[6899] Onward to Commencement!

Also posted on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/mlpuha

Thesis Update: My thesis received high marks and does not require a rewrite, summarily completing my capstone course and the final requirement for my master's program. Mahalo ke Akua!

Mahalo nui to each and everyone of you that have blessed me with your support, patience, prayers, good thoughts, and aloha these past two and a half years. Of course, I absolutely could not have done it without the love and support of my Sweetie, and the prayers of support from my "very patient and understanding" mother.

Proudly wearing a custom Sig Zane Designs shirt for this occasion, and with regalia expertly altered for me by my hula sister, I will commence at 5 pm on Friday, June 14, 2013 at California State University East Bay in Hayward California as a Master of Science in Education, Option in Online Teaching and Learning.

You will be with me spiritually as I cross the stage to accept my degree. Obligatory celebration(s) will be planned for a later date. ;)
I look forward to meeting those of my classmates and teachers that will be able to attend commencement on Friday, especially at a social get-together sponsored by the MS-OTL program. How wonderful it will be to finally meet face-to-face after all this time being together online.

With love, aloha, and appreciation, --Liko and Toki — feeling Happy, Blessed, and Accomplished.

[6899] Waiting for the Grade and Commencement

Aloha e Nā Hoa,
Greetings Friends,

Been a while since I have posted here. For the past few days I have been anxiously waiting for my instructor of the 6899 capstone course, Nan Chico, to provide me feedback on my thesis paper. Incidentally, Nan is also the director of my master's program.

Reflective thoughts have been leading from one to another and suddenly my neglected blog came to mind. I started the blog two and a half years ago to document this journey (January 2011). During the journey however, blogging frequency has been inconsistent. Reasons vary, but at times it was a choice of energy conservation, and others, experiences that just needed sharing.

This is not a full reflection of the journey--not just yet. I turned the paper in on Sunday. Grades are due on Wednesday the 12th. I continue to work on the paper, finding opportunities for improving grammar and conciseness as I wait. The optimal feedback from Nan would be no rewriting required--good to go. The not so optimal feedback would require a major rewrite that could potentially go beyond the 12th, thus requiring another quarter in the program.

Commencement is Friday the 14th at 5pm in Hayward for which I ordered commencement invitations and thank you cards. I have yet to mail any out. (Yes, that would be snail mail.) Since commencement is on a Friday, with friends and family too far to attend, I will take pictures of the big day and send a photo along with the invitation or thank you card. So many people helped me get this far.

But again, I am still waiting.

More later. So until then, live long and prosper by living pono.

--Liko

[6707] Gratitude

The final assignment for this course was to express our gratitude to those that helped with the completion of this course. I decided to do a short presentation video.

Click on the link EDUI 6707 Gratitude to see a larger version.

EDUI 6707 Gratitude from Liko Puha on Vimeo.

Completing this course makes me one course away from completing the program. I will be enrolling in the capstone starting in a couple of weeks. I have also applied for graduation with hopes of walking at the Summer 2013 commencement on Friday, June 15,at 5pm at the Cal State University East Bay campus (Hayward).

Blessed and grateful,
--Liko

EDUI 6707 Icebreaker

The Assignment

Interviewing a Fellow Classmate

Please choose a fellow classmate, email them and request their participation as an interview partner.  You may also use our "Cybercafe" for this effort.

This assignment will act as an 'icebreaker' in our course.  To read more about the rationale, technology and processes for icebreakers, visit here: http://twt.wikispaces.com/Ice-Breaker+Ideas

For this particular icebreaker, please create an audio or video and then share the url or upload the audio/video to our discussion area. Help us get to know you and your interview partner through this effort!

