College of Education, University of Hawaiʻi

College of Education, University of Hawaiʻi
Name	College of Education, University of Hawaiʻi
Established	1920s
Type	Public
Parent	University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
City	Honolulu
State	Hawaiʻi
Country	United States

College of Education, University of Hawaiʻi is the teacher preparation and education research unit at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, located in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi. The college offers undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs that connect local communities across Oʻahu, Maui, Hawaiʻi Island, and Kauaʻi with broader Pacific and Asia‑Pacific educational networks. It engages with state agencies, nonprofit organizations, and international partners to advance Indigenous, multilingual, and culturally sustaining pedagogy in the Pacific Rim.

History

The college traces roots to early 20th‑century normal school efforts associated with the Territory of Hawaiʻi, evolving through institutional ties to the University of Hawaiʻi system and the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa campus. Early leaders worked with entities such as the Board of Education (Hawaiʻi) and the Department of Public Instruction (Hawaiʻi) during periods that overlapped with events like the Territory of Hawaiʻi v. M. R. H. era and the governance transitions surrounding Hawaiian sovereignty movement activities. Post‑statehood expansions paralleled initiatives by the U.S. Department of Education and collaborations with the Ford Foundation and the Gates Foundation on curriculum and teacher preparation. Throughout the late 20th century, the college engaged with programs connected to the National Education Association, American Educational Research Association, and regional consortia such as the Association of Pacific Rim Universities.

Academic programs

The college provides undergraduate degrees, graduate degrees, and certificates in areas linked to K–12 and adult learning, partnering with institutions like the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education, Kamehameha Schools, and the East‑West Center. Program offerings reference national standards endorsed by bodies such as the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation and the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education. Faculty teach courses that draw on scholarship from scholars affiliated with the University of Hawaiʻi Press, connect with initiatives at the Asia‑Pacific Economic Cooperation education dialogues, and support licensure pathways aligned with frameworks used by states including California, Washington (state), and Nevada. Graduate students often pursue research funded by agencies like the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the National Institutes of Health.

Research and centers

The college hosts research centers and laboratories that collaborate with organizations such as the Pacific Educational Group, the Hawaiʻi P–20 Partnerships for Education, and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Centers focus on areas influenced by scholars linked to the Fulbright Program, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the Spencer Foundation. Research agendas engage topics relevant to the Pacific Islands Forum region, link with archives like the Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site and Archives, and participate in networks including the Comparative and International Education Society and the Society for Research in Child Development.

Accreditation and partnerships

Accreditation is maintained through recognized agencies such as the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and specialized accreditors including the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation; the college partners with state bodies like the Hawaiʻi Teacher Standards Board and national organizations such as the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education. External collaborations include the U.S. Department of Education grant programs, cooperative agreements with the Department of Defense Education Activity, and exchange relationships with universities like the University of Auckland, the University of Tokyo, and the University of British Columbia.

Campus and facilities

Situated on the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa campus near the Manoa Valley, facilities include classrooms, research labs, and community outreach spaces that serve partnerships with local entities such as Kapiʻolani Community College, Leeward Community College, and public schools across the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education network. The college shares resources with campus units including the William S. Richardson School of Law, the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, and the Hawaiʻinuiākea School of Hawaiian Knowledge, enabling interdisciplinary programming aligned with regional initiatives like the Pacific Islands Forum and the East‑West Center.

Student life and organizations

Students engage with professional and cultural organizations including the American Association of University Professors, the National Education Association student affiliates, and local chapters of groups linked to the Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs youth initiatives. Campus student groups collaborate with community partners such as Kamehameha Schools', Hawaiʻi chapters of the Phi Delta Kappa education fraternity, and service programs that coordinate with the AmeriCorps and the Peace Corps regional offices. Activities connect students with conferences hosted by bodies like the Hawaiʻi Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages and the Pacific Islands Association of Libraries, Archives and Museums.

Notable faculty and alumni

Faculty and alumni have included leaders who engaged with institutions and events such as the Hawaiʻi State Legislature, the United States Senate, the UNESCO forums, and judicial and policy bodies including the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court and the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. Graduates have worked at organizations like Kamehameha Schools, the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education, the National Education Association, and international agencies such as the Asian Development Bank and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Several have received awards and recognitions from the MacArthur Foundation, the Fulbright Program, and national honors endorsed by the White House.

Category:University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Category:Colleges of education in the United States