: Is UHM successful in conveying its vision of a Hawaiian Place of Learning? SUMMARY OF RESULTS UHM has had some success in creating a Hawaiian Place of Learning but more is needed Successes a) Participants’ descriptions of HPL matched UHM’s vision in these areas: aloha (kindness, compassion, affection); ‘ohana (family); kaiāulu (community); kuleana (responsibility) of the University to honor the indigenous people b) About three quarters (78%) learned something important about Native Hawaiian culture and issues during their first two years at UHM AREAS NEEDING ATTENTION AND FURTHER INVESTIGATION a) About one third (34%) believe UHM is “a little” HPL or not at all b) Nearly one half (41%) stated that is of little or no importance to them that UHM be a HPL c) Participants’ descriptions of HPL did not include values related to the environment and sustainability: ahupua‘a, malama i ka ‘āina, and malama i ke kai d) Participants’ descriptions of HPL included “relaxed” and “laid back.” e) About one fourth perceived HPL as confined to Hawai‘inuiākea and HAP courses and not infused in students’ educational and campus experiences 11/02/2012 “A school that happens to be in Hawaii is literally a Hawaiian place of learning but I feel that the phrase “Hawaiian Place of Learning” should encompass more than just that. I know that UHM does enforce the HAP requirement but I think the Hawaiian perspective should be a little more prevalent in our curriculum and campus life.” — Sophomore Page 1 of 10 UH MĀNOA AS A HAWAIIAN PLACE OF LEARNING A commitment to being a Hawaiian Place of Learning is one way the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa (UHM) has demonstrated its responsibility to the indigenous people of Hawai‘i and their language and culture Other higher education institutions concentrate on being a place of learning for particular ethnic groups, such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) and Hispanic-serving Institutions (HSIs); however, UHM is unique in its efforts to become a Hawaiian Place of Learning for all students regardless of ethnicity UH MĀNOA IS UNIQUE IN A significant part of HBCU’s, TCU’s, and HSI’s BRINGING INDIGENOUS mission, as well as other universities serving indigenous populations (e.g., Maori in Aotearoa), is KNOWLEDGE AND VALUES correcting for socio-economic inequalities and being TO ALL STUDENTS a culturally safe (Macfarlane 2004) space for the minority students HBCUs were created specifically for educating a minority group, and at one time were the only U.S option for African American college-bound students Today they address problems with lower performance of black students in Predominately White Institutions (PWIs) that arise from historical patterns of black subjugation (Allen 1992) TCUs offer more than a college degree for Native Americans, including GED courses, college preparatory courses, job skills training, opportunities to learn about Native American cultures, and four-year degrees The multi-faceted mission of TCUs results in a larger proportion of Native Americans attending college compared to other minority groups (Ortiz & Boyer 2003) HSIs emerged as a result of demographic shifts and share the goal of better serving Hispanic students (Dayton 2004, Laird et al 2004) A primary goal of HBCUs, TCUs, and HSIs has been to prepare and assist their minority students in moving through (mainstream) education UHM’s vision is different when compared to HBCUs, TCUs, and HSIs The perspective that host-culture values and knowledge have something to teach UHM and that UHM seeks to change its culture to adapt to the Indigenous culture may be unique In accepting its responsibility to Native Hawaiians, UHM strives to serve not only the Native Hawaiian population, but also to improve all students’ academic experience and enrich the university’s status as a research university by being “physically and conceptually grounded” in Hawaiian values and knowledge and being strong in indigenous scholarship (Achieving Our Destiny, p 5, 2011) While UHM does offer special programs for Native Hawaiians, its distinctive position is based on its obligation to the indigenous people of Hawai‘i and insistence that Hawaiian values and knowledge are beneficial for all students and positively transform everyone’s university experience These values are “unavailable to students at any other university in the world” (Achieving Our Destiny, p 12, 2011) UH MĀNOA BELIEVES HAWAIIAN VALUES IMPROVE UNIVERSITY EDUCATION Since 1999, UHM has positioned Hawaiian Place of Learning (HPL) as a fundamental element of the campus vision and referenced particular Hawaiian values and concepts as relevant to all parts of the University HPL is founded upon a set of core values that emphasize community, family, and the environment:1 These values are referenced in the Institutional Proposal (2006), Defining Our Destiny (2002‐2010 strategic plan), and Achieving Our Destiny (2011‐2015 strategic plan). 