Liko's Introduction by Atina Delfino

http://portal.sliderocket.com:80/app/FullPlayer.aspx?id=7592930B-8417-924D-B15E-37843D0F9D46

Atina's Introduction by Liko Puha

http://prezi.com/roadism4zwah/introducing-atina-delfino/?kw=view-roadism4zwah&rc=ref-19319114

[6707] Making a Connection

It is a scene played out over and over in Hawaiʻi. A natural face-2-face icebreaker. Two strangers meet and inevitably, through fluid and casual inquiries, a connection is made, placing each other carefully into their individual stream of places, family, friends, acquaintances, experiences—all bound by connections. Note: The language used below is Hawaiʻi Creole English (Hawaiian Pidgin). 

• “Where you from?”

• “What high school you grad?”
• 
“You live Hilo? You know da Pereira’s live Keaukaha?”
• 
“You live San Francisco? Ma cousin Keʻala dance hula wid Patrick Makuakāne guys.”

In Hawaiʻi, we are raised with a strong sense of place, an integral part of our identity that comes from the host culture.

For students of my Hawaiian culture and language courses, ice-breaker questions usually include:

• Where were you born?
• Where were you raised? (Where did you grow up?)
• Where have you migrated since?

Students are encouraged to find a connection with each other beginning with the answers to those simple questions.

Additional Resources

What does a "Sense of Place" mean to you?
http://www.moolelo.com/Sense-of-Place.pdf

Welcome to Hawai'i (Official airline greeting for State of Hawai'i)

In-flight programming for airline usage that welcomes visitors and kama'āina to our islands using the Hawaiian language. This program is part of an effort to create a sense of place at our local airports that authentically reflects the host culture of Hawai'i.

http://youtu.be/kAOAnA1ttjc

Pidgenology
A humorous take on pidgin.
https://vimeo.com/32612024

Hawaii Pidgin The Voice of Hawaii
A more academic approach to explaining the roots of pidgin.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7X9AAeDCr4

Developing a Sense of Place and an Environmental Ethic: 
A Transformative Role for Hawaiian/Indigenous Science in Teacher Education? 

Pauline W. U. Chinn 
http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~jar/HOH/HOH-5.pdf

Axioms of an Extraordinary Online Instructor

"The deepest online learning takes place through relationship."
"Extraordinary teachers inspire students, model skills of critical thinking, foster collaboration, and encourage students to reach beyond what they perceive as their normal boundaries."

--L. Wildflower (2010)

Bloom's Digital Taxonomy Pyramid

How cool is this?! Love the Periodic Table of Videos on the Understanding level. Click on the link or image below to view the page with working links to the individual sites.


Bloom's Digital Taxonomy Pyramid

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. Author: Samantha Penney, samantha.penney@gmail.com  

CSU East Bay University Libraries » Gmail Configuraton

CSU East Bay University Libraries » Gmail Configuraton

Masters Research Project Forming

ʻAnoʻai kākou,

Exciting news! Through various assignments, a reccomendation from my instructor Dr. Kay Lehmann, and approval from the director of the MS-OTL program, my masters research project is forming. And I am feeling confident about it.

The working topic: Analysis of Nuiākea Hawaiian Culture Online Personal Enrichment Program

Basically, I will be researching what did and did not go well in the program from the Online Teaching and Learning perspective. How this adds to the body of research knowledge is particular to online multicultural education and online continuing education in a university setting--currently.

I am just beginning, but I am extremely excited! If interested, see what I have so far here. 

http://bit.ly/project-mindmap

--Liko

wdptwpj

Resuming My Studies with EDUI 6706

ʻAnoʻai kākou,

This past Monday, January 9th, I resumed my graduate studies. Taking it a bit more slowly this time by enrolling in a single course. Yes, it will take longer, but I think I am increasing my chances of surviving and having a somewhat reasonable schedule.

At work I started a new position three months ago, so the learning curve there is steep--but fun. I returned to my Information Technology roots, spending my days as an Internet Services Specialist. While currently my focus is administering SharePoint, the ISS team also administers: Linux Web servers, DNS servers, Microsoft Exchange Servers, ListServ, etc.

