Student comments forMS103: Basics of Museum Registration
“I enjoyed many of the courses offered by NSCC and really learned a lot. … The course was very well taught and provided valuable information. Peggy was an inspirational person!”
“I liked the exercise in which we chose the different pieces that we would have in the museum. That was difficult because I didn't always know how to justify something I wanted or didn't want... I even asked my family at the table and we all talked about what we would and wouldn't keep! I would definitely take another course."
This course was a great crash course... I look forward to doing more in the future... The instructor was very helpful and available.
"The course was designed so that those with little time can learn a lot in a short time. It provided useful information in a real work context."
“I enjoyed many of the courses offered by NSCC and really learned a lot. … The course was very well taught and provided valuable information. Peggy was an inspiring person to learn so much!
Student comments forMS104: An Introduction to Collection Preservation:
"An online course like this is very convenient for people who cannot attend classes in another city."
“I really didn't know what to expect because I had never taken an online course before, nor any kind of collection/conservation course. I definitely learned a lot; I now understand the general goals and practices of collection conservation. 🇧🇷
“I especially enjoyed seeing the images on the PowerPoint slides. They can really contribute to the understanding of a topic.”
"I really enjoyed the excellent course material. It really helped me understand a lot more about my job."
“I have been a billing manager for 10 years. I don't have training in museum techniques... I thought this course would consolidate everything I've learned. I thought I wouldn't learn anything new, but I did. Great course. I recommend it to everyone who is starting in the museum area."
"My experience with the MS104 online course was exceptional, 10 out of 10!... Thank you! Thank you for such a challenging and quality workshop!"
"I'M THE ONE WHO SHOULD THANK YOU! EURECA!
"It might have been an online course, but I feel like I have a textbook. And one written by many different sources, where two heads are better than one.”
Student comments forMS106 Exhibition Basics: Installation Ideas:
“The lectures were written in a clear and understandable way and the readings (Lord & Lord, Serrell) were surprisingly easy to read! The powerpoints provided a great summary for each section... I thoroughly enjoyed the course and gained some valuable (and somewhat sobering) insights. 🇧🇷
"Great teacher, great technology, great colleagues/other students! Enjoyable read. Very useful for now and in the future. Great read. Great text. A++ and THANK YOU!!!"
“I liked that the content was presented in different ways. I read the lectures, looked at the powerpoint slides and completed the reading. I learned more with each presentation of the materials I found.”
"The content could be tailored to a project we're working on... Instead of spending time planning and working on a never-ending exhibition at my facility, I could focus on a dream (a big dream) of a ." focus on the exhibition and actually apply what I learned to something I'll use in my museum. The technology was pretty easy to use. Didn't need help with the tech, but support seemed readily available."
"I enjoyed hearing about plans, experiences and challenges from professionals at other museums and getting their feedback - it was nice to have a 'virtual community' of people working on similar things."
“The readings/assignments got me thinking about my exposure in a way I hadn't. I realized that there were more things to consider than I thought. I will be looking forward to future courses offered by the NSCC. I feel like I really got my money's worth."
Student comments forMS107: Introduction to Museum Security
"Quality information and resources, discussions and reflections."
"I liked not having to sit in a classroom, the depth of some of the materials offered, and the ability to work on assignments when I had time to work."
"I really enjoyed the extra reading. As we know, a general internet search can take a while to locate some of this material. The lecture material was also a great review for someone like me who has been safe for a while."
“I think this course is on the right track and should be presented to as many security professionals as possible. It would be a great tool to get museum security staff to think outside the box while inside. It is important to ensure that our countries' treasures are well protected. So the better informed we are, the better we can work to make this a reality."
"I liked the variety of 'voices' in the materials; I particularly appreciate the lists of other resources."
Student comments forMS108: Fundamentals of Museum Volunteer Programs:
"I think this course has been an excellent experience that will help me steer my volunteer program in the right direction, thank you."
“The articles were helpful. The chats were useful times to discuss ideas.”
"I really enjoyed taking the online course and planning my time afterwards. The assignments provided a good foundation to put what I learned into practice. The resources were great. And I loved the feedback from Hostetter-Outlaw" I really enjoyed being described as "Getting to the Point". I'm glad you've created a special niche for museum workers interested in learning how to do better.”
"I realized that there is more to the volunteer policy than just asking them to participate. The chat time was very helpful for the direction our policy should go. (Liked) The availability of the instructor and the immediate feedback she gave. "
"Everything I've read and done has been helpful and I just hope that at some point the 'people who don't like change' can be convinced that we need to implement some, if not all, of these practices. I enjoyed the forums and ideas for quick problem resolution ."
