A lot of people are upset and worried that the graduate school is changing the “culminating experience.”
Doesn’t that sound like that should be a ride at Disneyland?… A small group of students enter a darkened room surrounded by imposing animatronic figures of Melvin Dewey and Ranganathan. A booming voice in overdramatic stereo announces “WELCOME! to the SLIS CULMINATING EXPERIENCE! Sit back! Immerse yourself in the final adventure of library school!” The only problem is everyone is standing and there are no chairs. Some sit down. Some pretend they are sitting back while asking everyone next to them if they are doing it right without realizing they are missing the show and the point. This is the end, the last ride before the park closes.
We have three options: write a thesis, a culminating project similar to a thesis, or option three, a culminating experience. In the past, it used to be that you would research and write two papers that were no more than 20 pages based on questions presented by faculty.
Now, with new competencies in place for Graduate Students in Library and Information Science, the school has chosen to add a component that more realistically reflects the competencies by having students submit a portfolio of work. I can’t think of a better way to present ourselves and prepare ourselves for the real world where our accomplishments mean more than our ability to answer two questions. This is something that we can take with us and tie back to the disciplines, ethics, and expectations of our profession.