Late Posting

Steve Rockwood, Familysearch CEO 

I have a very good excuse for delaying my post this month. I was totally immersed in the madness that is Rootstech, the greatest family history show on earth. Rather than skipping the post I am playing catchup and writing it now I am back in Australia. I will backdate so it appears in its correct spot in our blog archive. 

Why do I travel for hours across the Pacific to attend this event?

I previously wrote that I wanted to be Challenged, Educated, Entertained, Informed and Inspired. Rootstech with its broad program can deliver on all of these needs.

• I like to renew old friendships and meet online pals in the flesh, a solitary life in the geneacave can be lonely sometimes. 
• As an Official Ambassador for the event I like to attend in person and be a voice for Australia. I like to be on hand to help newbie Australians negotiate Salt Lake City and Rootstech. 
• I enjoy the opportunities given to Ambassadors to interview celebrities and attendees. I love being able to ask my own questions. 
• I was honoured to have a presentation proposal accepted and I was not going to miss out on sharing my thoughts with the attendees. I think I was the only Australian on the program and I like to see our nation represented. 
• I appreciate the opportunity to have research time at The Family History Library. 

Some Rootstech Ambassadors

When I arrived home my husband asked "Did you learn anything?" I said "not a lot if you are talking of learning as acquiring skills". I said that I had been educated and enriched by the experience.

Did Rootstech Deliver?
I was challenged, as I listened to others' opinions in my presentation where I moderated a panel discussion "Ethical Dilemmas in an Online World".

Panelists from Four Nations

I didn't really find any of the presentations I attended,with the exception of Josh Taylor's, particularly challenging, Perhaps there needs to be more discussion of issues on the Rootstech program.

I was educated about DNA in the several sessions I attended on that topic. Outside of the formal program I learnt a lot about the Mormon faith through Ambassador visits to the new Provo Temple and The Church History Library. I did acquire some skills in an excellent presentation on Audacity given by Andrew Lee. I didn't go to many "How to"sessions as I like to learn by myself through trial and error.

With Sharn White (Australia) and Audrey Collins (UK)

I was entertained in several of the keynote sessions. There was the humour of AJ Jacobs, the passion of David Isay and the determination of Paula Williams Madison. There were many opportunities to be entertained at the formal and informal social events the occur around the time of Rootstech. I seemed to have a different party, reception and/or dinner every evening for nine days.

I didn't have to go to any sessions to be informed. A walk around the Expo Hall with over 300 exhibitors provided many opportunities to hear about products and services both old and new. I try to avoid formal sessions that are infomercials by company representatives. I prefer to visit the booths and ask my own questions.

I was inspired by Steve Rockwood, David Isay and Paula Williams Madison (Google them). Much inspiration came from hanging out with my genimates, ordinary people like you and me who have a passion for discovering their ancestors and their stories. Their enthusiasm is contagious and will carry me through until I return to Rootstech in 2017.

The icing on the cake for me is meeting up with people I have known online for several years. This year I finally met Tony Proctor from Ireland, True Lewis from the US, Jana Last from California and Geoff Mulholland (an Aussie) from Germany.

With Geoff Mulholland

With True Lewis 

My genealogy education plan for 2016

Happy New Year, everybody!

My year is off to a great start, as I will be flying to Salt Lake City the day after tomorrow to attend the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy next week. What a wonderful way to start the year! It will be my first genealogy institute. If you're there too, please come and introduce yourself.

I will be participating in the Advanced Evidence Practicum, where a different genealogist will throw a case at us every day, which we will attempt to solve. The next day, we will discuss and compare our methods and outcomes, and learn how the original researcher solved the problem. The practicum is unlike any type of education I can get in Europe, so I'm really looking forward to it.

Unfortunately, educational opportunities in the Netherlands are limited. Most genealogical lectures and workshops are aimed at the beginner or intermediate level. There are online courses from overseas institutes like Boston University in the US or the University of Strathclyde, but they are intensive, expensive and are not specialized in the Netherlands, where I do most of my research. Still, good methodology is pretty universal, so that would be a good choice, but I can't afford to spend that much time and money while building my business.