Student comments forMS109: Museum Management:
“The speaker was very helpful and informative. She did a great job. The variety of topics within the course was well chosen.
"The textbook selection was very good. It's easy to read and not too long. For this particular course, I found some of the extra reading more useful than PowerPoint or lectures."
"It's a very good course."
"I found it informative and felt that my knowledge of the subject had grown a lot."
"It was a great experience. I hope to take more courses in the future."
"I enjoyed learning from my classmates, being able to ask questions about topics I deal with at work, and discovering new sources of information."
"I really enjoyed the course. I was very pleased when I completed it, and look forward to further advancing my education through online courses."
“I liked that Sue provided a wide range of reading and study material for most sections, in addition to the required text and PowerPoint or lecture notes. This allowed me to select those that were most useful and meaningful to me. 🇧🇷
"I enjoyed the classes and learned new things and validated my knowledge in other things. Sue was a great teacher and kept the ball rolling. Thank you Sue and Helen."
comments from studentsMS201: Storage for Infinity: An Overview of Museum Storage Principles:
"My first online course. I intend to do more."
"I'm really glad you offered this course. I found it very helpful."
“The most valuable part of the course will be the reference book that I will put along with all the lectures, forums, assignments, extra readings, etc. There was an incredible amount of information in this course... Much more accessible with no travel expenses or 'wasted' time."
"The layout of the site made perfect sense to me. The process was easy to follow and it was nice to see what was happening/posting."
"You seem very approachable and knowledgeable, Helen. It was a good opportunity to meet new colleagues and network.”
"They couldn't have made a better decision to offer a course that fits exactly with the topics our institution is currently covering. Lots of detailed information and lots of practical help that will really come in handy in everyday life."
"This was my first online course and I believe it was a huge success thanks to the organization you provided. I didn't know what to expect but you two certainly have a high standard of excellence in your online course suite."
Student comments forMS202: Museum storage and furniture:
"The content was perfect for what I was looking for. Although my attendance is minimal, the materials and information are here, there are links and lots of starting points that guide you in the areas that interest me most and I can interact with it as time permits."
"I liked the course content, the online nature of the course, the online chat and being able to work at your own pace. I also liked the upload feature and the ability to re-upload for a period of time after uploading . rate my online experience a 10"
“I like that the material is accessible, and I like being able to anticipate or review the materials without having to go to two or three places (book at home, papers on the table, lectures in a desk file). I like the daily special."
"I appreciated how complete the information was in the lectures and I liked the slides that show 'real life' images."
“The lectures were the highlight of the course – it was great exchanging ideas with colleagues and an experienced conservator like Helen. I felt like my specific questions were answered.”
"I really appreciated having all the extra reading and references. I really feel like I can use it a lot in the future. The chats were really helpful in answering some questions."
comments from studentsMS204: Storage and Display Materials:
“The PowerPoint slides were really helpful; I need to visually see what the material looks like and how it's being used. Being able to play the samples was also a plus.”
"A good grade because you obviously know the material well and the lectures and readings were very informative."
"I liked the format of the lectures, the additional reading lists provided, and the teacher feedback."
Student comments forMS205/6 Disaster Plan Research and Writing:
"This course was a great motivation for me to work on the Disaster Preparedness Plan."
"The course exceeded my expectations... I look forward to developing a plan that protects the collections. I really enjoyed the course and look forward to taking more courses in the future.”
"Terri was good at asking small questions about procedures I had overlooked or not considered, and this led me to explore new avenues."
“To write the Disaster Preparedness and Response Plan, you need to allocate a lot of time, and this course pushed me to do that, so I completed most of the plan. Live!"
“A great motivation to take me to work on the Disaster Preparedness and Response Plan. I really value Terri's time, knowledge and flexibility.”
Student comments forMS207 Cataloging your collection:
"I would give it a 10 out of 10."
"I liked the convenience, I liked the chats, I liked the reading material, I liked the participation of people from all over the country."
"The technology made sense... It was scary at first, but really quite simple."
Student comments forMS208: Applying numbers to collection items:
“Overall, I learned more than I expected. My colleagues and I want to have the flyers in a folder now and in the future.”
"I loved the hands-on assignments. I loved Helen's feedback. And I loved the live chat sessions."
"The organization of the course was excellent - the readings were well structured and well placed in the larger context of the course...I was pleased that we had homework assignments where we were expected to apply some of the concepts we were reading about."
