FAQs
This page provides answers to the following FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions):
- How much will it cost to take the course?
- Who can benefit from using the course?
- How does the course work?
- In what forms is the course being delivered?
- Why are Shaping Outcomes sessions different lengths?
- Does the course offer Continuing Education Credits?
- Who is eligible to participate?
- How much time does Shaping Outcomes take?
- What are my responsibilities during the course?
- When are course materials available?
- How do I register for the course?
- Are scholarships available?
How much will it cost to take the course?
The cost of the online course, offered by Indiana University School of Library and Information Science, Indianapolis, is $150 per participant. One person can lead a team at his/her home institution; the instructor will communicate directly with the lead participant.
Who can benefit from using the course?
Anyone who wants to learn about Outcomes-Based Evaluation in library and museum services—including practitioners and students as well as other interested parties. Participants learn this skill and then can implement it.
Some may want to implement OBPE at their institution:
- In planning, grant-writing and as standard operating procedure. Learning the vocabulary (for example, by skimming the instructional material) doesn’t automatically translate into practice. The course is “instructor-mediated” so that users learn by applying the lessons to realistic problems, getting feedback from the instructor and revising.
- A good choice is to participate in teams. Since OBPE affects implementation throughout a program, best practice calls for several people from the same institution can take the course at the same time, preferably when starting a real program. (The course fee is applied to each person who communicates with the instructor. A team "back home" can work through the course with the course participant.)
This course is not suitable for those looking for an in-depth introduction to research methods and evaluation. (However, the Resources refer users to suitable sources for that information.)
How does the course work?
The course consists of:
- a website with online instructional material,
- assignments made and responded to by an instructor, and
- collaboration and communication through a course management site (moodle, which is similar to Blackboard in 2006 and Sakai through Oncourse CL, part of the Sakai project).
Course participants interact with the instructional material, communicate with the instructor, and work with fellow students online.
The instructional material:
- Is web-delivered in five modules: Overview, Plan, Build, Evaluate, Report.
- Contains supplementary material, accessible from each screen, including Orientation (how to use the software), Resources (Bibliography, Acknowledgments, Credits), Glossary (words in the course materials), Model (a graphic representation of a logic model for a program) and Cases (samples of real or fictionalized cases).
- Includes one track for Library participants, another for Museum participants, with suitable examples and exercises
- Provides Coach segments for those needing more guidance and Dig Deeper segments for those wanting more information. On selected screens.
- Self-Assessment: Each module contains a Check Your Understanding screen where users can try out their understanding with a suitable simulation (Information Commons at Whitney Library or MAPS exhibit at the Children’s Museum).
- Project work: on each module, participants will apply the concepts to their own projects.
- Instructor feedback: For each module the instructor chooses appropriate Apply Your Understanding activities. The software comes provided with a simulated activity and work on a real-life project for the modules.
In what forms is the course being delivered?
- An online, instructor-mediated course, ranging from three to six weeks in length. Check our schedule of course sessions for details.
- An online, independent-study course of up to four weeks in length.
- It can also be offered as an intensive, half-day workshop in a computer lab.
Why are Shaping Outcomes sessions different lengths?
There are two reasons that the different Shaping Outcome sessions range from 3 to 6 weeks. First, we have avoided major holidays and tried to work with most library and museum schedules. Second, each length has its own advantages and disadvantages. Shaping Outcomes could be done in an intensive 2-day in-person experience. It has been done in as little as 10 days, all online. Shorter sessions encourage students to concentrate and remain engaged. Longer sessions have the advantage of allowing students to work around their own schedules, and are particularly valuable for those working on actual projects that require additional planning besides the evaluation components that Shaping Outcomes emphasizes.
Whatever you choose, an important key is to budget and plan for your own time and attention.
Does the course offer Continuing Education Credits?
The course qualifies as a "continuing education" course in various states and locales. Check our list of places Shaping Outcomes is certified in. If your location is not listed, consult with your supervisor, or local certifying authority.
Who is eligible to participate?
Eligibility requirements vary by course. Please check with the Project Director for details.
For online versions offered by IU, participants need
- some experience OR education,
- a workable technology set-up,
- and a project idea.
How much time does Shaping Outcomes take?
It takes most people about 45 minutes to an hour to read each module. Then participants work on their own logic models (project evaluation designs), communicate with other course participants on the "moodle" site, and get feedback from their instructor. For these activities you should budget at least another hour. It's difficult to be exact because it will vary with your familiarity with online learning.
Keep in mind two things: a) if you are working on this with a team at your institution, you'll need to budget extra time, particularly if you are doing a full, real, project proposal. b) if you are unfamiliar with online courses, spend a little extra time at the beginning familiarizing yourself (contact us at outcomes@iupui.edu for assistance if you need it).
For continuing education certification, "contact hours" are conservatively estimated at 10 hours.
What are my responsibilities during the course?
Participants work with online materials as determined by the course structure and the instructor. Typically, this will entail one module of the course course, plus accompanying assignments, each week. To maximize the course experience and benefits, participants should have a project or program idea of their own they would like to implement through their work with the incorporated Shaping Outcomes logic model.
When are course materials available?
The Shaping Outcomes course modules are always available by clicking on "Course" via the top navigation bar. Once you have registered for a particular class, your instructor will make additional materials available to you.
How do I register for the course?
For information about registering for upcoming Shaping Outcomes courses,
check our Courses and Registration page, or contact:
Dr. Rachel Applegate, Project Director
outcomes@iupui.edu
755 W. Michigan St., UL 3135E
Indianapolis, IN 46202
Voice: 317-278-2385
Fax: (317) 278-1807 (Call first)
Are scholarships available?
The Institute for Library and Museum Services (IMLS) is funding 30% of spaces (up to 90 per year) for participants in the online courses. Shaping Outcomes assists the library and museum fields. Individuals gain skills that help their institutions meet audience needs. No individual financial information is required to qualify for a scholarship; assistance is based on two things:
- the parent institution, and
- the individual’s commitment as reflected in a project proposal.
People interested in this option should email Shaping Outcomes staff asking questions or describing how they meet the criteria. Documentation will be requested, depending on the specific situation.