So I'm relying mostly on self-study. I attend webinars, read lots of books and have several dozens of subscriptions to journals and magazines. I don't limit myself to pure genealogical literature but am also a member of several historical societies which have nice journals that explain the local circumstances.

View of New Amsterdam (now: New York City), by Johannes Vingboons, about 1674

This year, I will focus on learning more about New Netherland research, researching Dutch immigrants who settled in North America in the 17th century with a focus of finding their place of origin and parents in Dutch records. I love doing these projects; the puzzles are so interesting! Unlike British Colonial lines, often there hasn't been much original research done in records in the country of origin, so there are great opportunities for discoveries. For the dozen or so New Netherland projects I did for clients so far, I managed to find the immigrant ancestor in Dutch records in each case. It's wonderful to see how the skills that I built doing other types of projects translate so well to New Netherland projects.

My intention is to learn more about New Netherland research by:

• Reading the books about New Netherland and the Dutch West India Company in my own library. I purchased several books over the couple of years that I haven't read cover-to-cover yet. Mostly, I've just searched the index for specific names. 
• Listening to all the "New Netherland Praatjes" podcast by the New Netherland institute. 
• Reading the old issues of "New Netherland Connections," a magazine that existed between 1996 and 2010. These are available online at the American Ancestors website, which I can access as a member of the NEHGS. 
• Reading case studies involving New Netherland families in the New York Genealogical & Biographical Record.
• Doing more New Netherland projects for clients. 
• Creating my own research guide for New Netherland research. I think systematically going through all the sources will help me with my own understanding, and might help others too. 

How do you educate yourself? Any plans to visit institutes?

What part must we play in our genealogy education?

Are we shifting responsibility?
Genealogists cannot rely on a librarian, archivist or courthouse clerk to bring them up to speed on things like:

• the historical basis for the development of a record group
• advice about other record groups that may also prove beneficial

Quite frankly, a librarian, archivist or courthouse clerk is responsible to provide access to specific record groups. They are not paid to think though our genealogical quandaries. There are other people waiting in line for help with file retrieval. 

We become "newbies" all over again, when it comes to changes in an ancestor's residence, occupation or religious affiliation.

Encountering unknown terms in a legal document or an unfamiliar cause of death leave questions to be answered.

IMAGE: Myrtle Eliza Weiser at the time
of her engagement circa 1917. SLC, Utah.
From the author's private collection.

Clearly, genealogists have a need for additional education specific to research at hand.

It may take personal sacrifice.

Ancestral metaphor: My paternal grandmother, the real Myrtle in our family, decided she wanted to be a nurse, and as such she matriculated at St. Marks Hospital Nursing School in Salt Lake City, Utah. Her family wasn't wealthy, since her father was often led away for years at a time by interests in such things as a travelling circus. Myrtle's mother had many mouths to feed. Despite the problems, the sacrifice was made and tuition paid. Grandmother studied hard, passed her tests and practicums and served as a nurse through much of her adult life.

Two Options
Family historians have two options when it comes to accurately compiling their pedigree charts:

• hiring a professional genealogist as a mentor or as a researcher
• educating oneself about relevant record groups and research methodologies

Educating oneself
Assuming we are committed to active learning, note-taking and follow-through, let's consider two types of learning experiences:

Participant-led curriculum, meaning you choose which classes to take and in what order.

• A plethora of short subject tutorials are provided by such services as www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com, FamilySearch, Ancestry, The National Archives Podcast Series, and Cousin Russ' Family Tree Maker videos, to name a few employing a variety of delivery formats. You might check out the calendar at www.GeneaWebinars.com for more ideas.
• Earlier this month, Pauleen Cass posted To conference or not to conference in this WWG blog, where among other considerations, she points out expenses associated with conference attendance. And we know how my Grandmother Myrtle felt about spending money for things considered important.

Instructor-led curriculum, meaning the course coordinator designs the series of multiple class sessions with homework, group projects and practicums, leading to a certificate of completion.

