{"id":181567,"date":"2023-08-08T16:49:24","date_gmt":"2023-08-09T02:49:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=181567"},"modified":"2023-08-08T16:49:24","modified_gmt":"2023-08-09T02:49:24","slug":"24-graduate-from-pacmed-in-rmi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2023\/08\/08\/24-graduate-from-pacmed-in-rmi\/","title":{"rendered":"24 Marshallese students earn master\u2019s in education from UH<\/abbr>"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
\"graduation
PACMED’s third graduating cohort from the Republic of Marshall Islands (Photo credit: Wilmer Joel\/Marshall Islands Journal)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Twenty-four students from the Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI<\/abbr>) earned their master\u2019s in education this summer through the PACMED<\/abbr> (Pacific Master in Education) program<\/a> in the College of Education<\/a> at the University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> at M\u0101noa. The new graduates are the third cohort from the RMI<\/abbr> since 2017. PACMED<\/abbr> supports Pacific Island educators in solving problems by providing a place-based, culturally responsive curriculum in STEAM<\/abbr> (science, technology, engineering, arts and math). <\/p>\n

PACMED<\/abbr> Director Deborah Zuercher, PACMED<\/abbr> Operations Director Ivy Yeung, instructors and UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa Vice Provost for Academic Excellence Laura Lyons attended the graduation ceremony on July 29 at the University of South Pacific.<\/p>\n

“Like the coconut tree, this third PACMED<\/abbr> RMI<\/abbr> cohort swayed in strong winds but was not broken,” said Zuercher. “They endured the strong winds of Covid, online teaching and learning, medical emergencies, health challenges and the loss of beloved family members.”<\/p>\n

Bridging traditional wisdom with 21st century tools<\/h2>\n

The PACMED<\/abbr> master\u2019s degree in the Department of Curriculum Studies is a five-semester, 30-credit leadership program designed for Pacific Island educators and community leaders. Courses are delivered in a live online classroom using Zoom and Google Classroom Suite so participants are equipped to share these distance learning technologies in their Pacific regions. <\/p>\n

Place-based Indigenous scholars partner with online instructors to ensure that the curriculum is relevant, engaging and culturally sustaining. PACMED<\/abbr> strives to bridge precious traditional Pasifika wisdom with 21st century technology, knowledge and skills. <\/p>\n

Topics have included marine science, food security, organic gardening, climate change, computer applications, robotics, design engineering, ethnomathematics and traditional cultural practices, such as weaving, fishing, canoe building and navigation.<\/p>\n

Expanded access of digital courses<\/h2>\n

Since 2017, PACMED\u2019s digital delivery of courses has expanded access to include more than 250 graduate students from across the Hawaiian Islands, American S\u0101moa, RMI<\/abbr>, the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of Palau.<\/p>\n

Related Â鶹´«Ã½News<\/em> story: First Marshall Island education cohort graduates<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

In 2019, the program graduated its first cohort of 17 Marshallese students. In 2022, there were 23 master\u2019s degree graduates from RMI<\/abbr> in PACMED<\/abbr>\u2019s second cohort. <\/p>\n

Zuercher said, “There are now a total of 64 PACMED<\/abbr> Marshallese master\u2019s degree recipients to serve as beacons of light and hope in the Republic of Marshall Islands. We call them, ‘Agents of Change’ and are excited to see the positive difference they will make in their families, communities and nation.” <\/p>\n

Over half of those who earned their PACMED<\/abbr> degrees were either promoted or changed positions as a result of their new educational qualifications.<\/p>\n

“PACMED is an outstanding model of how we can work together to meet educational needs in the Pacific,” said UH<\/abbr> President David Lassner, who visited the Republic of Marshall Islands this past spring to meet with PACMED<\/abbr> candidates and its public school system leadership. <\/p>\n

A new cohort of 18 educators from RMI<\/abbr> is currently enrolled to begin the program this fall. At the July 2023 graduation ceremony, leaders in RMI<\/abbr> requested access to a UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa doctoral degree program and noted their desire to hire more place-based Marshallese instructors\/consultants.<\/p>\n

For more information about PACMED<\/abbr>, go to the College of Education website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"group
PACMED RMI<\/abbr> 3 Cohort, place-based instructors and the public school commissioners.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This is the third cohort from the Republic of Marshall Islands to graduate from the the PACMED<\/abbr> program since 2017.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[95,1224,204,1466,1314,470,313,73,9],"class_list":["post-181567","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academic-news","tag-college-of-education","tag-distance-education","tag-education","tag-manoa-enhancing-student-success","tag-manoa-sustainability","tag-pacific-islands","tag-stem","tag-sustainability","tag-uh-manoa","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t