PD Research - Poster
1
About the project We launched this survey in October of 2008 to answer two broad questions: 1. What professional activities students had undertaken in the summer between their first and second year of their Mas- ter of Information Studies (MISt); and 2. What professional development oppor- tunities do they desire from the Fac- ulty? Using an web-based tool, we solicited students to participate in a survey of 25 questions pertaining to their activities, their views on professional development, and their professional goals. We targeted upper-year students, in the months after the summer, to best capture their recol- lections from this time period. Methodology The study collected both quantitative and qualitative data from Master of Informa- tion Studies students over a period of ap- proximately one month. Several remind- ers were sent to students by e-mail to en- courage them to participate. The study did not offer an incentive, but nonethe- less received 96 responses - a response rate of approximately 46%. Conclusions In this project, we noted that a large majority of students found well paying work in fields of interests, and had high levels of job satis- faction. These promising results suggest that information organizations are doing well at matching students with their desired areas of work; nonetheless there is potential for more challenging, meaningful work for students. There is also a need from the Faculty of In- formation to compliment this work experi- ence with greater professional development opportunities during the school year. In future, research could be improved in sev- eral ways. Surveying the impressions of em- ployers could supplement students’ views. As well, a broader picture could be attained by contrasting the positions of new gradu- ates with mid-program summer positions. Finally, the survey construction could benefit from more focused questions. The Future of the Profession: Student Professional Development at the iSchool Bruce Harpham is a recent graduate of the MISt program at the University of To- ronto’s Faculty of Information. You can contact him via his website, www.bruceharpham.ca Meghan Ecclestone is a newly-appointed Business Librarian at York University ’s Bronfman Business Library. You can con- tact her via her website, at www.meghanecclestone.com Results There was little change between students career choices before and after the summer. When asked if their summer ex- periences affected their career choices, stu- dents has a range of responses: Academic libraries and public libraries are doing well: Students wanting to enter these fields are gaining positions in these types of libraries, although the nature of their work is generally not as challenging or meaning- ful as they would like. Government libraries and special li- braries needs to do better: Students inter- ested in government work are not finding their way there. However it is encouraging that there was generally very little change among stu- dents’ preferences before and after their summer work experiences implying a high degree of satisfaction in their choice of field. Rates of job satisfaction were quite high: 80% of students were satisfied, or very satisfied with their summer work experiences. Though many students reported hourly wages over $20 per hour, a significant minority re- ported lower wages. “Yes, now I am leaning towards special libraries as a future career” “No; I knew before starting at the iSchool that I wanted to work in a special library. That has not changed.” “Yes. I no longer want to work in an archive.” 0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00% 50.00% 60.00% Library - Public Library - Academic Library – Special Library - Government Archives - Government Archives - University Archives - Private Sector Records Management Information Systems Web Design Other Students' Career Preferences Before the summer Today $10-16 40% $17-20 15% $21-29 45% Hourly Rates of Pay Faculty of Information Job Fair (February 2009). 28 stu- dents commented that the Job Fair was a faculty event that they found most helpful or beneficial to their professional development.
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Transcript of PD Research - Poster
About the project We launched this survey in October of 2008 to answer two broad questions: 1. What professional activities students
had undertaken in the summer between their first and second year of their Mas-ter of Information Studies (MISt); and
2. What professional development oppor-tunities do they desire from the Fac-ulty?
Using an web-based tool, we solicited students to participate in a survey of 25 questions pertaining to their activities, their views on professional development, and their professional goals. We targeted upper-year students, in the months after the summer, to best capture their recol-lections from this time period.
Methodology The study collected both quantitative and qualitative data from Master of Informa-tion Studies students over a period of ap-proximately one month. Several remind-ers were sent to students by e-mail to en-courage them to participate. The study did not offer an incentive, but nonethe-less received 96 responses - a response rate of approximately 46%.
Conclusions In this project, we noted that a large majority of students found well paying work in fields of interests, and had high levels of job satis-faction. These promising results suggest that information organizations are doing well at matching students with their desired areas of work; nonetheless there is potential for more challenging, meaningful work for students. There is also a need from the Faculty of In-formation to compliment this work experi-ence with greater professional development opportunities during the school year. In future, research could be improved in sev-eral ways. Surveying the impressions of em-ployers could supplement students’ views. As well, a broader picture could be attained by contrasting the positions of new gradu-ates with mid-program summer positions. Finally, the survey construction could benefit from more focused questions.
The Future of the Profession: Student Professional Development at the iSchool
Bruce Harpham is a recent graduate of the MISt program at the University of To-
ronto’s Faculty of Information. You can contact him via his website,
www.bruceharpham.ca
Meghan Ecclestone is a newly-appointed Business Librarian at York University ’s
Bronfman Business Library. You can con-tact her via her website, at
www.meghanecclestone.com
Results
There was little change between students career choices before and after the summer. When asked if their summer ex-periences affected their career choices, stu-dents has a range of responses:
Academic libraries and public libraries are doing well: Students wanting to enter these fields are gaining positions in these types of libraries, although the nature of their work is generally not as challenging or meaning-ful as they would like.
Government libraries and special li-braries needs to do better: Students inter-ested in government work are not finding their way there.
However it is encouraging that there was generally very little change among stu-dents’ preferences before and after their summer work experiences implying a high degree of satisfaction in their choice of field.
Rates of job satisfaction were quite high: 80% of students were satisfied, or very satisfied with their summer work experiences.
Though many students reported hourly wages over $20 per hour, a significant minority re-ported lower wages.
“Yes, now I am leaning towards special
libraries as a future career”
“No; I knew before starting at the iSchool that I
wanted to work in a special library. That has not
changed.”
“Yes. I no longer want to work in an archive.”
0.00%
10.00%
20.00%
30.00%
40.00%
50.00%
60.00%
Library - Public Library -Academic
Library –Special
Library -Government
Archives -Government
Archives -University
Archives -Private Sector
Records Management
Information Systems
Web Design Other
Students' Career Preferences
Before the summer
Today
$10-1640%
$17-2015%
$21-2945%
Hourly Rates of Pay
Faculty of Information Job Fair (February 2009). 28 stu-
dents commented that the Job Fair was a faculty
event that they found most helpful or beneficial to
their professional development.
