April 15: panel discussion on GA Library Education
On April 15, next Wednesday at 2pm, I'm participating in a panel discussion on library graduate schools and distance learning at the GSU library. We no longer have a library school in Atlanta -- the only one in Georgia now is at Valdosta State, four hours south of Atlanta -- so most Atlantans do some form of distance ed for their MLIS programs.
I'll be talking about my experiences earning my degree via the Florida State distance ed program, along with three current MLIS students from other programs. Details on the GSU Library blog if you're interested in coming!
Online degrees
I had occasion to chat with the director of a large academic library this week, and we talked a bit about online vs. face-to-face degrees. I was putting forth the proposition that earning my MLIS online had given me a better grasp on instructional technology because the only contact I had with my professors was via the technology provided by my library school. In fact, I think it gave me a good perspective on teaching techniques in general, since the program caused me to think about what was (and wasn't) working well for me as a learner as a result of the online environment. It's been valuable to me as a library teacher and particularly as regards my work with instructional technology.
She said that she had been asked as part of a survey whether, in a librarian candidate, she valued online degrees less than face-to-face degrees. She said if anything she considered online degrees more valuable. If I remember her point correctly, among other things it requires a self-motivated and engaged student to succeed in an online degree program.
It was a good discussion and I'd be interested in talking about it here, if anyone cares to comment.
I made it
Today is FSU's official graduation day. I'm not going to Tallahassee for commencement, but celebrating with friends at our favorite bar.
In some ways the last three years have just blown past, but in many many more ways they've dragged by with painful slowness in an exhausting fashion. I couldn't have done it without the unflagging support and encouragement of my friends and family, and especially my wife Anne, who's my grad school hero and never stopped inspiring me to keep going.
Jason Puckett, Master of Library and Information Studies
Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society
FSU class of 2008
Find an accredited MLIS program near you
ALA has created a Google Maps mashup listing all ALA-accredited library and information science programs. I know a lot of people (myself included) come to librarianship later in life when we're married, own homes, etc., and relocating can be a major concern.
It's nice to see ALA using some technologies a little more modern than HTML.
ALA-Accredited LIS Programs on Google Maps
My Zotero book
Adventures in Library Instruction podcast
My posts @GSU Library
I Support
Twittering
- GSU students who ask us when's a good time to find an available library study room: turns out the answer is Superbowl Sunday. #tumbleweeds