What is your favorite non-traditional way to learn and what are you currently learning outside of school? by Dominique

What is your favorite non-traditional way to learn and what are you currently learning outside of school? by Dominique - September 2024 Scholarship Essay

“Intellectual growth should commence at birth and cease only at death.” ― Albert Einstein. I believe that when a person cease the desire to learn, they ceased to grow. Learning can occur in any environment and in any method. While it has been custom that we have been taught that learning occurs in school, there are other non-traditional ways to learn. Throughout the years, learning has evolved from the classroom setting to virtual teaching.

As a father of three, I believe that every person has a different learning style and the traditional setting may not be beneficial to all. Growing up, I was not an advocate of the traditional learning as my learning style was different than my peers. As a result, I have learned that on-line learning works for me. I love to do research on different subjects and having the access to the internet to research various studies on a particular issue, such as evidence based information as well as audio teaching studies, has provided me with the access to learn and retain information.

Currently, I am enrolled in the Criminal Justice Graduate Program with the University of Phoenix. My goal is to retain a better understanding of the criminal justice system so that I can use the knowledge I have received to make an impact as to changing the way law enforcement is viewed. Unfortunately, the media has portrayed law enforcement in a negative light with the emphasis on police brutality, but they fail to share the positive highlights that law enforcement has on the community. There has been great discussions as to defunding law enforcement. However, I believe that defunding is not the answer. In fact, providing additional funding specifically regarding citizen interactions training while ensuring the safety of the officer as well as others will show a decrease in police brutality. Researching online the statistics of police brutality and training regarding interaction with citizens, I have seen a big gap. Studies have shown that by providing intensive, training specifically regarding interaction with citizens can lead to fewer arrest and more positive interactions

Learning should not stop upon graduation, learning is something that is constant throughout life. Without learning, an individual's growth is limited and is portrayed in unacceptable behavior. The more a person learn, the more they become more cognizant of issues and will be willing to brainstorm solutions to address those issues.