Inclusion/Agency/Edge on the Mexican/American Border: An Asset-based Approach to Underserved Populations in a Higher Education Context

Workshop Presentation
David Ruiter,  Cristina Goletti  

Through an asset-based approach, we know that our students come to us as talented individuals with the skills and experiences necessary for success in higher education and career; this is just as true for the under-served, as it is for students who come from greater privilege. These assets, when identified, articulated, and optimized through classroom learning and high impact practices, lead to a competitive edge as students progress into graduate school, career, and civic leadership as well-rounded individuals. This workshop will first provide examples of how an asset-based pedagogy develops both disciplinary knowledge and professional skills. Then, attendees will engage, as individuals and teams, to discover generative assets within themselves, their institutions, and communities. The first activity: a strengths-finding exercise done as individuals and pairs to discover the range of expertise within the room. The second activity: the creation/implementation of spontaneous teams—maximizing the diversity of talent within each group—to work on a creative task (e.g. a photographic/Instagram essay, a short video, a story composed via twitter). These activities will focus on three outcomes: To highlight the learning mindset of contemporary students; To activate participants’ assets in a project-based context; To understand how diversity of expertise within any learning environment can be optimized to create a holistic, empowering approach to learning and life.