From Evaluation to Research [Outcomes Lab]

I came across this article, Evaluation, Research, and Communities of Practice: Program Evaluation in Museums, and thought it was really interesting. The author, Lynda Kelly, asks the reader to think deeply about the differences between evaluation and research, and I began to wonder whether one supports visitor outcomes more than the other. Join me on Monday, June 8, to spend some time together reading the article, weighing the pros and cons of evaluation vs. research, and considering whether a community of practice can help us answer the question posed by Lynda: “… what difference did it make that your museum was there?” We’ll read together for 20 minutes, then discuss: what resonates with you, which evaluation and/or research methods you’re currently using or would like to learn more about, and whether something like a community of practice could work at your museum.  — Amanda  About Outcomes Lab Outcomes Lab is for MaP participants who have completed our Outcomes Assessment and are working through what their results mean for practice — how to act on the data, where to focus, and what to try next. We meet periodically to explore the ideas and research behind outcomes work in museums — each session stands on its own. If you’re interested in joining, use the link above to request membership. Sessions are recorded for note-taking purposes, but recordings are not shared.