STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2096

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2384

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 2384 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Department of Education to:

(1) Develop a comprehensive plan to integrate design thinking and coding in middle, intermediate, and high school curriculums; and

(2) Submit the plan to the Legislature prior to the Regular Session of 2019.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education and four individuals.

Your Committee finds that many of Hawaii's public schools have already implemented courses in science, technology, engineering, and math, also known as the STEM fields, in their curriculum. However, many curriculums are designed to solely focus on outcome-based results and potential economic impact, which may compromise innovation and creativity when applied to the STEM fields. Design thinking is an approach to learning, collaboration, and problem solving that is structured for identifying challenges, gathering information, generating potential solutions, refining ideas, and testing solutions. Including design thinking in curriculums can improve and enhance the curriculum and assist students in creatively solving problems.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2384 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Education,

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MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair