Motivating Native Hawaiians by project-based learning: A narrative inquir

Native Hawaiian children have been facing challenges in multiple areas and multiple settings comparing to their non-Hawaiian peers. Many of Native Hawaiian children are academically struggling in the schools and have high dropout rates. This qualitative study explores the perceptions of a group of Native Hawaiian high school graduates on the Island of Oahu in regards to how project-based learning impacted their learning to determine whether or not project-based learning is an effective instructional strategy to motivate Native Hawaiian learners. Project-based learning intergrades the learning and psychological theories of intrinsic motivation, experimental, constructive and social learning. This narrative inquiry study confirmed that project-based learning had positively impacted on most of participants' learning in the areas of interest of learning, engagement, self- challenged, attitudes towards learning, social and communication skill, learning skills, life skills, Hawaiian culture connection, technology, and curiosity. The importance of teacher-student relationship was identified as a key to achieve a successful PBL. Hands-on projects, community involvement and teamwork were the areas were also considered essential. The implications from this qualitative study were beyond determining whether or not PBL was a motivational tool for Native Hawaiian learners, but some of the causes for lacking of motivation. The participants of this study called for being connected to their cultures, community, place, and school through PBL. The narrative study discovered that Native Hawaiian learners require people who work with them understand Hawaiian culture and establish culture competency in PBL. Successful implementation of PBL can connect Native Hawaiian learners to learning, school, culture, their own identity, and Aloha spirit so that they are motivated to learn.