In my current CSUEB MS-OTL course, Research in Online Teaching & Learning, I am reunited with Dr. Kay Lehmann. She is such an awesome instructor. I pray daily that I stay healthy, focused, and productive throughout this coming year.

Happy 2012 to us all! Below is a picture with my nieces during the Holidays wearing our animal beanies.

--Liko

The Virtual Choir

Something awesome was shared with me in one of my master's courses. It reminded me of that special magic I used to feel when singing in a choir or chamber group. Below you will find two video. Watch the introduction then the actual performance. Tears welled as I looked upon the faces while experiencing the special magic of "The Virtual Choir!"

http://youtu.be/zyLX2cke-Lw

http://youtu.be/D7o7BrlbaDs

Collaboration: Socio and Technical Are One

THE FUTURE OF VIRTUAL TEAMWORK & COLLABORATION: Collaboration: Socio and Technical Are One

Like this from the article:

On the 'socio' side, what sort of shared values will help you create the climate for collaboration?

Professionalism over politics
Trust over suspicion
Conversations over commands
Transparency over secrets
Problem-solving over blaming
Opening over closing
Creativity over conformity
Inclusion over exclusion
We and me over me
Yes/and over yes/but

The list could go on and on. You might want to be a bit more creative:

Circles over triangles
Fire over ice
Fluids over solids

Just as long as you share the same meaning!

EDUI 6703 Technology Tools for Online Instruction

ʻAnoʻai kākou e nā hoa heluhelu,

I ka Poʻakahi nei i hoʻomaka iho ai ka papa hoʻonaʻauao hou, ʻo Nā Mea ʻEnehana no Ke Hoʻonaʻauao Pūnawele. Pīhoihoi nō au i nēia papa, ʻoiai hoʻi, he mea puni ʻenehana au. ʻAʻole au he Kenelala ʻEnehana e like me kuʻu Palala ʻo Keola Donaghy, he Konela paha au. Kā!

Ma ka pepa pahuhopu o ka papa nei i kākau ʻia ai: 

Differentiated Instruction — Everyone enters this class at a different level of awareness and comfort when it comes to working with technology. The course is designed to help you advance along your personal path to technology competence. You are not expected to compete with your classmates. Your grade will be based on your personal performance as measured by the grading criteria.

Naʻu nō e ana i kaʻu hana ponoʻī me ka holomua pū? Hiki nō!
na Liko



Ua hiki mai nō paha ke kau kupulau! Aia nō kēia kumu lāʻau ma ka pā hale ʻo mua.

EDUI 6702 Is It Over Already?

ʻAnoʻai kākou e nā hoa heluhelu,

Unfortunately, I have posted very little about my participation in this course. This past Friday evening marked the end of Teaching Models for Online Instruction. That's 20% of the coursework required for my masters degree. Yay!

Dr. Jodi Servatius

My instructor, Dr. Jodi Servatius, is an amazing teacher. I feel honored to be counted among her students. I blessedly experienced and observed the skills of a masterful online instructor. And from my classmates I learned plenty too!


For the final assignment of this course we were to create a chart that mapped instructional strategies to fulfill one learning objective from our individual courses in development. Remember that my course is History of Hula: The Art of Hawaiian Dance.

Students will be able to: 

Recall and describe the respective hula origin oral history that includes significant deities, personages and place names for the islands of Hawaiʻi, Kauaʻi, and Molokaʻi.

Kauluapaoa Heiau, Keʻē, Kauaʻi

One of my instructional strategies is taking the students on a virtual field trip. That means of course that I will need to make an in-person real live field trip! Just need to find a sponsor.

The past five weeks have blazed by, but not without drama. Balancing my responsibilities of caring for my mother, my job, my home life, and school has been challenging. Just within the past two weeks, some health issues have required my full attention. I am not complaining or asking for sympathy. Ke Akua knows I have friends that handle this and much more! But for my own personal journey and reflection only do I remark upon it here.