• Week long, live-in advanced genealogy course studies include the well-regarded Institute for Genealogical and Historical Research, Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy and Genealogical Research Institute of Pennsylvania.
• ProGenStudy Groups involve 18 months of dedicated mentoring, in online format, following the 18 chapters in Professional Genealogy: A Manual for Researchers, Writers, Editors, Lecturers and Librarians edited by Elizabeth Shown Mills.  

For further reading

• Sue Adams provides a thoughtful post titled Time for Formal Genealogy Education? and includes a listing of in-person  courses, online courses, institutes, and undergraduate programs.
• Genealogical Proof Standard from the Board for Certification of Genealogists includes brief descriptions of elements of the GPS with notations about how adhering to each element contributes to the credibility of our compiled genealogies.
• National Genealogical Society Standards and Guidelines includes standards for sound research, the use of technology, sharing with others as well as guidelines for using repositories and libraries, publishing web pages and suggestions for self-improvements and growth.

Call to Action
Let genealogists commit to overcoming inexperience by selecting appropriate educational opportunities to improve comprehension of relevant extant record groups and hone research methodology skills.

Can Understanding the Research Process Help with Cost and Time Management?

Like many in the genealogy and family history community I have been researching for a number of years. 

I started out when Internet access was by expensive dial up and all that I used it for was email. This was when, those who could, signed up to mailing lists, in the hope of finding someone, who could help find the records needed.

Today I regularly participate in recorded videos or watch live or prerecorded broadcasts. Many of these are educational for both the participants and viewers. One I am currently helping with is Beginning Genealogy Study Group (2015): hosted as a Google+ Hangout on Air by Dear MYRTYLE.

Social media has transformed the way, that information can be shared and for anyone starting to research there is a wealth of resources available, much of it free, if you are just starting out and have not seen any of the aforementioned videos they are well worth watching.

Whilst many may happily give their time and knowledge freely there is always a hidden cost to the availability of information. Nothing in life is free.
It costs to be able to access the Internet for equipment and connection. It also costs in time. 

So we must always consider the balance, as the more time spent on a computer or other devices, is less time spent interacting with our families.

Websites are not always free but a subscription to the main sites will often pay dividends and is much cheaper than costly research trips.

As has been mentioned on here previously many in the genealogy community have decided to do a Genealogy Do Over this year as suggested and supported by Thomas MacEntee in his facebook group and on his website (last week saw the start of cycle 2). The challenge of correcting bad practices and starting over or reviewing how you carry out your research now there are so many online distractions is one that we should all consider doing. Learning from others has never been easier. When we started the Beginning Genealogy Study group we were looking at the Research Process  involving 5 steps. This led me to create a Google Sheet on the Principles of  Family History Research.

This spreadsheet is going to be one of the things I use to direct my research process and I will link it to other resources that I will be using as I build my genealogy toolbox. Please feel free to use it if you think it will help you at present the links are to be found on the Family Search website.

Having a system set up should ultimately save time as I will have a more directed research process. The technology available to assist in this process will be discussed on my Mastering Genealogy Software Blog as I work through the process over these coming months.

As I mentioned above there are educational resources on the internet and this can be entertaining as well, tips on where to research or how to research can be well worth it in both time and monetary terms. Even if you do not work in the same way as others you may find ways of using their suggestions to assist your research process. I was never a fan of mind mapping tools, I would give them a try but then find I never used them as I found them "clunky" or "time consuming" with little reward. However a website called Coggle.it was mentioned on a hangout and when I tried it I found it much more intuitive than others and am now intending to use it as one of the tools in my Genealogy Do Over.

 

Time for Formal Genealogy Education?

Once bitten by the genealogy bug many people want to enhance their knowledge and skills.  Education comes in many forms, including guide books, webinars, podcasts, magazines, lectures, workshops, conferences, fairs, and informal and formal courses.  For those who want recognition of their achievement, academic credit or are preparing for a career in genealogical research, how do you compare educational opportunities?