11/02/2012 Page 2 of 10 ahupua‘a (a land division with mountain ridges as natural boundaries in which the land, sky, and ocean are ancestors and cared for, nurtured, and honored) aloha (kindness, compassion, affection) malama i ka ‘āina and malama i ke kai (caring for the land and sea that sustain us) kuleana (responsibility) to honor the indigenous people ‘ohana (family) kaiāulu (community) To fulfill the campus vision, UHM instituted new undergraduate course requirements and a variety of student support programs.2 All undergraduates complete a course focused on Native Hawaiian culture, in which students learn how Hawaiian culture is similar to and different from other Native Pacific Islanders’ cultures or cultures in Asian countries Students also complete a Global and Multicultural Perspectives course that includes content on Hawai‘i, Asia, and the Pacific Other efforts include programs such as the Native Hawaiian Science and Engineering Mentorship program, Ka Papa Loʻi ‘O Kānewai (a lo‘i is an irrigated terrace for taro), Kauhale Native Hawaiian Student Services, programs that welcome new students and faculty, Is UHM successful in and the Mānoa Makeovers program conveying its vision of a Hawaiian Place of Learning? After a decade of attention to course requirements and student programs aimed at infusing HPL into the curriculum and campus life, UHM investigated student perceptions of UHM as a HPL.3 UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT PERSPECTIVES In 2010, the UHM Assessment Office began a longitudinal study, the Student Success Project The study focused on student perceptions of learning in the general education program and on their understanding of UHM as a HPL Through a combination of convenience and random sampling, the Assessment Office recruited a representative sample of first-time, first-year students from the fall 2010 incoming class (Table 1) The 251 participants (14% of the incoming class) agreed to complete online surveys with open- and closed-ended questions, participate in focus groups, and submit coursework Table 1. Characteristics of Participants and the Fall 2010 Class Participants Fall 2010 Class Characteristic (N=251) (N=1771) High School GPA 3.5 3.4 SAT: Math 562 558 SAT: Critical Reading 546 529 SAT: Writing 534 519 Began UHM at age 27% 24% 17 or 16 Ethnicity: Asian 48% 42% Ethnicity: Caucasian 16% 24% Ethnicity: Hawaiian 10% 12% Residency in Hawai‘i 73% 66% Gender: Female 61% 54% 1st Year UHM GPA 3.0 2.8 Faculty programs also exist, e.g., Native Hawaiian Scholars hiring initiative See also The Mānoa Experience: Summary of Research Reports, 2012, http://manoa.hawaii.edu/ovcaa/initiatives/experience/ 11/02/2012 Page 3 of 10 The participants answered questions about HPL in three surveys completed in their first, second, and fourth semesters at UHM Half of the participants also discussed HPL in a focus group in their second semester The survey questions asked participants to define UHM as a Hawaiian Place of Learning in 3-5 sentences; agree/disagree with statements that should be in a description of UHM as a HPL; indicate HPL’s importance to them, the extent to which they view UHM as a HPL, and to explain their answers In addition, in each semester, fall 2010-spring 2012, participants reported how much they learned about Native Hawaiian culture and issues, described important learning about Native Hawaiian culture and issues, and stated where that learning took place (e.g., in a course, as part of a campus club) Our goal was to investigate the extent to which students’ understanding of HPL aligned with UHM’s description of and commitment to HPL Below are the survey results STUDENTS DESCRIBED HAWAIIAN PLACE OF LEARNING AS MULTIFACETED During their first year at UHM, participants’ definitions of UHM as a Hawaiian Place of Learning (HPL) included five themes, which emerged from open-ended responses: Opportunities to experience Hawaiian values such as aloha and ‘ohana “This means that the Hawaiian culture has had a profound impact on the school from the buildings on campus, the manner in which the professors teach, the cultural courses offered and the diversity in race of staff and students It has the Aloha spirit!” “Everyone that comes to UHM is welcomed and that anyone will be there if you need any help UHM provides that sense of Ohana.” Opportunities to study Hawaiian culture/language “You are required to take a Hawaiian class so everyone knows background knowledge of the history and culture of Hawaii.” “Teachers usually incorporate Hawai‘i’s unique culture within their course material which is good the Hawaiian Studies area is open where all students and the public can see, showing that [UHM] wants to keep the Hawaiian traditions alive.” Location in Hawai‘i (including references to being on an island in the tropical Pacific) “It is a place to learn even more so than a typical mainland college because