Issue 13

The benefits (for me):

• being current in my professional reading in education, teacher librarianship and librarianship;
• gaining a sense of achievement;
• having empathy with all students;
• improving my time management skills;
• having a current recognised qualification;
• being able to study when I wanted to, by using a distance education course.

The problems (not insurmountable):

• the vagaries of the postal system -Australia Post and the University;
• writing essays in academic language;
• bibliographic style;
• different markers' expectations;
• time management;
• wanting to give up when everything looked very black;
• waiting for results.

The logistics (to be organised ahead of time):

• make your Masters your priority for the duration of the course;
• plan your study by the semester to keep on target;
• have a set time each day when you study - morning, afternoon, evening, late night;
• have an understanding, independent partner who will forgive your "stress";
• have supportive library staff and an understanding Principal;
• have a study buddy, who is also a friend -or at least someone who has studies at post-graduate level;
• have a study area which no-one else touches -not even the cleaner;
• buy a computer and learn to use it well -it will also be your friend;
• let some aspects of your life go: learn to say no and mean it;
• keep your sense of humour;
• talk to your lecturers on the phone regularly. You will be lucky to see them more than once every twelve months unless you organise to meet them at a conference.

The outcomes:

• I finished my dissertation and it was accepted;
• I have learnt to think more critically and write in an academic manner;
• my time management s kills have improved;
• I learnt to say 'no' when it was necessary;
• My pay did not increase but my self-esteem did.

My recommendations:

If you want to study at a higher level, then do it -but expect it to take over your life. Stick with your decision and communicate regularly with your lecturers and the administration.

My future:

A PhD or possibly a complete change of direction in either career or study!