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PULS Program

PULS offers a new strategy to transform the practice of STEAM education by contextualizing learning in terms of 21st century sustainability challenges.

This mobile lab and its staff work with host sites (e.g. school or youth organization) across Oʻahu to create unique enrichment opportunities for students grades Pre K-12. Priority is given to host sites with limited access to STEAM resources.

 

PULS offers an in-person lab experience or distance learning option called PULS-in-a-Box. A PULS box provides distance learning participants with access to online video content, materials, and supplies needed to perform modules either in-class or at home. 

For one month, focusing in on one sustainability topic. Each lesson is centered on a global issue with emphasis on local relevance to which an action-oriented STEAM module addresses. In addition, every lesson plan is closely linked to a U.N. Global Goal for Sustainability and encourages community-action projects.

Students work with our lab scientists for 4 weeks on a sustainability topic to develop fundamental knowledge, understand basic practices, develop an understanding for local and global challenges, then complete a positive impact action. Every week students are exposed to new lessons and modules that take on a fun STEAM approach.

Our vision is to encourage students to value STEAM both as an exciting venture of the human mind and for their essential role in addressing the urgent scientific, environmental, social, and economic challenges that face our planet and our inhabitants.

 

We believe that to achieve this goal, it is essential for Hawaiʻi to have our learners at all levels be actively engaged in, motivated by, and able to work effectively on the complex issues that involve these STEAM disciplines. We need to nurture our youth into critical thinkers to become the innovators, educators, and researchers of their generation, especially as it relates to the environment.

Only 30% of Grade 4 students are proficient in science in Hawaiʻi. This trend continues in higher grades, in other STEAM disciplines, and is disproportionate for particular  groups (The Nation’s Report Card 2015).

In 2017, Hawaiʻi was projected to need 16,000 more workers with STEAM skills each year. In 2016, the state ranked 47th in the number of STEM-related degrees awarded per 100,000 residents (KHON 2016).

For every 1 Hawaiʻi student in afterschool 1 more would participate if a program were available, and there is a need for programs in STEAM (Afterschool Alliance).

Why do our keiki need a program like PULS?

Why use the Global Goals?

The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Agenda, adopted in 2015, includes 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to be achieved by 2030. Countries around the world have committed to taking action to meet these goals, such as ending hunger and poverty and creating sustainable cities and communities. PULS believes SDGs can be vital to learning in every classroom as  students need to:

  • Learn about the world

  • Become active participants

  • Learn empathy and compassion

  • Be inspired to take action

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