Category: News and Information

Early Learning: The Tinker & Do Academy

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(Honolulu) Is your child curious? Is your child constantly asking you how things work? If so, The Tinker & Do Academy could be the educational gateway to a lifetime of invention and innovation for your child.

The Tinker & Do Academy provides high quality learning experiences for young learners. Keiki Engineering is a series of units that present basic engineering and coding concepts through games and playing with engaging, age-appropriate tech tools to increase technology literacy.

In the summer of 2015, the Academy launched its Keiki Engineering pilot program at Pali Preschool for 4- and 5-year-old students. Keiki Engineering is currently offered as an after school program at five Honolulu preschools. In addition, Keiki Engineering training is now being offered to elementary school teachers to support curricular objectives at any grade level. Currently, two Oahu elementary schools offer intracurricular Keiki Engineering activities.

HI FusionED technology specialist, Erin Horner, MSEE, developed the Keiki Engineering lessons. Erin, an electrical engineer, is currently employed at Oceanit, one of Hawaii’s largest private employers of engineers and scientists. Erin’s interest in early learning was inspired by her son, Raiden, who provided valuable feedback to help shape the program.

If you’re interested in learning more about the Keiki Engineering program, please contact us by calling (808) 988-1931 or posting a comment to this blog post. Mahalo!

8th Annual Hawaii Robofest Regional – RESULTS

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The 8th annual Hawai‘i Robofest Regional event was held this year at Leeward Community College on Saturday, April 11th, 2015. There were 179 participating students (grades 4-8) at the event from 16 different schools vying for gaming and project awards…not to mention the over 100 students who participated in intraschool competitions this Spring.

Special thanks to our Sponsors and Community partners for their generous support (see below). In addition, over 100 community volunteers pitched in to help make the event a resounding success!

Last, but not least, KUDOS to all the coaches, parents, teachers and school administrators for their support and to all the hard working students who demonstrated their innovative minds and technical skills. Well done!

2015 RESULTS:

Open Category: BOTTLE SUMOBOT (Single Elimination Matches)

  • 1st Place: Kalihi-Kai Elementary, Team 1825-3 Sumo Tubbiez
  • 1st Runner Up: Ka Waihona PCS, Team 1994-3 Ka Waihona Robotics – Na ‘Elele

Main Category: ROBOBOWL

  • 1st Place: Kanoelani Elementary, Team 1468-1 Robo Warriors
  • 2nd Place: Kapolei Middle, Team 1945-1 KMS Tech Hui
  • 3rd Place: Kanoelani Elementary, Team 1468-2 RoboGeniuses
  • Judges’ Choice Award: Mililani Ike Elementary, Team 2236-1 Pueo Technotics for their perseverance, adaptation and accuracy

Main Category: EXHIBITION

  • 1st Place: Kaleiopu‘u Elementary, Team 1951-1 KES Warriors Blue
  • 2nd Place: Leihoku Elementary, Team 2282-1 Leihoku Na Pueo
  • 3rd Place: Kalihi-Kai Elementary, Team 1825-2 Bionic Bros
  • Judges’ Choice Award: Waikele Elementary, Team 2166-2 Bionic Bacteria Bot for their teamwork, clear presentation, research, connection to the Hawai‘i theme, and good use of media
  • Judges’ Choice Award: Kanoelani Elementary, Team 1468-5 Circuit Breakers for their innovative idea and creative design

MAHALO! to Lawrence Technological University and all our 2015 Sponsors and Community Partners:

For more information, please contact us at info[at]hifusioned.org or call 808.988.1931. Visit our local Hawaii Robofest website or the national Robofest websitefor more information.

HIFED DT Team at People of Color Conference

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The People of Color Conference is the flagship of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS). This conference was designed to support leadership, professional development and networking for all diversity advocates and allies and to support equity and justice in all independent schools.

