Family History Training: A Different Approach by Bob Taylor, CEO

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Guest Blogger Bob Tylor, CEO, The Family History Guide


"In a previous blog (Family History Training: A Different Approach), I explained how The Family History Guide takes the heavy lifting out of course preparation by providing a central place to find training content. In this blog, I’ll review how the Course Catalog for The Family History Guide helps you find ready-made topics and materials to teach. 

In the Training menu of The Family History Guide, you’ll find the Course Catalog as the third option in the drop-down.  The Introduction section explains that you can use the content in The Family History Guide to teach full-length classes (about 60 minutes each), mini-classes (15-30 minutes each), or even create your own custom class by combining different classes or mini-classes, according to your needs.

Full-length Classes

Here’s how to prepare to teach a full-length class, using the Course Catalog:

1. Scroll down through the Course Catalog page to see a class that you’d like to teach. The classes are arranged according to Projects in The Family History Guide, with titles in bold.
2. Read the entries for “Goals in this class” beneath the class title.
3. Study each of the listed Goals in The Family History Guide.
4. Decide on which articles or videos to discuss or examine in the class, and read any available Instructor Tips.
5. Read the Exercises for the Goals to see which you want to implement.

That’s pretty much it – no slide decks or fancy handouts to prepare, just digging into the content and enjoying it!

Mini-Classes

Preparation for the Mini-Classes works the same way: study the Goals and be prepared for the articles, videos, and exercises you want to use. Mini-classes are also great for individual coaching or small-group training: you can easily adapt the content to the needs of the learner.

Custom Classes and Series

You can mix and match mini-classes to create a custom full-length class. For example, you could create a custom class called “Documenting with FamilySearch” by combining Goal 8: Sourcing with Goal 10: Notes and Discussions, in Project 1: Family Tree. Or, “Central American Research” could combine Goals from any of the Country pages that fit that area.

Coming Soon … Partner Classes

Next up for the Course Catalog: we will be adding classes based on the new Partner pages: Ancestry, MyHeritage, and Findmypast. This will add many possibilities for full-length, mini and custom classes.