Thursday, March 28, 2024
Hawai'i Free Press

Current Articles | Archives

Tuesday, January 12, 2016
Hawaii DoE: $48M Annual Electric Bill is STEM Learning Opportunity
By News Release @ 4:55 PM :: 4911 Views :: Education K-12, Energy

Hawai‘i DOE Adopts Defined STEM Curriculum

News Release from Hawaii DoE January 12, 2016

Defined STEM, a curriculum supplement of Defined Learning, has announced its five-year partnership with OpTerra Energy Services and the Hawai’i Department of Education to support Ka Hei, a statewide strategic program that educates students about sustainable energy transitions happening across schools throughout the state.

The state’s schools spend $48 million a year on electricity.

The goal of the Ka Hei program, which kicked off in 2014, is to integrate innovative energy technology with meaningful learning experiences, while reducing energy costs.

As a comprehensive energy and sustainability program, Ka Hei will transform the learning environment, reduce operational expenses, and provide engaging educational opportunities for Hawai‘i’s students and community.

“We are pleased to be part of this partnership with Defined Learning and OpTerra to create such a versatile educational experience for Hawai‘i’s students,” said Office of Curriculum, Instruction and Student Support Assistant Superintendent Suzanne Mulcahy. “We live in one of the most isolated places in the world, and we are stewards of the land we love. We need to take care of our land by using our renewable resources. Our students are the future, and we need to educate them about how to keep our island beautiful.”

OpTerra is designing and implementing a wide range of new energy technologies that will lower costs and help schools across the islands become more sustainable.

To date, energy experts from Defined Learning and OpTerra teams have given more than 300 teachers hands-on professional development to analyze scalable technology such as wind turbines and solar panels in their classrooms.

“The Hawai‘i DOE and Defined Learning are great partners in educating students about initiatives happening in their own backyard,” said OpTerra National Education Manager Dawn Johnson. “Together we will create a sustainable and energy-efficient environment, while helping students understand the importance of protecting the land they know and love.”

The Defined STEM curriculum is available to all 256 schools across the state’s eight islands, which form one large school district. Grade-specific lessons give teachers an understanding of green initiatives that can be used in their classrooms.

Defined STEM performance tasks challenge students with hands-on projects that include research and engaging videos that align with the Common Core and the newly adopted Next Generation Science Standards.

In completing the tasks, students will learn core principles of science and will see the relevance of community initiatives, such as moving to solar energy, limiting waste, encouraging recycling and reducing water usage with low-flow toilets.

They will also discover potential careers related to sustainable energy.

“Defined STEM is honored to be part of the Ka Hei initiative,” said Joel Jacobson, the co-founder and chief operating officer of Defined Learning. “As students see changes happening in their community, they are able to connect what they’re learning in the classroom to the real world in which they live—while exploring new technology and career opportunities at the same time.”

The Hawai‘i Clean Energy Initiative aims to relieve the state’s dependence on oil by using 100% clean energy by 2045.

To learn more, visit DefinedLearning.com.

Learn more at OpterraEnergy.com.

To learn more, visit HawaiiPublicSchools.org.

Links

TEXT "follow HawaiiFreePress" to 40404

Register to Vote

2aHawaii

808 Silent Majority

Aloha Pregnancy Care Center

AntiPlanner

Antonio Gramsci Reading List

A Place for Women in Waipio

Ballotpedia Hawaii

Broken Trust

Build More Hawaiian Homes Working Group

Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaii

Cliff Slater's Second Opinion

DVids Hawaii

FIRE

Fix Oahu!

Frontline: The Fixers

Genetic Literacy Project

Grassroot Institute

Habele.org

Hawaii Aquarium Fish Report

Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society

Hawaii Catholic TV

Hawaii Christian Coalition

Hawaii Cigar Association

Hawaii ConCon Info

Hawaii Debt Clock

Hawaii Defense Foundation

Hawaii Family Forum

Hawaii Farmers and Ranchers United

Hawaii Farmer's Daughter

Hawaii Federalist Society

Hawaii Federation of Republican Women

Hawaii History Blog

Hawaii Homeschool Association

Hawaii Jihadi Trial

Hawaii Legal News

Hawaii Legal Short-Term Rental Alliance

Hawaii Matters

Hawaii's Partnership for Appropriate & Compassionate Care

Hawaii Public Charter School Network

Hawaii Rifle Association

Hawaii Shippers Council

Hawaii Smokers Alliance

Hawaii State Data Lab

Hawaii Together

HIEC.Coop

HiFiCo

Hiram Fong Papers

Homeschool Legal Defense Hawaii

Honolulu Moms for Liberty

Honolulu Navy League

Honolulu Traffic

House Minority Blog

Imua TMT

Inouye-Kwock, NYT 1992

Inside the Nature Conservancy

Inverse Condemnation

Investigative Project on Terrorism

July 4 in Hawaii

Kakaako Cares

Keep Hawaii's Heroes

Land and Power in Hawaii

Legislative Committee Analysis Tool

Lessons in Firearm Education

Lingle Years

Managed Care Matters -- Hawaii

Malama Pregnancy Center of Maui

MentalIllnessPolicy.org

Military Home Educators' Network Oahu

Missile Defense Advocacy

MIS Veterans Hawaii

NAMI Hawaii

Natatorium.org

National Christian Foundation Hawaii

National Parents Org Hawaii

NFIB Hawaii News

No GMO Means No Aloha

Not Dead Yet, Hawaii

NRA-ILA Hawaii

Oahu Alternative Transport

Obookiah

OHA Lies

Opt Out Today

OurFutureHawaii.com

Patients Rights Council Hawaii

PEACE Hawaii

People vs Machine

Practical Policy Institute of Hawaii

Pritchett Cartoons

Pro-GMO Hawaii

P.U.E.O.

RailRipoff.com

Rental by Owner Awareness Assn

ReRoute the Rail

Research Institute for Hawaii USA

Rick Hamada Show

RJ Rummel

Robotics Organizing Committee

School Choice in Hawaii

SenatorFong.com

Sink the Jones Act

Statehood for Guam

Talking Tax

Tax Foundation of Hawaii

The Real Hanabusa

Time Out Honolulu

Trustee Akina KWO Columns

UCC Truths

US Tax Foundation Hawaii Info

VAREP Honolulu

Waagey.org

West Maui Taxpayers Association

What Natalie Thinks

Whole Life Hawaii

Yes2TMT