The university of hawaii-nerr project focuses on training a cohort of teachers in INA- or land-based education: experiential, learner-driven education with a cultural and ecological focus on the…

The university of hawaii-nerr project focuses on training a cohort of teachers in INA- or land-based education: experiential, learner-driven education with a cultural and ecological focus on the surrounding community. The heeia ahupuaa (land division) provides the INA-based education context for this program. In each year of the project, a cohort of 20 teachers will participate in an intensive professional development program facilitated by the heeia national estuarine research reserve (heeia nerr), with additional teachers involved through lower-touch engagements. The program will employ research-based practices for effective professional development, including frequent and sustained contact time, personalized support, peer sharing and feedback, learner-driven projects, and portfolio documentation. Foundational workshops will model INA-based education within the heeia nerr, and integrate academic scientific research on ahupuaa systems with hawaiian resource management practices. The program providers will then support each teacher in a process of inquiry and innovation on a topic of their choosing within the overarching concept of INA-based education.