Culture, Learning and Technology Keynote: 
​           Dr. Rochelle Piʻilani Hussey Kaaloa

Dr. Rochelle Piʻilani Hussey Kaaloa, Interim Associate Graduate Dean, Graduate Division and Associate Specialist, Kamakakūokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies (https://manoa.hawaii.edu/hshk/kamakakuokalani)  
​University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa ​

Dr. Rochelle Piʻilani Hussey Kaaloa is the interim Associate Dean of Graduate Division at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and an Associate Specialist faculty at Kamakakūokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies, Hawaiʻinuiākea School of Hawaiian Knowledge. A Native Hawaiian woman, educator, and storyteller, she brings over two decades of experience in graduate and Indigenous education, online learning, and the integration of technology to enhance teaching, learning, and research in ‘ike Hawaiʻi. Her work is deeply rooted in her ancestral knowledge, or "first education," which complements her formal academic training as an instructional designer with a PhD in Learning Design and Technology . Dr. Kaaloa's established research agenda focuses on Native Hawaiian education, particularly the influence of cultural beliefs on instructional technology integration in higher education, the intersection with Indigenous Peoples and communities, and the advancement of culturally relevant computer science education, strengthened by her strong ties to Native Hawaiian serving education programs.

Voice, Choice, and Story: Technology + Instructional Design + Cultural Beliefs

​This keynote explores the universal challenge of integrating technology in higher education through the unique perspective of a Native Hawaiian instructional designer and educator. Dr. Kaaloa shares her personal journey of reconciling Hawaiian ways of knowing with her instructional design praxis, offering deep insights into the intersection of culture and technology. Drawing from her qualitative narrative inquiry, she highlights how core cultural beliefs shape technology adoption or technology resistance among Indigenous faculty. Through real-world experiences and voices, this session invites reflection and discussion on how cultural beliefs influence instructional design and the role of storytelling in empowering voice and choice in learning and teaching. This presentation is particularly relevant for educators, instructional designers, and anyone navigating the complexities of technology adoption in higher education—especially those interested in examining how cultural beliefs may shape these challenges and opportunities.