iWonder
The ETS has renamed its ICT exam to iSkills to make it sound more relevant and hip. At least they didn’t call it iSkillz.
I’m guessing people got tired of explaining the acronym – or correcting people when they assumed the C stood for computer.
But in the rush to be cool, I wonder: Should UDub rename its LIS program iSchool? Should we drape giant white earbuds over our libraries to make them appear more plugged in?
iDoubt it.
Posted: April 19, 2007 by Barbara Fister
in Information Literacy, Just Thinking.
Comments
Comment from Kate
Posted: April 19, 2007 at 6:09 pm
Perhaps I’m too literal, but isn’t the rush to be cool the current meme? iSchool is what UDub’s LIS is known as, and funky names are ubiquitous in library marketing.
Comment from Barbara Fister
Posted: April 19, 2007 at 7:14 pm
You’re right – I’d heard it called “I-School” as a shortened version of Information School, but didn’t realize they spelled it Apple-style. It’s right there, on their Website.
Looks as if they started calling themselves iSchool in 2001, the same year the iPod launched. Now if UDub did it first, maybe they can lay prior claim to it and make some money. Or get free shuffles for their students, or something.
Comment from steven bell
Posted: April 19, 2007 at 8:08 pm
The LIS program at Drexel U now calls itself the iSchool – see:
the iSchool at Drexel
Pingback from iDunno « @ the library
Posted: April 27, 2007 at 3:02 pm
[...] http://acrlblog.org/2007/04/19/iwonder/Â [...]
Comment from Cristobal Pasadas
Posted: April 28, 2007 at 7:33 pm
What does the ‘i’ stands for?. If it stands for ‘information’, then it is OK!. The old name was misleading, to say the least. There is a problem, however, with the ‘skills’ part of the new name. The ‘skills’ vs. ‘competences’ struggle should by now be over, shouldn’t it?
Comment from moonflowerdragon
Posted: April 19, 2007 at 2:18 pm
iLaughed out loud. Naturally my son wanted to know why. Do you know reading that post out loud just doesn’t convey the humour?
iThank you