"I liked the ability to take classes without having to leave my office or leave town."
“I learned so much about numbering museum pieces that I didn't know. I had already searched the internet and found some things, but nothing similar to what we covered in the course.”
Student comments forMS209: Billing Management Policies:
“The online chat gave the class a personal touch. Bill's comments were very helpful. The required reading was of good length and complemented the section overview and power point presentations. The class was extremely flexible in terms of date and time.”
"Bill's reading was very helpful, even more so than the textbook. The PowerPoint slides provided a good overview of the section."
“I enjoyed reading it and applied what I read to writing city policy. The course helped to write policies in a logical and practical way, which will ultimately help achieve the overall goal – to develop policies for our institution.”
"Bill did a great job and I really enjoyed the chat times and checking his comments."
"Bill's reading material, slideshows and feedback were all excellent."
"Bill's assignment reviews were thorough and detailed."
"Bill's lecture notes provided a good summary of the topics covered in each section. I found them very helpful when writing my cmp."
"I've learned a lot about cmps and I'm confident I have the tools to get my cmp in good shape."
Student comments forMS210 Integrated pest management for museums, libraries and archives:
I would give it 10 out of 10 points.
I was able to create plans for my institution and actually put them into action.
This course was exceptional and overall I am pleased I took this course. The content and materials provided were very valuable research tools and training manuals. Thank you very much!
Student comments forMS211: Preservation Environments:
Mr. Conrad did an excellent job... the course information helped me professionally, particularly in describing the effects of relative humidity on objects, artifacts and paper.
I loved the lectures along with the powerpoint slides.
This course helped me understand a little more about psychometric and maximal environment UR without condensation diagrams. I already had a psychometric sheet, but I rarely used it because nobody had taught me how to use it. I was also very interested in hearing about digital surveillance systems. This course exceeded my expectations.
The instructor was very knowledgeable, approachable (with probably pretty stupid questions), and answered questions directly.
Student comments forMS212: Textilpflege:
The course was great and worth it. I liked how the materials were connected; the lectures were short but objective, the powerpoint slides showed pictures of the lectures.
It more than met my expectations. I never thought that so much had to do with textiles. Wow, so much information! Thank you for all of your time and effort in providing services to the Northern States Conservation Center. Your courses, materials, website, publications, etc are great and a real help. I appreciate everything that comes with it.
I enjoyed the weekly chats. I found them very helpful. I also liked that the course was designed as a good refresher course. Last but not least, I liked the fact that all colleagues can post comments/suggestions in the forum for all to see. I enjoyed the classes and conversations. Ann was very helpful in answering any questions she asked during these chats. Thank you very much!
Good course and highly recommended.
Student comments forMS213: Museum artifacts: how they were made and how they deteriorate:
All materials created and selected were very informative and flowed together. I like the PowerPoint slides. For me it's like a note summarizing the talk. After the course, I always go back and re-read different sections. They are excellent reference materials.
Classmates from all over the world made it interesting for our assignments.
Always take advantage of teacher involvement for professional suggestions and advice.
The manual and downloadable materials were excellent. The course content was very extensive. Online access to CV was very good and clearly listed. The chats were great and the calls/invitations to join were much appreciated.
I really enjoyed the readings because I knew they were handpicked by the instructor and therefore the most accurate and relevant materials for the course.
Interacting with other participants, sharing their experiences and knowledge was an eye opener. As we have different collections, different problems and areas of expertise, we can definitely learn from each other.
Student comments forMS215: Care of Archaeological Artifacts:
I would rate my experience a 10.
Three things I really liked about the course were the reading options, the instructor's availability and willingness to answer questions and provide additional information, and access to sources of information I was not aware of.
What I liked most about the materials provided was that the lectures gave a good overview of the subject before we got into the more specific and complex readings - it really helped me to put all the individual reading assignments in context.
This course definitely met my expectations - I'm really happy with it. Diana Komejan was a wonderful and very helpful teacher. I would recommend her course to anyone. I found out about the course through my manager, who has taken several of them.
I liked the bulk of the materials more. The information we receive is valuable not only for what was asked of us in the short term, but also for the resources we keep on our own office shelves for future reference. I found the powerpoints helpful as they included examples with photographs. Diagrams illustrating packaging techniques were also helpful.
The website was well written and easy to use.
I was told that the teaching at the NSCC was good and required a lot of reading. It lived up to its reputation.