The HI FusionED (HIFED) Design Thinking team was invited to the conference to present how Design Thinking can be a powerful tool that engages diverse groups in designing innovative solutions for complex challenges. The workshop provided tools that combined empathy and creativity in developing user-centric solutions to address school and classroom challenges. It focused on the theory behind a culturally responsive framework and included concrete take-homes for participants to begin innovation work at their schools.

The Conference was held in Indianapolis, IN, with participants from all across the nation – even from Hawaii! Most were Directors of Diversity (Equity and Justice); some were school administrators and yet others were classroom educators. All came with an open mind and willingness to work with us during this 8-hour session. Everyone was highly engaged throughout this active, collaborative workshop and most left with enthusiasm and great anticipation of implementing Design Thinking principles. The HIFED team will be following up with those who expressed a desire to carry on culturally-responsive Design Thinking protocols at their schools.

It was an incredible opportunity and learning experience for HIFED. Thanks to conference coordinators for the invitation and to the hard-working attendees. Hope to be there again next year!

Mahalo, Mililani High School!

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A big “MAHALO!” to Mr. Todd Yoshizawa and five of his talented graphic design students from Mililani High School for submitting logo designs for our rebranding campaign. The new designs were presented to the HI FusionED Board and school liaison for consideration.

In 2004, Mililani High School was HI FusionED’s first student cohort. In partnership with the Women in Technology Project (administered by the Maui Economic Development Board), the project involved pairing female students with female mentors from industry and academia to encourage their interest and retention in STEM-related pathways.

It is with great sentiment and honor to be working once again with Mililani High School as we enter a new chapter as HI FusionED!

HI FusionED – A New Chapter

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HONOLULU, HI — isisHawaii, a Hawaii-based, not-for-profit organization dedicated to motivating educators and students toward 21st century learning, has announced a change in name to HI FusionED, effective immediately. The new name reflects the company’s dynamic process of combining or fusing diverse elements to form new learning experiences and positively-charged change in Hawaii.

“We see this as an exciting next step in connecting K-12 educators with leading-edge experts from academia, industry and the community,” said President Lynn Fujioka. “The new name encompasses the high level of energy involved in all of our collaborations and the cross-disciplinary learning and opportunities that occur as a result.”

HI FusionEd will be building upon the momentum established by isisHawaii’s outstanding initiatives, from sustainable agriculture and scholastic robotics to culturally-responsive partnerships and military outreach programs. Here are some of the most notable:

  • Ipu Waiwai Kula ‘AE – Aquaponics in Education (2011-14): This project (sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education Native Hawaii Education Program), targeted public intermediate schools in the Leeward District (Nanakuli/Waianae). Its primary goal was to increase NH student capacity by honoring and recognizing indigenous science as it aligns to 21st century learning and skill development
  • Virtual SeaPerch Program (2012-present) — Partnering with Navatek Ltd, 3D Innovations LLC and the Office of Naval Research, isisHawaii is currently developing Phase II of a 3D CAD application for students called, “V-Perch.” VPerch users design, build and test underwater Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) in a total virtual environment.
  • Hawaii Robofest – Since 2006, isisHawaii has been the official Hawaii site host for Robofest, an international math-based robotics program, developed by Dr. CJ Chung from Lawrence Technological University in Southfield, MI. Currently, Hawaii boasts the largest regional among seven different countries and eight states.
  • Military Outreach — Through a partnership with the USS Missouri Memorial Association, isisHawaii developed a training program and on-board encampment experience for young students using LEGO robotics to reinforce the battleship’s historical significance and engineering pathways.

The HI FusionED Team has selected Mililani High School’s graphic design program (under the supervision of Mr. Todd Yoshizawa) to help redesign the logo. (Note: Mililani High School students were the organization’s first student cohort in 2002. The project involved pairing female students with on-line mentors in STEM-related fields.) We look forward to seeing their creative solutions soon.

For more information on HI FusionED, contact Lynn Fujioka at 808.988.1931 or email lynnfujioka@gmail.com.

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