Learning in More Ways than One by Isabel

Learning in More Ways than One by Isabel - June 2024 Scholarship Essay

Informal education has allowed my knowledge to be expanded beyond the curriculum offered in the classroom. While schools and universities can teach students in-depth field content, informal education can build a well-rounded foundation of knowledge that can be applied to various circumstances. During my educational journey, I have supplemented my formal education with peer discussions, documentaries, extracurricular activities, and internships. By implementing these tools, I have broadened my knowledge beyond what I’ve learned while enrolled in formal institutions and increased the depth of knowledge provided to me by this schooling.
Peer discussions have proven valuable in both my mastery of subjects and the introduction of new concepts and information. Beginning in eighth grade, my teachers would facilitate Socratic Seminars by prompting students with a discussion question, requiring close listening and critical thinking to formulate a response. The discussion would then open to the students, where ideas would bounce back and forth, aiding the students’ understanding of concepts. Through Socratic Seminars, I learned that I best understand the material by teaching it to others and listening to their explanations of these concepts.
Peer discussions are popular among students, and it is inevitable that new perspectives will be brought to the table, regardless of the discussion topic. Specifically, peer discussions that I partook in encouraged me to become more aware of current events and less ignorant of the discrimination that takes place around me. Most of my friends in middle and high school identified as a minority, so I was able to hear about their experiences with discrimination in the workforce and day-to-day life. These experiences aided my understanding of what I learned in school, allowing me to connect with and expand beyond my formal education through discussions with my peers. Discussions with peers also encouraged deeper knowledge and understanding of what was already being taught in the classroom. Throughout my educational journey, I have found myself learning from or teaching another student, both benefiting my mastery of the concepts we were studying.
Documentaries have also provided me with a wealth of knowledge that I did not gain from the classroom. The overwhelming popularity of documentaries has called for a large range of subjects and matters to be covered. Even more so, many of these topics are covered by several documentaries. Watching documentaries has made me more informed on world issues and has provided several ways of self-betterment that I’ve applied to my daily life. Specifically, several documentaries cover the danger involved in social media use. I found myself enthralled with concern as I watched every documentary that I could find. I eventually channeled my concern into research, publishing a psychology study this year titled Social Media Use and Mental Distress States Among College Students. I look to continue my research this year, owing my study’s success to the seed these documentaries planted in my head.
Aside from studying and attending classes, any leftover time has been put into extracurricular activities. I have run track for over 10 years and currently run indoor track, outdoor track, and cross country at my university. Being a collegiate athlete who strives for excellence has taught me to balance all facets of my life. I’ve learned that it is important to decide how you will delegate your energy because it is limited. Moreover, the determination and time required to succeed athletically and academically have bettered my work ethic. In addition, through several volunteer opportunities and organization memberships, I have learned how to lead others and take on great responsibility. While extracurricular activities may not have provided curriculum-like subject matter, these activities have stood as an opportunity for self-betterment to encourage my academic success. The drive and motivation I've obtained from participating in these extracurricular activities poured over into my academic efforts, resulting in greater success than I would have experienced without these traits.
I cannot say that what I’ve learned through informal education would have been instilled at some point through my formal education. Being a well-rounded student encourages academic success, but to do so, the student cannot solely isolate themselves to the curriculum or subjects learned in the classroom. Hearing the perspectives of others and explaining my understanding has provided me with a better and more unique grasp of information than before. It is essential to expand beyond foundational knowledge to piece all subject matters together for a complete education. Additionally, using documentaries to aid shallow understandings has allowed me to expand the scope of my knowledge further. Because of my experiences with informal education, I can now carry new traits and skills into the classroom to better my academic performance.