My colleague Ruth has kindly offered to share her experience of distance learning. She is currently studying for the Masters in Library and Information Studies. This course is available through Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen. While the university is in Scotland you can complete the course through distance learning. Full details available from their website. Please enjoy details of Ruth’s experience below.
Are you prepared to take a leap into the unknown? (Photo: andrée et playmobil 003 – MorgueFile)
I began an MSc in Information and Library Studies with Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen in September 2013. This is a part-time distance learning course with all study done online through the University’s virtual learning environment, CampusMoodle.
Initially, undertaking a distance learning course was daunting as I had never studied online before. However, the structured nature of the course has made this process easier to adapt to. Lectures are posted online weekly and students are encouraged to complete coursework and to chat on forums as regularly as possible.
How to juggle work, life and study was also something I had to consider strongly before signing up for this MSc. The support I have received from the Library has been extremely helpful in this regard. Moreover, studying by distance learning gives me the flexibility to study in my own time and from wherever suits me best. That does mean, however, that most of my evening/weekends are now devoted to learning about cataloguing and classification!
With one year of the MSc nearly complete I have so far found the experience challenging but enjoyable and interesting. I would encourage anyone who wants to develop their career while continuing to work to strongly consider distance learning.
Library Staff Development 