The iSchool Equation. PIL Provocation Series. Volume 1, Number 3

What is the value of a graduate degree? It is a calculation: time plus tuition minus the chance of getting the right job after graduation. When the costs far outweigh the return, a new question might occur to graduates: Can I have my money back? Most prospective graduate students run the math before...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inProject Information Literacy
Main Author Hostetler, Kirsten
Format Report
LanguageEnglish
Published Project Information Literacy 09.06.2021
Subjects
Academic Libraries
Education Work Relationship
Educational Change
Graduate Study
Librarians
Library Education
Library Instruction
Library Schools
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Summary:What is the value of a graduate degree? It is a calculation: time plus tuition minus the chance of getting the right job after graduation. When the costs far outweigh the return, a new question might occur to graduates: Can I have my money back? Most prospective graduate students run the math before applying to a program, but it is next to impossible to solve this equation until they have accepted that first job. And yet, it is only when new graduates enter the job market that they discover what it takes to survive in their chosen field. That is when they feel those metrics on a more visceral level. This article discusses how iSchools are producing graduates who possess the teaching skills to tackle the growing problem of the spread of misinformation. The value of iSchool degrees has a long history of being questioned by both recent graduates and academic librarians who wonder if the curriculum has kept up with the changing demands of the profession. If iSchools are not graduating professionals who possess the teaching skills necessary for rising to the challenges of today's information landscape, librarians are left to calculate the value of their degree and ask themselves: Am I actually prepared for my job?