the nice weather allows for constant activities and beach going.” “The University is pretty much the best place for Hawaiian Place of Learning because it’s located in the mother land of Hawaiian[s].” Welcoming of diverse people “UHM is a place where many different cultures can interact Almost everyone you meet has a variety of different ethnic backgrounds.” “A Hawaiian place of learning is a place where people of different races can get together under one roof and learn something together.” A relaxed, laid-back atmosphere “[The] University of Hawaii is a really relaxing environment while being educationally benefiting to its students.” “Considering the Hawaiian culture is very laid-back and relaxed it also means to me that you will be calm even when stressed out.” 11/02/2012 Page 4 of 10 Half of the participants mentioned at least two of these themes The participants’ definition of HPL shared characteristics with the UHM’s descriptions of HPL, e.g., Hawaiian values, opportunities to study Hawaiian culture/language On the other hand, participants also described aspects that UHM has not included in its definition: a relaxed, laid-back attitude Most participants who noted the relaxed atmosphere viewed this as positive and not “lazy” or a “whatever” attitude The themes that emerged from their definitions were given to participants in a closed-ended question, administered near the end of their first year: Agree/ Strongly Agree Disagree/ Strongly Disagree Unsure Welcoming of diverse people 94% 4% 2% Opportunities to study Hawaiian culture/language 93% 5% 2% Location on a tropical island in the Pacific Opportunities to experience Hawaiian values such as aloha and 'ohana 90% 8% 2% 87% 10% 3% A laid‐back, relaxed atmosphere 78% 18% 4% A description of UH Mānoa as a “Hawaiian Place of Learning” should include the following: Similar to themes from open-ended responses, participants’ responses to this question indicated that they shared some but not all of UHM’s description of HPL Overall, 78% included “laid-back, relaxed atmosphere,” which is not part of UHM’s vision of UHM as a HPL However, a greater proportion of Native Hawaiian participants disagreed or strongly disagreed with “laid-back, relaxed atmosphere” as part of HPL: 29% compared to 16% of the non-Hawaiian participants STUDENTS PERCEIVED UHM AS “A LITTLE” OR MODERATELY A HAWAIIAN PLACE OF LEARNING Near the end of their second year at UHM, the participants varied in the extent to which they perceived UHM as a HPL Thirty-one percent stated that UHM is “a little” HPL and 41% stated UHM is moderately a HPL (chart 1) Chart 1 11/02/2012 Page 5 of 10 Non-resident participants differed from participants with Hawai‘i residency: a greater proportion of non-resident participants reported that UHM is currently a HPL 87% of the non-resident participants said that UHM was at least moderately a HPL, compared to 50% of participants with residency in Hawai‘i (chart 2) Chart 2 Native Hawaiian participants differed slightly from non-Hawaiians A greater proportion of Hawaiian participants reported that UHM is currently a HPL, 63% compared to 58% (chart 3) Chart 3 Of the participants (all non-Hawaiian) who selected “no opinion,” 37% explained they did not understand what HPL is and 37% explained they preferred that UHM emphasize either students’ major, diversity of peoples, or global knowledge/values IMPORTANCE OF UHM AS A HAWAIIAN PLACE OF LEARNING Fifty-one percent of the participants felt it was at least moderately important for UHM to be a HPL (chart 4) The most common reason given was UHM’s location in Hawai‘i and its concomitant responsibility to represent Hawai‘i The most common reason that it was not important that UHM be a HPL was that Hawaiian knowledge or values were not relevant to the student’s major, or life path 11/02/2012 Chart 4 Page 6 of 10 Non-resident participants were more invested in UHM as a HPL than residents A greater proportion of the non-residents believed that HPL was important: 29% percent selected “a lot,” compared to 15% of participants with Hawai‘i residency (chart 5) Six (4%) Hawai‘i-resident participants explained that HPL was less important to participants who were raised in Hawai‘i because they had already learned about Hawaiian culture/values in elementary and secondary school For Native Hawaiian participants, UHM as a HPL was very important: 93% selected “a moderate amount” or “a lot” compared to 47% of the non-Hawaiian participants No Native Hawaiian participants selected “not at all” or “a little” compared to 44% of non-Hawaiian participants (chart 6) Chart 5 Chart 6 SOME STUDENTS BELIEVED UHM HAS A DUTY TO HAWAIIAN CULTURE The most common reason given why HPL was important was that UHM has a duty to represent Hawai‘i These participants believed that UHM has a unique position as a university in Hawai‘i The participants also stated that the University has a responsibility to Native Hawaiians Very few said that the UHM’s location in Hawai‘i automatically made it a HPL; instead HPL was seen as a responsibility that the campus needed to act upon “UHM is in Hawaii, so I feel that we should preserve the Hawaiian culture.”