A new course at University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo is taking a holistic approach to teaching and learning that puts student success and community building activities at the forefront. The entry-level course is interdisciplinary, designed and taught by an eclectic group of professors, instructors, and peer mentors whose mission is to infuse students experientially with a strong sense of kuleana (responsibility) and the importance of community.

The course, Interdisciplinary Studies: Kuleana and Community (IS 150), encourages students and instructors alike to develop and strengthen their connections to UH Hilo, the community of Hilo, and Hawaiʻi Island as a whole. These myriad connections are made through all participants teaching each other and learning together about the island’s place names, stories, and cultural significance, while also being hands-on with mālama ʻāina (taking care of the land).

The academic foundation of the course was created by Professor of History Kerri Inglis with Professor of Education Michele Ebersole.

Read the full article on UH Hilo News.