I will restrict the comparison to a selection of current offerings in the UK and USA.  Education systems differ between countries, but I am going to assume that postgraduate courses are more advanced and intensive than undergraduate courses.  Academic awards of degree, diploma and certificate qualifications require an extended duration of study of a range of topics.  Component parts of academic qualifications are also offered as stand-alone courses or modules.  Courses with academic credit involve assessment of the knowledge and research skills gained.

It is harder to compare courses without academic credit.  Recognition of participation may be given in the form of an informal certificate.  Course descriptions such as beginners, intermediate and advanced give an indication of the level of study, but may not have been benchmarked against academic standards.  Typically non-credit courses are of short duration.  Continuing professional development (CPD) is a recognised method updating and acquiring skills in many professions.  Non-credit courses can be part of CPD.

The total number of hours of study can be compared between credit and non-credit courses.

Academic Qualifications

Two UK universities offer postgraduate programs culminating in Masters degrees.  The University of Strathclyde program in Genealogical, Palaeographic and Heraldic Studies progresses through the postgraduate certificate and diploma and MSc.  The University of Dundee program in Family and Local History also progresses through postgraduate certificate and diploma to MLitt.  Each of the phases are rated at 600 hours of study, so a Masters degree totals 1800 hours.

Though not a university, the Institute of Heraldic and Genealogical Studies (IHGS) offers a Certificate, Higher Certificate, Diploma, and Licentiateship in Genealogy.  The Higher Certificate is at a similar level to the Strathclyde University Postgraduate Certificate, indicated by the two institution's reciprocal entrance requirements.

In the UK, there are no undergraduate (bachelor level) degrees in genealogy.  In contrast, in the USA there is an undergraduate degree, but no postgraduate qualifications in genealogy.  Brigham Young University offers Bachelor degrees with a major or minor in Genealogy-Family History, and an undergraduate Certificate.  By my calculation, the major equates to 1833-3080 hours of study, a little less than the 3600 hours of a typical UK Bachelors degree.  The minor equates to 792-960 hours and the certificate to 600-720 hours.  The degree hours include some non-genealogical courses required to meet the university's broader education remit.

Courses without Academic Credit

Universities are not the only institutions offering genealogical education, and some universities offer  courses without academic credit.

In the USA, 5 day residential institutes, Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR), Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP), and Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG) offer mostly intermediate and advanced courses in methodology and specialist topics that equate to 40-50 hours of study.  The Virtual Institute of Genealogical Research offers shorter 2 day courses.  The residential institute format is well regarded, so this year it crosses the pond with the University of Strathclyde's introduction of the Summer Institute of Genealogical Studies (SIGS).  It is aimed at professional genealogists and intermediate to advanced level hobby level genealogists.

Family History Skills & Strategies, presented by Pharos tutors and the Society of Genealogists, may be taken with assessments earning the student a certificate, which is not currently recognised by other institutions. It is comprised of 10 courses, rated at UK  'A’ level or first-year undergraduate level, that total 168-210 study hours.

Non-academic credit courses include the Certificate in Genealogy and Family History from the University of Washington, which represents 90 hours of study, and  the Certificate in Genealogical Research from Boston University, which I estimate represents 75 hours of study.

What education do you expect a professional genealogist to have?

What level of genealogy education do you, as a member of the public, expect a professional genealogist to have attained?  Where would you draw the line in this list:

• Masters degree 
• Postgraduate diploma
• Postgraduate certificate
• Bachelors degree
• Non-credit certificate
• no formal courses, but researched own family

Would you hire people with different levels of expertise for simple and complex work?

Is there a minimum number of study hours needed before a person can be considered a competent genealogist?

Doing genealogy for money is unregulated, so anyone can set up a genealogical research  business.  The debate about what makes a professional genealogist is ongoing and at times heated, but few would deny that genealogical education is a significant component.  Following a symposium, The Future of Professional Genealogy? last August, a Register of Qualified Genealogists has been proposed.  Input on public expectations and preferences will help make the register more useful for those seeking professional help.  So, please contribute your answers to the questions above.