Online Classes: FAQs

How are the classes taught?
Each 15-week course will cover four mokuna or chapters in the textbook Nā Kai ‘Ewalu. Students work independently, logging into the course at their convenience to complete their lessons. However, students are expected to meet specific deadlines which are posted at the beginning of each course.

The curriculum focuses on the acquisition of the four skills necessary for language learning; reading, writing, listening and speaking. The curriculum is presented in many formats; text, audio files and interactive learning games. Students have many opportunities to practice the four skills and benefit from valuable instructor feedback to clarify and expand on concepts presented during the course.

How much time do I need to spend per day or week in order to succeed in the online class?
We recommend that students spend at least eight to ten hours per week working through the lessons, assignments, and practice exercises. Also we highly recommend that students practice at least five days a week. You cannot cram language acquisition, so please do not think you can spend all ten hours on weekends to become proficient in the language.

Do I need to be online at a particular time?
No. The class is asynchronous in nature, that is, students can work on the lessons any time of the day or night. As we have students in many different time zones, it would be very difficult to coordinate times for everyone to meet online. There is an online chat room within the class, so students can interact with each other and their instructor if they do find themselves online at the same time. From time to time, instructors may schedule real-time audio chat meeting with students via Skype.

What Hawaiian Language classes will be taught?
We will teach Beginning Hawaiian and Intermediate Hawaiian classes. The coursework will cover the material in Chapters 1 - 20 of the textbook Nā Kai ʻEwalu Beginning Lessons and Chapters 1 - 8 of Nā Kai ‘Ewalu Intermediate Lessons written by Dr. William H. “Pila” Wilson and Professor Kauanoe Kamanā of Ka Haka ‘Ula o Ke’elikōlani College of Hawaiian Language of the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo.

 

What are the technology requirements for the classes?
All students will need a microphone and headset to complete assignments. You can find the hardware and software requirements for Macintosh and Windows users here.

Are classes conducted on the World-Wide Web?
Some of the curriculum will be posted on WebCT, and some assignment submissions will be posted our FirstClass Intranet system, called Leokī. The Leokī client is free, as are the fonts, Hawaiian keyboard and other resources you need. If you have a LAN, DSL, cable modem or regular modem connection to the Internet, and have used a web browser such as Netscape Navigator or Internet Explorer on your computer, you will be able to connect to Leokī.

Who can I contact if I have additional questions?
Email papapunaewele@ahapunanaleo.org with any additional questions regarding the course content or technology requirements.

 

Who takes these classes?
While a wide range of students have taken these classes, the bulk of the students have been what are commonly referred to as "non-traditional" students, that is, people who have raised or are raising families and already have careers or are retired. While we have had younger students who were concurrently attending classes at mainland universities, they have not been as common as the non-traditional students. All of the students did share a common trait — a strong desire to learn the Hawaiian language.

Can non-Hawaiians enroll in the class? Do non-Hawaiian students have more problems with learning the language?
Everyone is welcome to enroll! Students of many ethnicities, some with Hawaiian ancestry and others without, enroll in the classes. Students who have lived in Hawai‘i for any length of time, or have had exposure to the language in other ways, through listening to Hawaiian music or participating in a hālau hula (hula school) or other cultural activity have a bit of an advantage as they are already familiar with some of the pronunciation and grammatical aspects of the language. Lack of this kind of exposure or lack of Hawaiian ancestry does not mean you cannot succeed in class. It simply means you will need to spend time working on those aspects of the lessons, perhaps more so than someone who is more familiar with the language.

Will you accept Hawai‘i residents into the class?
We have accepted Hawai‘i residents into our previous classes, but encourage students who can attend language classes at a community college or university campus to do so. The online classes were designed to provide the opportunity to learn Hawaiian to those living in areas where there are no qualified Hawaiian language instructors. If your work schedule or location precludes you from attending traditional classes, you are welcome to register.

Why are the classes so expensive?
When compared to other classes offered at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo, the classes are only slightly more expensive than comparable credit classes at the resident tuition. When compared to out-of-state tuition, they are much less expensive.

The classes do require a considerable amount of effort on the part of your instructor, even more so than an on-campus class. You will receive much personalized feedback from your instructor. For these reasons, we believe the tuition is quite reasonable.

 

When did you begin online instruction in Hawaiian language?
Our consortium partner, Ka Haka ‘Ula o Ke‘elikōlani College of Hawaiian Language of the University of Hawai’i at Hilo, began teaching these classes in August 2002. The ‘Aha Pūnana Leo began pilot Elementary Hawaiian Language classes in January 2006. Since January 2007, ‘Aha Pūnana Leo offers classes in both beginning and intermediate level Hawaiian language.

Will you teach higher levels of language as well?
We plan to offer classes in Advanced Hawaiian Language as well. However, we can only do so when there is a sufficient number of students and an instructor available to teach these courses. The Intermediate classes have been offered since January 2007. However, applicants must first complete all Beginning Level classes before qualifying for Intermediate classes. Check our course offerings for upcoming classes.

Are the classes for-credit or non-credit?
While previous classes taught under our consortium partner Ka Haka ‘Ula o Ke‘elikōlani were all for college credit, classes taught by ‘Aha Pūnana Leo are non credit classes.