Education Entrepreneurs:(I mean Information Professionals) Bringing Technology and the Liberal Arts Together

I just read this article by Jeff Silingo about Education Entrepreneurs, and the question came to me, "Aren't libraries the perfect places to bring technical skills and the liberal arts together? Librarians do that now, right? 

The idea of education-based businesses doing away with traditional schools makes my stomach drop.  I see the need for change in education, but the severe focus of an education based solely on technical (or other) skills leaves such a whole in students' intellectual development. And yet, is the debate more about credentialing practices or about curriculum content?  The focus seems to vacillate between the two.

Jeff Silingo, the author of the article, quotes Josh Jarrett of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation “If we break up certification into packages, badges, and classes, who is going to verify the entire package?” This does seem to be a slippery slope.  How can education truly be measured--how can graduates be found to employ if no one can guarantee through comprehensive testing, discussion and practice that skills have been learned?  Writing and communication must be attached to technology--and too often it is not. The focus is too much on the doing of something, and not enough on the analysis of it.  Students are in danger of becoming automatons with no ability to think critically or problem-solve.

I quote Silingo, because I could not communicate the point better myself:

The issue I have with Smarterer’s model, and many other [education startup] companies that pitched here, is that it is based on educating and hiring largely technical workers with specific skills. It’s relatively easy to provide online courses in computer coding, and then assess that learning through crowdsourced tests. It’s much more difficult to do that for intuitive disciplines, like English, or softer skill sets, like critical thinking and communication.

 And, yet, even the forces behind these very companies admit the need for a more well-rounded education.  In fact, what is needed is an even more well-rounded education than is available now.  What is needed is a degree that brings together the searching investigation that thrives in the academic realm and the practical skills that are needed in the professional, career-oriented world.

I ask you, does not library and information science do that already?

We are here--SEE us!

It's National Library Legislative Day! Tell your Legislators How Important Libraries are to You.

This is the short letter I penned to my federal and state legislators for National Library Legislative day.  Will you join your own letter with mine?

Gentlemen:
As I am sure you are aware today is National Library Legislative Day.  Libraries are important for so many reasons.  They help students and community members of every age and socioeconomic status to stay on the progressive side of the digital divide.  Public libraries educate those who have difficulty paying for education, or help students who are taking online classes and may be nowhere near their official campus.  Libraries often become the hearts of their communities.  They are not just places for a quiet reading corner or storytime for youngsters in the middle of the day.  Often they become the creative voice of that community, and a forum for it's members to become educated about important issues.  They are information centers and teach us how to evaluate, write and learn information, whether they be public, academic or another type of library.  They open our world and let us come in contact with new places, experiences and possibilities.  They help us understand things we thought were beyond our comprehension (in my case, statistics) and bring delight and joy to the community with things like game nights, reading challenges, mystery nights and language and technology classes.  Library doors are open to everyone.  I've seen my library become a central employment center, where patrons can fill out job applications online and get help with studying for certification exams--or simply with composing that very important resume and cover letter.  At library summer reading programs, kids can keep up with the literacy progress they made the year before.  As a reading program volunteer, this is very important to me, as Utah's literacy rate seems to be dropping.  At libraries it is possible to learn skills that will prepare one for a lifetime of learning in this technology driven world.  Sometimes, rural public libraries are the only access available for education beyond the secondary level.  Libraries are "America's great equalizer, providing everyone with the same access to information and opportunities for success."  What could be more supportive of American values than that?





Sincerely,

Laura Faatz