Student comments forMS217: Museum Cleaning Basics:
The course content and lectures were very informative, the lecturers were very helpful and pleasant, and the assignments, particularly the practice tests and cleanup, brought the lectures to life as we practiced what we were learning.
I liked the examples that followed the explanations. It helped to visualize what was being discussed.
A very informative course...the speakers were very knowledgeable and made the powerpoint presentations a pleasure. I'll give you an "A"!
I liked the fact that the classes were very well organized. We wasted no time while the instructor figured out what to do next.
I appreciated that the museum's high standards were held for cleanliness (this is very important) but that the docent (Gretchen Anderson) was not judgmental of those who failed to implement all facets. I know we can implement most, but not all, at my institution. This is certainly the case for museums smaller than my institution. I believe that every museum worker wants the best for museum artifacts, but sometimes institutional resources prevent full implementation. Still, people should know museum best practices and strive to adhere to them as much as possible.
Student comments forMS218: Collection Holdings:
I liked: a. Tasks were fun b. Chats were informative c. Lots of emails with good suggestions - seemed to be more emails than the other classes - I think a good mix of people and museums. I have enjoyed all the online courses and hope to take another one next year. Peggy, your emails were helpful - I think people sent more emails this time around than the other courses. I liked that. I liked the diversity of the museums represented.
Exceptionally. All of the courses I took at NSCC were invaluable to me and the work I do in my museum. If my count is correct, this is my tenth online class - all from the NSCC. Peggy, I think you did a good job.
I took several courses in graduate school that had online components or were online only. I preferred the simpler layout offered at the Northern States Conservation Center to the ones I had in graduate school.
Absolutely a 10. I really enjoyed the classes and got to know Peggy and all my classmates through forums and discussions.
It represented the difference between an inventory project and a cataloging project, I think it will help our institution to narrow our current project to the greatest need.
There was just enough reading material to give you the information you needed, but not too much to overwhelm. I liked the handling instructions for each type of artifact that museums can find. I plan to make it available to new interns and employees as a quick introduction or reminder.
I enjoyed the conversations. Hearing others with the same goals and challenges describe the case for inventory versus inventory/cataloging really made it clear that our institution is outgrowing our current needs and must scale back the current project.
Thank you for offering the course. Keeps.
It was good factual material, presented concisely and usefully. I printed out a lot of it for future reference.
I enjoyed the course and found it very useful. Peggy was an excellent teacher, providing encouragement and helpful tips and gracefully managing the chats.
The course material was extremely thorough and will be an excellent guide and resource as we continue to plan our inventory project. I found the forum and chat sessions very helpful, it's good to know that other institutions are experiencing the same issues. It was very thoughtful to hear how they solve their problems and try to apply their solutions to our situation. The assignments were very effective exercises in applying the concepts introduced in the course.
I really enjoyed the class chats. After the first one, I felt like I had made great connections with the others in the class even though we had never met.
It actually exceeded my expectations. I've had so many issues with inventory here that I just hoped it would work. But I feel like I now have a game plan. I have a logical set of steps that work even for a collection so far behind mine. It was such a relief to know that this can be done in one lifetime.
Student comments forMS303: Found in collection:
It deals with situations I encounter in my work. He showed me where to look to answer questions about the legal aspects of FIC properties. It made me aware of the weakness of the current abandoned property laws in my state (and apparently most others)... I found the lectures and readings very helpful.
I liked being able to work through the materials at my own pace. The speaker's feedback was very helpful. My favorite part of the course was the online chats. These were very engaging and a great way to discuss issues and find solutions to the challenges our collections pose.
I found the course very helpful and the technology worked really well for me. The presentations were very helpful in providing an overview and well summarizing the most important points. I found the reading particularly helpful in gaining different perspectives on issues. It was interesting to see the policies and procedures of other institutions.
Thank you for making this course possible. Lin, our teacher, was very helpful and insightful. She asked very good questions that helped me to carefully consider all the steps to deal with old loans, FICs and abandoned properties. While I make some changes to our policies and procedures, the course has validated that many of the policies and procedures we have are very good. I certainly feel empowered to engage with these objects now! I think the chats were extremely helpful in resolving the issues and gave me some much needed reassurance that I'm not the only one dealing with this.
I liked: a) how much content was covered; b) how the information presented can be broadly applied to a variety of museums (ie government museums, not-for-profit museums, and yes, privately owned); c) the ease of interacting as a group even though we are on the other side of the country.
He did a lot of things that we didn't do as a museum...