Therefore, I will focus on the kuleana listed above while graciously declining participation in any extra-curricular activities while in school. Except of course those activities that are required for improving my physical and spiritual health.


My next class starts next Sunday. Until then, I am officially off from work for spring break. So for one solid week I have a chance to catch up on sleep, lots of honey-dos, and mommy-dos.


Me ka ʻoiaʻiʻo,
Liko

EDUI 6702 Week 1 Wrapup

Aloha mai e nā hoa heluhelu,

At midnight tonight, the end of the first week of the next course, Teaching Models for Online Instruction, will be completed. What a week it has been. Returning from Hawaiʻi late Sunday evening, attempting to go to work on Monday (small fail), then being sick on Tuesday (major fail). After many hours of sleep and wor won ton soup, I am feeling almost a hundred percent today and hoping it stays that way for a while.

This week, we discussed Multiple Intelligences (MIs) and Learning Styles (LSs). I knew about learning styles, but MIs were new territory. Great information though! Here is how I figure it and invite comment:

Q: In what ways, if at all, do you think the concept of Learning Styles can be useful to the online instructor?

A: How exciting for me to learn that Learning Styles (LSs) are the methods for organizing and collecting information and that MIs are the cognitive processing capacities for that information. Knowing this, as an online instructor, helps reinforce the goal of providing rich learning experiences. Online courses can provide many opportunities for intrapersonal (self) and interpersonal (group) experiences. Assessments for mastery of concepts should also reflect the activities provided. If a video is used to provide a rich experience, a video should be sufficient for the student to submit for exhibiting mastery.

There are tests/surveys that help identify your Multiple Intelligences (How you process information) and Learning Styles (How you collect and organize information for processing). Knowing this information will help individuals during the learning process.

Image from: http://www.brainleadersandlearners.com

For MIs, my strengths are Musical, Social, and Language.

For LSs, my strengths are somewhat balanced, making me a multimodal type of learner. (Means that I can switch to match how the information is provided to organize and collect for processing.) My scores were:
    •    Visual: 10
    •    Aural: 11
    •    Read/Write: 14
    •    Kinesthetic: 11

To learn about your own multiple intelligences and learning styles, take the following surveys. Let me know if you agree with the results or not.

Based on Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligences

http://literacyworks.org/mi/assessment/findyourstrengths.html

VARK (Visual, Aural, Read/Write, Kinesthetic)

http://www.vark-learn.com/english/page.asp?p=questionnaire

More helpful information for online learning based on learning styles

http://www.ion.uillinois.edu/resources/tutorials/id/learningStyles.asp

Me ka ʻoiaʻiʻo,

Liko

Kahaluʻu and the Final Grade

What an incredible week! It was challenging to finish the final assignments prior to leaving for Aloha Music Camp. I did it though, and proceeded to enjoy one of the best experiences as an instructor at AMC. 

Part of the fun was implementing a couple of collaborative techniques that I learned in MS-OTL class.

Another fun component included observing other instructors and their teaching style and learning so much myself about the significance of the area.

But mostly, the enjoyment came from being in one of the most sacred sites in Hawaiʻi along with all the campers and other instructors. The location was also accessible to my friends and family for visits during the week since I could not leave. And while being there, I was able to ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi with so many friends!

The attending campers were from all over the world: Austria, United Kingdom, Canada, and many places on the continental United States. There were some locals too from Oʻahu and Puna, Hawaiʻi. Created lots of fond and special memories.

Upon my return from camp, I found that my final grade for EDUI_6701 had been posted by Anne.

Mahalo ke Akua! What an auspicious start to this MS-OTL journey. Looking forward to the next class which starts today!

Ke aloha nō,

Liko

 

6701 Week 5 - Is it over already?!

After a little more sleep and reflection, the rubric Anne provided for writing the final paper contained all the necessary guidance to produce an “A” product. Creating such a rubric can be challenging however—at least for me. I have found that moving away from the subjective to objective in terms of evaluating written papers is difficult, but invaluable for students.

