FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 3, 2005
Press Contacts
202-653-4632
Eileen Maxwell, emaxwell@imls.gov
Mamie Bittner, mbittner@imls.gov
IMLS Announces Cooperative Agreement with Indiana University for Online Course: Course will train library and museum professionals to master and
apply outcomes based evaluation concepts
Washington, DC— Mary Chute, Deputy Director for Library Services for the Institute of Museum and
Library Services (IMLS) awarded $883,171 to Indiana University (IU) to develop an instructor-mediated course in outcomes based evaluation
for library and museum professionals. IU will match the award with an additional $93,834.
“If the aim of the manager in the public sector is to produce public value and to demonstrate that value, then the
key to building strong museum and library programs enmeshed in their communities is outcomes-oriented planning and evaluation," remarked
Ms. Chute. The course will apply authentic, multi-media examples and engaging, reality-based simulations that call for role-playing and
response to emerging problems. Research about the online course will be disseminated through publications and conference presentations
as well as through a website.
During the three year project, the online course will be evaluated for usability and learning outcomes – specifically
assessing participants’ mastery of outcomes based evaluation concepts, their skill in applying those concepts, and their implementation
of outcomes based evaluation in their professional practice. In addition, opinion leaders in the field will give input through focus groups
at national conventions such as American Association of Museums, the American Library Association, and the Visitor Studies Association.
For more information about the online course, contact the IU project director, Dr. Elizabeth Kryder-Reid at ekryderr@iupui.edu ;
317-274-1406.
Fourteen institutions competed for IMLS’ request for proposals to develop, pilot, deploy, and evaluate a packaged
instructor-mediated online course to train library and museum personnel to plan and evaluate outcomes-based projects. |
