Meet the Dropout

When I embark on a project I usually stick with it but today you're looking at a Dropout. 

I expressed my disappointment with the University of Tasmania's Introduction to Family History Course last week when I compared it with a similar offering from the University of Strathclyde. 

I am enjoying the Strathclyde course but I was totally frustrated with the course from Tasmania for a number of reasons. It was interesting, at a family history group meeting, last week that when I discussed the course with two other students they shared my concerns. I had committed to continuing with the Tasmanian course but then yesterday I realised I had quite a few things on my plate and rather than battle on my purposes would be better served by working on other things and concentrating on the Strathclyde course.

This morning I withdrew from the course at The University of Tasmania. 

A contributing factor to my withdrawal was finding, on a list of recommended reading, one of Barry J Ewell's works. I'm concerned that due diligence may not have been observed in selecting this text for the course. Surely the bona fides of a recommended author must be investigated before placing a work on a reading list. I find it most disappointing that a tertiary institution that has a commitment to high standards of ethics would use a text from someone whose reputation is in doubt.

From Module 2 Conducting Your Research

In addition one of the video lectures in the course refers to The Five steps for conducting your research developed by Mr Ewell from his book "15 Lessons, Tips, and Tricks for Discovering Your Family History" published in 2012.

From Video Lecture: Module 2 Conducting Your Research

These steps, that the lecturer told us Mr Elwell (sic) developed, look very much like the Research Process on the Familysearch Wiki, https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Research_Process.

1. Identify what you know.
2. Decide what you want to learn.
3. Select records to search.
4. Obtain and search the records.
5. Evaluate and Use the information. 

Last week I raised the issue of Mr Ewell with the course co-ordinator who is investigating the matter.

Online Learning

I'm a student again!  

1989

I don't do things by halves I have taken the opportunity to enrol in two free online introductory courses in family history.

When I was at the Society of Australian Genealogists a few weeks ago and told two of my genimates who have already undertaken the University of Tasmania Intrroduction to Family History course they giggled and told me that I would be frustrated by the course. They weren't wrong. How frustrating it was to spend the first 2 weeks of this course on administrivia and learning to use the online messaging and learning system. MYLO the system that delivers their online learning is clunky. Locating replies to one's messages in the system requires determination and lots of digging. It is not at all intuitive.

Like a trooper I have stuck with the course and have now completed Weeks 1-3 and about 50% of the requirements for week 4. What concerns me mostly is that the course is based on a very traditional 20th century version of genealogy research. So far no mention has been made of the value of using one of the many excellent computer software programs that are available to family historians to record the data they research. Some of the resources that have been suggested would not be at the top of my list. I am concerned that the online multiple guess questions asked in the quizzes are very simple and do not really measure learning.

This afternoon I logged in to the University of Strathclyde Researching your Family Tree course which commenced today. What a difference! The interface is clean and intuitive and learners don't need to devote two whole weeks to learning to navigate the interface. Sure I pressed the wrong key a couple of times but it was easy to find my way back to the beginning and continue with my work.

1995

The course coordinators have introduced themselves, the learning outcomes have been explained, some definitions shared and we have already started learning. This is in contrast to the course from Tasmania. The materials in the Strathclyde course are organised so that one does not have to jump back and forwards to find course materials.

Of course I may change my mind as I progress through the Tasmanian course but for the moment my money is on the course from the University of Strathclyde.

Yes , those giggling genies were right.