An interesting discussion amongst classmates piqued my interest regarding the format of the final paper.

“Why does it have to be .rtf?”

“Word is better for formatting, please accept a .doc file.”

“PDF is the widely accepted standard.”

My initial reaction, “What’s the big deal? That is how Anne wants it turned in.” However, Anne revealed the main reason, something I am normally sensitive to. That being, not all students have access to expensive word processing software, so requiring .rtf instead of .doc/.docx/.pdf allows the use of most any word processing program. Ha! I fell right into the “haves” that are ignorant of the “have-nots” scenario. Boo.

I am so grateful for Anne and her roles in this course as an instructor, social director, program manager, and technical assistant.

E mālama mau au i nā haʻawina o nei papa, he kahua nō ia.
I will always care for the lessons from this class, it is definitely a foundation.
 
Me ka ʻoiaʻiʻo,
Liko
 
What Surprised Me the Most

How quickly these past 5 weeks have flown by.

What I Liked the Best

Learning about my own limits, physically and mentally, and the challenge of learning so much so quickly

What I Liked the Least
See "What I Liked the Best."

What to Keep or Change for My Courses

Change: Rubrics for everything, either shared with students or just for myself. 

Change: Add a weekly wrap-up similar to what Anne provides, summarizing the key points from class discussions and assignments.

The Final Final Paper

Yay! The paper is done. Not the best work, though I feel pretty confident about it. The final paper is an actual online course proposal. So my course will be “History of Hula: A Living Tradition.” Is that a catchy title or what?

It is exciting to think that by the end of four courses in this program, I will have a full fledged course. Okay, some bad news. The deadline for the final paper was 12:00 am Midnight, Friday 02/04/11. I emailed Anne at around 10:30 pm letting her know that there is a high probablity that it would be a bit late. Had some difficulties with creating my own rubric to grade my own paper. Yikes!

Well, the sad part is that I did finish at 1:48 am. But even sadder is that the Blackboard system shuts down between 1:45 am and 3:30 am for weekly maintenance—on Fridays!

&^%$#@!

So now, I am doing all I can to finish all my coursework so I can focus on preparing for my workshops and the trip to teach. It is around 2:37 am right now. Almost an hour left. Maybe just a little nap...

Liko

Rationale for “History of Hula: A Living Tradition.”

Hula is the traditional dance of the Hawaiian people. Sacred, religious and spiritual, entertaining, hula is perpetuated through the generations from antiquity until today. The Hawaiian renaissance in the 1970s revitalized pride in Hawaiian language and the arts, delivering the culture from near extinction. Today, hula enjoys worldwide respect and interest. As a Native Hawaiian scholar, cultural practitioner, and technologist, I propose offering an online course to provide students locally and internationally, a historical perspective of hula. Through a chronological, visual, aural, and textual survey of the major time periods in hula, students will be able to evaluate and identify the significant hula styles prevalent today.

Tuesday Deadline!

Talk about stress! Attempting to finish the draft of my final paper before midnight Tuesday was challenging. Had to take some time off from work. I can blame it on being ill and falling behind. Okay, sure-I will.

It seemed a bit unfair to be expected to write a whole paper for half the grade, while also using strong academic writing, when most of the writing we have done in the class so far are mainly discussion board posts.

My big attempt at the scholarly writing needed only to be a couple of paragraphs but ended up almost two pages long. I need the practice. For the final paper, Anne provided rubric, self-assessment guideline, which informed us what an “A” paper should contain. What a goal!

I turned in my draft exactly at midnight Tuesday--the deadline. The draft was weak, no transitional sentences from paragraph to paragraph and not much in terms of academic references.

Midnight on the nose!

The final final is due Friday. Wish me luck!

Aloha for now,

Liko