Too much learning

 There is a big online genealogy conference happening in Australia this week and I am not in attendance.

Over the past months I've had many opportunities to participate in online educational activities via Zoom and other mediums, I am still wading through the sessions from the recent RootstechConnect. That's a lot of learning! Another issue is that I am missing my genimates and hanging out for a face to face event so I have applied my geneafunds to attend History in Paradise, a face to face event on Norfolk Island in August.

My main problem is that I need time to apply some of the learning I have done during Covid times so, while many of my genimates are learning new tricks, I have been been playing catchup.

Recently my desktop genealogy software, Family Historian, had an update so I after downloading the update I have been working on my database while evaluating and updating some of my records. A catalyst for this was the presentation I gave at the SAG last weekend extolling the virtues of  the program. 

Several genimates, including Nicole Dyer at RootstechConnect, have been speaking in glowing terms about Airtable so I decided to investigate that tool. I spent considerable time creating quite a large base (database) with Airtable and was quite pleased with the result. When I returned to the program the next day I had a warning that my base was too big and that I would need to upgrade to a paid account.   

The problem was that I had too many records in my base. One is allowed to have many bases but each base is limited in the number of records it can hold. I removed some eggs from my basket and created an extra couple of bases to hold the sheets I had removed from the initial base so today I am within the limits for a free membership.

I want to play around a bit more before I decide to embrace this program. I like having the ability to link records in different sheets but as my bases grow (the first one is still close to the limit) I will need a paid account which will allow 5,000 records in each base. Another issue I am mulling over is that Airtable bases cannot be accessed offline. While I am usually online on both my phone and laptop will there be times like when on a longhaul flight, that I will want access. 

Next on my homework list is investigating the stories on The Colonial Frontier Massacres, Australia Map and Database.

Not just three days - A whole year of online learning

I had a crazy three days during the RootstechConnect online event.

As a Rootstech Ambassador I had a commitment to discuss and comment on the event via my social media platforms so, as I didn't have time to blog, I was busily communicating with genies all over the world via my GeniAus Twitter.

As an administrator of the Australians at RootstechConnect Facebook Group I was kept on my toes  communicating and responding to questions from members of that group most of whom had never experienced a Rootstech event. Having the event online conquered the "Tyranny of distance" that hampers the educational development of many my genimates downunder. 

I took the opportunity to set up a Chat Group on the RootstechConnect website for Aussies at RootstechConnect so I spent quite a bit of time responding to comments in that forum. I found that most of our Aussies used our Facebook group to communicate as it offered the ability to have nested posts and to more easily respond to an individual. I found the embedded chat most useful for asynchronous communication with speakers at the event.

Due to family commitments, I didn't have time to watch all the keynotes live but I was able to return and watch the remainder later in the week. I managed to watch around thirty presentations during the course of the event but that is just the tip of the iceberg.

A year's worth of learning

When I am away from home at a face to face event I can be selfish and distance myself from living family but when I am at home I put living family first. It was hard balancing the needs of family with the temptations of RootstechConnect. Perhaps next year I will hole up away from home in a resort where I can totally commit myself to Rootstech.

Since the online event I have popped into the Rootstech website on several occasions to catch up on many of the sessions in my playlist. The ability to stop and start the recordings of the sessions and to apply the learning concurrently on our own devices makes for a really valuable learning experience that is practically impossible in a face to face lecture. I found this especially useful for the sessions like these from Dave Annal, Richard K Miller and Alexis Rossi.

What I really love about RootstechConnect is that it is not just a virtual conference but it is an online library of learning experiences that we can access on demand when we either have a particular need to learn or refresh our knowledge on a subject or when we just have a spare hour to absorb new knowledge.

As ambassadors we are encouraged to write a post at the conclusion of the event. This caused me great concern because RootstechConnect is not over, the year of learning from RootstechConnect is only just beginning. I see my role as Ambassador continuing until Rootstech 2022 comes along.

From a Sandwich to a Self-Service Snack Bar

 In the wee hours when I should have been sleeping I was reflecting on Rootstech and the analogy I drew in a post last year. Here is what I said:

A Scrumptious Sandwich

When reflecting on my week at Rootstech I though of a sandwich, a scrumptious sandwich full of delicious ingredients. 

Image - Pexels 

The bready outer layers of my sandwich represent unofficial pre and post Rootstech activities that have become traditions for my genimates and me. The filling has been the amazing Rootstech Conference and associated events hosted by Familysearch and vendors.

Of course as with all generously filled sandwiches I found some of the ingredients more appealing than others.  Rootstech provides so much variety so that each attendee can customise his or her own sandwich. Some sandwiches were packed with a smorgasbord of ingredients while some were more manageable but from what I could see each attendee enjoyed his or her custom made Rootstech sandwich.

