NEA micro-credentials

A micro-credential is a short, competency-based recognition that allows an educator to demonstrate mastery in a particular area. These micro-credentials have been developed by the National Education Association to allow for learning without requiring interaction with students in a classroom setting.

What do I need to sign up?

You must be an HSTA/NEA member to register for this professional learning opportunity. If you do not have one already, you will need to create an account with the NEA's Certification Bank.

How much will this cost?

NEA micro-credentials are free for HSTA members. You will receive a certificate of completion, but this does not apply to Hawaii State Department of Education reclassification credit.

Professional learning communities

The NEA provides members a free opportunity to participate in a virtual professional learning community (PLC) to support the successful completion of an NEA micro-credential from start to finish. The virtual PLC will be facilitated by a trained micro-credential facilitator and consist of weekly support meetings via Zoom. PLCs will start during the week of July 13 and end by August 31. Facilitators will reach out to participants with exact dates and times. Members may register for more than one PLC.

Members may register for any of the following national PLCs:

  • Exploring Restorative Practices. In this PLC, educators will explore restorative practices to strengthen relationships and build a community where harm can be addressed and repaired.
  • Technology for Educational Leaders: Curating Content. Educators will use a variety of curation tools to collect meaningful content for their students in this PLC.
  • Technology Integration: Citizen. Educators will inspire students to positively contribute to and responsibly participate in the digital world.
  • Teaching the Teacher: The Importance of Continuous Learning. Educators will demonstrate the impact of continuous professional development and its application on their own teaching practice and student success.

Register for a micro-credential PLC

More information


Bess Press Publishing

As a mahalo to educators, Honolulu-based Bess Press is offering an end-of-year, 40-percent educator discount on all currently published print textbooks, maps, educational resources, children's titles as well as popular local culture books through June 30. Please contact dimpna@besspress.com or call (808) 366-7566 should you have any questions regarding availability, pricing, etc.

2020 online catalogs


Kupu Hou Academy at Mid-Pacific Institute

Registration is now open for Kupu Hou’s June webinar series. Attendance for each workshop is limited to the first 30 registrations. Cost is $25 for each session, or you can purchase a package of all four for $80.

The dates and times of the workshops are as follows:

The Nuts and Bolts of Powerful Deeper Learning

June 10 at 3 p.m. HST
What are the components of powerful deeper learning? What kind of framework can help analyze instructional design for the most powerful impact? In this workshop, we will explore the principles of deeper learning and their intersection with project-based learning and introduce the ASPIRE framework as a means to analyze our work.  A variety of examples and student work will support the development of these ideas, and opportunities for questions and feedback will be provided. We will also explore how these are components of deeper virtual learning.

Leveraging Essential Questions to Guide Virtual Learning

June 17 at 3 p.m. HST
We will dive into understanding essential questions and their role in shaping and guiding learning. Process steps include: developing the characteristics of essential questions, examining examples, and distinguishing good essential questions. We will apply this process to virtual learning and the role good essential questions play in supporting student direction and purpose. To culminate, we will investigate the means by which essential questions lend themselves to any type of deeper learning and provide you with a tool kit to build out more essential questions in your work. Examples and outcomes will be provided.

Rubrics, Checklists and Other Indicators of Quality Work

June 24 at 3 p.m. HST
How do we help learners develop the language of quality work and produce it? We will look at a variety of means by which learners can assist in constructing the language of quality work and discuss a variety of formative and summative assessments using rubrics and checklists. To support our understanding, we will look at student projects and work samples, and design a variety of assessments to support classroom work.

Formative Assessment Strategies in Virtual and Distance Learning Environments

July 1 at 3 p.m. HST
Deeper learning activities require students to grapple with skills, content, and competencies that are embedded in authentic contexts. In all of these experiences, students need opportunities to gauge their understanding and make meaning from it. Formative assessments are intentionally designed opportunities to provide student feedback on their learning journey. In this session, we will examine the role of formative assessments, participate in a formative assessment market place, and map out an assessment plan for our work in our virtual environments. Along the way, we will look at examples of student work and the assessments embedded in it.

Register online here