Applying What We Learn

Do you find that the number of opportunities to learn about genealogy and how to do it are increasing year by year?

I am sure if you read this blog then the answer will be yes.

If you use the internet and a computer for your genealogy there are an ever increasing number of ways that you can watch , listen or read about better or different ways of recording your research.

I like to join Hangouts on Air, watch webinars or other recordings, listen to podcasts and read blogs. In fact I am beginning to wonder if I actually find time to do any research.

Family Tree University run courses  http://www.familytreeuniversity.com/ 
(I participated in one last year having won a free registration), as does Pharos  http://www.pharostutors.com/ 
both of which are online, and you can book online for courses at 
The Institute for Heraldic and Genealogical Studies  http://www.ihgs.ac.uk/index.html who do day courses and a correspondence course. 
One of the new genealogy education courses is the Hack Genealogy Boot Camp http://hackgenealogy.com/bootcamp/  I signed up for the second event on 25th January 2014 and copies of the recording are available (for a charge) on the website if you want to catch up, to find out more go to http://hackgenealogy.com/genealogy-groove-boot-camp-25-january-2014/.

With all these courses available when do I find time to do my research??

In fact I have done very little research away from home the last 2 years, although I have previously accumulated a range of documents, and more of what I would have had to go to the archives for in the past is gradually being made available as digital images online. 

I also took a look at my organization and decided that before I attempted any further research I would get what I had in order. To this end, and with the knowledge obtained from the various genealogical education experiences there has not come a point yet where I feel happy to spend on a research trip away from home.

If there is one thing I have learnt it is to get the best out of any research trip one needs to plan. This should also apply to any online research, though I am sure it is something many of us forget to do (especially when we see those shaky green leaves at Ancestry).

How many times have you done a search with a negative result. 
Did you record what you searched for? 
You may need to repeat that search again at a later date would you remember what you had done?

We can all learn from courses but do not forget that we need to learn from our own mistakes. None of us starts out an expert but the wise among us learn from our experiences and the shared experiences of others to improve our skills and our methods.

I do hope my comments give you food for thought to maybe think can I improve what I am doing, what goals do I need to set myself and how am I to achieve them, but don't forget to look back to consider did I set the right goals or should I change them, am I too ambitious or should I expect more of myself.

The key to effective learning is to give yourself time for REFLECTION.