My Road to RootstechConnect

Fellow Official Bloggers - Rootstech 2011 - The Beginning of my Rootstech journey

My journey to RootstechConnect has taken 11 years so far. I have been an Ambassador for each of the previous Rootstech events and I have attended 9 out of the 11 face to face events in person. I'm very excited about the prospect of attending Rootstech from home and avoiding the long journey to Salt Lake City or London but I will miss seeing the friends I have made in the Rootstech family during that time.. 

I am delighted that I will be able to gain entry to all of the sessions at this online event as there will be no restriction on class sizes as there are at the face to face events. I will also be able to avoid the brain overload that I suffer  at each conference as I will be able to access the learning activities on demand over the next 12 months until RootstechConnect 2022.

In years gone by I would have written many blog posts in the days and months leading up to the Rootstech conference but times have changed and I don't blog as often as I once did. In the past week many other bloggers have written excellent guides about the activities at the event. I don't need to reinvent the wheel. 

These bloggers have written some informative posts: Sue at https://kindredpast.com/2021/02/17/ready-set-go-rootstech-connect-2021/, Fran at https://travelgenee.com/tag/rootstechconnect/ are just two of those.

One of the responsibilities of a Rootstech Ambassador is to spread the word about the event. In 2011 when I was first an official blogger/ambassador the folk at Rootstech wanted us share to via blog posts (we were called Official Bloggers then) but times have moved on and the people at Rootstech recognised that there were more avenues available for sharing information about their event so we became Ambassadors who used multiple platforms.

I'm still spreading the word about Rootstech but through those different avenues. I have been sharing and retweeting on Twitter and my Facebook page and  other Facebook groups to which I belong. At the grassroots level I have bombarded the members of our local and other societies with information about Rootstech.

Unfortunately my GeniAus page has been taken down by Facebook as they must deem it to be an Australian news site!!! I don't know whether to be flattered because  my page has value as a news source or to be annoyed because Facebook has taken down a page where a little old volunteer grandmother shares information about family history with her genimates.

With two other Australians who are passionate about the RootstechConnect conference and I have administered for the past five months a Facebook page Australians at RootstechConnect where those who have registered for the event can meet other attendees, chat, ask questions, and share information about the event. I hosted a zoom session last night for members of this group where I shared information I had learned from the ambassadors briefing and we had an opportunity to meet up prior to the event.

Tonight I will be hosting another zoom session for the members of the Society of Australian Genealogists where I will once again share information and answer questions about the RootstechConnect which kicks off on Thursday Australian time.

During the three days that RootstechConnect has a live programme I will be sharing via Twitter as I just won't have time to blog. You can follow me on Twitter with my handle @geniaus, the official hashtag for tweeting about RootstechConnect is #rootstechconnect.

I may not blog again until after the event so I wish you all an inspiring and exhilarating learning experience at  RootstechConnect. 

Savour a Bountiful Buffet at RootstechConnect

 The Rootstech Team and their colleagues at Familysearch have created a sensational selection of  learning experiences for those of us who are attending RootstechConnect in just under two weeks time. 

Click on this image to register

Yesterday these links to the program were published on the Rootstech site. Further information will be available on each session when the event website goes live late next week. Follow these links to see the virtual feast that will be served at the event and prepare you menu for the Greatest Geneashow on Earth:

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/.../Main-Stage...

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/.../RootsTech-Connect...

So many choices!

As an Ambassador for RootstechConnect  I just received a document that lists all the presentations at RootstechConnect later this month. This closely typed .pdf file runs to 18 pages!

I have already shared this document in several Facebook Groups where I am a member and will continue to explore ways to share it with more Groups in Australia.

A snip from Page 1 of the RootstechConnect program

As all of these presentations will be available from the event website (yet to go live) for the next year I will be able to pace my learning and tune into presentations when I have a particular need. I am not going to punish myself by sitting at my screen for 24 hours per day for the three days of the event.

Of course I will tune in to hear some of the keynote sessions live and I will avail myself of the opportunities the website will allow for connecting via live chats with fellow attendees and presenters.

The beauty of registering for this event is that you do not have to attend and view at times prescribed by the hosts. You will be able to access the presentations at times that suit you. So if you are otherwise engaged between the 25-27 of February register for this event and take advantage of this free online learning opportunity from Familysearch.

If you haven't yet registered yet - Just do it and join around 250,000 family historians from around the world at the Greatest Geneashow on Earth

Tell the World at #RootstechConnect

 Let's use this opportunity to tell the world about our Australian culture and share our stories from downunder.  YOU can submit your stories to RootstechConnect.  It's a great way to share a story or highlight someone or something in your life that's made you who you are today. 

Read all about it here:  https://www.rootstech.org/get-involved?lang=eng