— Sophomore “There is no place like Hawaii. It is very important that people who come to Hawaii for schooling also take away part of the beautiful culture when they are finished with it.”—Sophomore A SMALL GROUP OF STUDENTS QUESTIONED HPL’S IMPORTANCE Twelve percent of the participants stated that HPL is not important to them (all were non-Hawaiian) The most common reason given placed a higher value on a “generic” college education and their major/career choice than on HPL 11/02/2012 “My major and academic interests have nothing to do with the Hawaiian language or studies, so it doesn’t really matter to me if UHM is a Hawaiian Place of Learning.” —Sophomore Page 7 of 10 WHERE STUDENTS LOCATED HAWAIIAN PLACE OF LEARNING ON CAMPUS STUDENTS FOUND HPL PRIMARILY IN THE HAWAI‘INUIĀKEA SCHOOL OF HAWAIIAN KNOWLEDGE AND THE HAWAIIAN, ASIAN, AND PACIFIC ISSUES COURSE REQUIREMENT Participants associated HPL with courses or facilities, especially in Hawai‘inuiākea School of Hawaiian Knowledge: Hawaiian Studies, Hawaiian language, Ka Papa Lo‘i ‘O Kānewai, and the Kamakakūokalani building Participants also mentioned Hawaiian, Asian, and Pacific Issues Focus (HAP) courses/requirement and Hawai‘irelated content in other courses such as English 100 Some participants also said they experienced HPL on campus or through campus life: they cited a general atmosphere on campus, the attitudes of participants and administrators, events, and physical elements like the flora Regarding learning about Native Hawaiian culture and issues, 78% of the participants reporting learning something important during their first two years at UHM In each semester, fall 2010 to spring 2011, about 40% of the participants said they learned something important This decreased to 26% in participants’ fourth semester (spring 2012) The decrease may be because by the end of their third semester, 86% of the participants had completed a HAP course and 93% had completed at least one Global & Multicultural Perspectives (FG) course In spring 2012, only 13% were enrolled in a HAP course, only 21% in an FG course, and none were enrolled in English 100 Locus of Hawaiian Place of Learning Hawai‘inuiākea School of Hawaiian Knowledge courses and facilities Hawaiian, Asian, and Pacific Issues Focus (HAP) courses/requirement English 100 “UHM offers classes pertaining to the Hawaiian culture, language, and history. Aspects of Hawaiian culture can be seen around campus: Hawaiian phrases, plants, art.” —Sophomore “Apart from the Hawaiian language that is incorporated in the names of clubs and other various programs, I feel the Hawaiian studies building and its Lo'i makes the University of Hawaii a genuine place for Hawaiian learning.” —Sophomore “Many of the classes focus on Hawaii's history or Hawaii's current issues with the exception of some science or math courses. UHM also always has activities that are going on that relate to Hawaiian cultures.” —Sophomore SOME STUDENTS FOUND HPL NOT PERVASIVE ON CAMPUS One fourth of the participants described shortcomings in UHM as a HPL Their primary reasons were that HPL was confined to courses offered by Hawai‘inuiākea School of Hawaiian Knowledge, HAP Focus courses (which are too limited), and Hawai‘inuiākea facilities (which are too far from the majority of classroom buildings) 11/02/2012 “You wouldn't know UHM is a “Hawaiian Place of Learning” unless you took Hawaiian studies classes.” —Sophomore “There’s the native Hawaiian student center, but other than that, everything else seems pretty Haole.” —Sophomore Page 8 of 10 CONCLUSION UHM is unique in its mission to bring Native Hawaiian values and knowledge to all students, regardless of ethnicity UHM, like other minority-serving institutions uses special programs and alternative pedagogies to improve minority success in higher education However, UHM goes further by promoting the vision that Native Hawaiian values and knowledge improve all students’ educational experience and has worth for students of all backgrounds Results from the first two years of the Student Success Project suggest that UHM has had some success in creating a Hawaiian Place of Learning (HPL) but more is needed Over three quarters of the participants reported learning something important about Native Hawaiian culture or issues during their first two years at UHM Just over half (58%) of the participants felt UHM is currently a HPL, but 34% perceived UHM as only “a little” HPL or not at all Forty-one percent stated that it was of little to no importance to them that UHM be a HPL The themes that emerged from the participants’ description of HPL reflected several of the Hawaiian values put forth by UHM: aloha (kindness, compassion, affection); ‘ohana (family); kaiāulu (community) Participants’ explanation of why HPL was important touched upon the kuleana (responsibility) of the University to honor the indigenous people On the other hand, the values related to the environment and sustainability were not directly addressed by the participants: ahupua‘a (a land division with mountain ridges as natural boundaries in which the land, sky, and ocean are ancestors and cared for, nurtured, and honored) and malama i ka ‘āina and malama i ke kai (caring for the land and sea that sustain us) The participants’ inclusion of “relaxed” and “laid-back” in their description of HPL needs further investigation Participants both praised and criticized the location of HPL on campus Opportunities to study Native Hawaiian culture through Hawai‘inuiākea positively contributed to UHM as a HPL However, one fourth of the participants noted that HPL appears confined to Hawai‘inuiākea and HAP courses and not infused in students’ educational and campus experiences Sixteen percent viewed the limited reach of HPL as a positive, while 27% stated that the narrow range detracted from UHM’s status as a HPL Regarding the importance of UHM as a HPL, Native Hawaiian participants and non-resident participants felt it was very important and a greater proportion believed UHM was at least moderately a HPL compared to non-Hawaiian resident participants These results are based on student perceptions captured during their first two years at UHM They will be shared with faculty groups on campus, who will discuss what actions, if any, are needed to improve: General Education Committee, Hawaiian, Asian, and Pacific Issues Focus Board, Strategic Planning Committee, and the Institutional Learning Objectives Implementation Working Group The Student Success Project will continue to explore the participants’ perceptions of HPL into their junior and senior years Future surveys will investigate the following: the extent to which they perceive UHM as a HPL, whether they agree or disagree that HPL should be a foundational part of the University, and whether HPL should or should not be primarily located in Hawai‘inuiākea and HAP courses 11/02/2012 Page 9 of 10 Bibliography and Resources Consulted Achieving Our Destiny: The University of Hawai`i at Mānoa 2011-2015 Strategic Plan (2011) http://manoa.hawaii.edu/vision/pdf/achieving‐our‐destiny.pdf Allen, W R “The Color of Success: African-American College Student Outcomes at Predominately White Universities.” (1992) Harvard Educational Review 62(1); ProQuest Psychology Journals Bowker, A (1992) “The American Indian Female Dropout.” Journal of American Indian Education 31(3) http://jaie.asu.edu/v31/V31S3ame.htm Dayton, B.; Gonzalez-Vasquez, J M.; Martinez, C R.; Plum, C (2004) “HispanicServing Institutions Through the Eyes of Students and Administrators” New Directions for Student Services 105 Defining Our Destiny: The University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa 2002-2010 Strategic Plan (2002) English language version: http://manoa.hawaii.edu/vision/dod‐ archive/pdf/DOD_English.pdf Hawaiian language version: http://manoa.hawaii.edu/vision/dod‐ archive/pdf/DOD_Hawaiian.pdf Dodd, J M (1995) “American Indian Student Retention.” NASPA Journal, 33(1), 72-78 Institutional Proposal (2006) University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa http://manoa.hawaii.edu/wasc/accreditation_process/pdf/Full_Proposal.pdf Kenny, M E and Stryker, S (1996) “Social network characteristics and college adjustment among racially and ethnically diverse first-year students.” Journal of College Student Development, 37(6), 649-658 Kuh, G D.; Kinzie, J.; Buckley, J A.; Bridges, B K.; Hayek, J C (2007) “Piecing Together the Student Success Puzzle: Research, Propositions, and Recommendations.” ASHE Higher Education Report, 32(5) Laird, T F N.; Bridges, B K.; Holmes, M S.; Morelon, C L.; and Williams, J M (2004) “African American and Hispanic Student Engagement at Minority Serving and Predominantly White Institutions” Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Association for the Study of Higher Education, November 4-7, Kansas City, MO Oritz, A M and Boyer, P (2003), “Student Assessment in Tribal Colleges.” New Directions for Institutional Research, 41-49 doi: 10.1002/ir.74 Pewewardy, C (2002) “Learning Styles of American Indian/Alaska Native Students: A Review of the Literature and Implications for Practice.” Journal of American Indian Education 41(3) Taylor, J S (2001) “Through a Critical Lens: Native American Alienation from Higher Education.” Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association Seattle, WA, April 10-14 Tharp, R G (2006) “Four Hundred Years of Evidence: Culture, Pedagogy, and Native America.” Journal of American Indian Education 45(2) Wenzlaff, T L., and Biewer, A (1996) “Native American Students Define Factors for Success.” Tribal College Journal, 12(4), 40-44 11/02/2012 Page 10 of 10