Essay: Deeply engaged learning

The United States has gained great momentum as an evolving educational landscape; more than ever the U.S. educational system is teacher-centric, didactic-instruction, and lecture-based. In fact, it has become clearer that U.S. educators need to incorporate pedagogical approaches to involve so much more. The aforementioned commitment to integrate learning platforms for a multilingual society permits me to follow a platform of educational excellence.
I bring an integrative perspective of teaching and service to my learning community; these tools provide me the ability to build a reputation of a “doer” rather than a “talker.” I believe educational success requires inclusion and participation of faculty, staff, students and community partners to strategically design, deliver and evaluate our various aspects of curriculum. Deeply engaged learning has provided me the experiences grow as a scholar and lifelong learner! My approach to my learning is predicated on the belief that learning is most effective when it is dynamic, interactive and evolves to expand the boundaries of the classroom.
Deeply engaged learning is also a tool and pathway for students like me to eradicate academic boundaries in their journey. As an underrepresented student, I have learned that the way resources are allocated limit opportunities and many boundaries are often cultural or directed to a certain group of people. One way deeply engaged learning begins to do away with academic boundaries is to emphasize multidisciplinary efforts and permit different learners to stay engaged and involved. Through multidisciplinary efforts a single view is no longer commonplace but rather a more robust product exists after subjects intersect one another. By becoming engaged with deeply engaged learning, students can direct their ability to think critically and articulate the needs and aims of their own education.
In addition, it is important to stay cognizant that deeply engaged learning is not immediate, but is instead a process. The exposure to a lifestyle of deeply engage learning permits students to transfer what they have learned in their learning communities to situations beyond that of the academic realm. I have been able to do this by working on initiatives that share my vision. I have been able to bring about panels, events, dialog and projects to my community. Through deeper engaged learning, I have been able to gain a passion for underrepresented students and it is because of this passion that I hope to contribute to an engaging inclusive educational platform.
I am committed to a lifelong journey of deeply engaged learning. In all committees and organizational projects, I have been part of, I have learned to not strive to fix or presume anything rather I value the opinions of others, recognize the essential roles everyone plays in a group, and promote organizational innovations. Through my involvement in Amnesty International, the English Skills Learning Center, SLCC Manos Amigas, Salt Lake Peer Court, and Generations of Latinos, I have grown to understand that the abilities of a good leader begin with being a good follower and building meaningful relationships and connections with those you are serve. I have also gained the skills to focus on the work necessary in leadership but to also stay receptive to creativity and innovation in models that fall outside traditional structures.
Deeply engaged learning makes a difference in education because it provides students with a foundation to succeed beyond the classroom setting. Mastery of complex knowledge and deeply engaged learning skills provide students with the ability to connect academic content, critical thinking skills, teamwork skills and self-learning skills to problems in the classroom and real world. Deeply engaged learning also shapes students’ pathways to link to student success. My leadership philosophy and deeply engaged learning have evolved into a shared viewpoint. My learning philosophy recognizes collective decision-making and shared accountability. Overall, deeply engaged learning has made a difference on my education because, through it, I have evolved into the person I am today.