Casting the net into the Pacific
Embracing Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander students and culture, we aim to establish the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu as a Pacific Hub by integrating ancestral Pasifika knowledge with innovative tools to empower students as change-makers. ʻUpena collaborates with university programs and offices to improve student retention and career readiness by providing opportunities to apply knowledge through new media and community service projects. We achieve this by upskilling faculty, fostering Hawaiʻi and international partnerships, and archiving knowledge for community access.
Through ʻUpena’s initiatives and programs, students develop crucial skills—critical thinking, digital literacy, and problem-solving—equipping them with the tools to make a meaningful impact on their communities while honoring their roots
Skills for the Future
The 4 C’s approach (communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity) helps students explore the richness of Hawaiian indigenous knowledge while emphasizing active engagement, reciprocity, and dynamic knowledge development. The project strives to transition students from being just consumers of knowledge to becoming knowledge developers. Through various assignments, they develop skills in accessing, evaluating, and utilizing digital information effectively.
Communication
Sharing thoughts, ideas and solutions.
Collaboration
Critical Thinking
Creativity
Trying new, innovative, and inventive approaches to achieve goals.
Innovative Learning
Our primary objective is to assist instructors in utilizing alternative methods of engagement that enhance student comprehension by leveraging the power of technology. When students are required to demonstrate subjects to audiences beyond their instructors—such as friends, family, or public forums—the information needs to be presented with greater clarity and significance.
Project Templates
Using graphic principles and visual elements, infographics are more appealing than plain text, helping students organize information and reveal patterns and trends more effectively.
Available in many formats, covering diverse subjects, and often episodic, podcasts offer flexibility that seamlessly bridges the gap between education and entertainment.
When used effectively, short-form videos increase student engagement and comprehension by following familiar social media and rapid digital interaction trends.