LEO - Hawaiian Language Exploration PlatfOrm - EA Ecoversity proposes LEO (Hawaiian Language Exploration PlatfOrm), an innovative mobile-friendly app designed to increase Hawaiian language proficiency among Native Hawaiians. The project will develop Hawaiian Language Basics (HLB), a program consisting of 4 interrelated courses featuring interactive games, videos, activities and assignments amounting to approximately 130 hours of engagement. The content will be delivered through four Hawaiian family avatars - Aunty Aloha, Uncle Ikaika, Granny Malama and Grandpa Pono - each sharing vocabulary, protocols and cultural practices from their specific domains ranging from ocean activities to traditional farming. Over the three-year project period, the LEO team will create and test both the HLB curriculum and a custom Learning Management System (LMS) with over 20 interactive features. The project will engage 300+ co-researchers to test and provide feedback on course content and software functionality. The goal is to create an engaging tool that enables learners to hold everyday conversations in Hawaiian while gaining cultural knowledge. The app addresses the current reality that less than 5% of Native Hawaiians can converse in Hawaiian, not due to lack of interest, but rather due to a need for flexible, culturally grounded learning options that align with modern schedules and technology preferences.
