Dissertation Defense: Kaimana Estrella, EdD Candidate

May 8, 9:00am - 11:00am
Mānoa Campus, Campus Center 309-310 or Zoom: https://go.hawaii.edu/UTk

AN EXPLORATION OF TEACHING HAWAIIAN CONCEPTS OF KAIKUA鈥楢NA AND KAIKAINA THROUGH MINECRAFT

Video games, such as the popularized game Minecraft, have been used in a variety of educational settings and learning contexts. Though academic findings of video game usage are mixed, increases in learning competencies, skills and engagement are prevalent. While faced with creating an alternative learning plan for teaching kaikua鈥榓na and kaikaina Hawaiian governance concepts during the COVID-19 pandemic, a college course instructor had chosen to use Minecraft as a platform for student learning.

This blended narrative inquiry case study examined how an instructor鈥檚 choices in utilizing Minecraft might have affected the learning of kaikua驶ana and kaikaina concepts in a college Hawaiian governance course. This qualitative study portrays the instructor鈥檚 story and journey of using Minecraft. A Model for Utilizing Minecraft to Teach Kaikua驶ana and Kaikaina Principles was developed from analysis of emerging themes. The model includes (a) informed decision making, (b) deliberate instructional choices, (c) meaningful Minecraft experiences, (d) awareness based pivoting, and (e) instructor鈥檚 reflection and learnings.

Committee: Gari-Vic Baxa, Larson Ng, Thanh Truc T. Nguyen (Chair)


Event Sponsor
Department of Educational Administration, Mānoa Campus

More Information
Thanh Truc Nguyen, 808-956-6507, nguyen@hawaii.edu

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