Interested in taking a genealogy class? This will require you to set aside a certain amount of time to take the class. It also usually means that you will need to spend some money. What if you don’t happen to have a lot of either of those resources right now? Try an online class from FamilySearch. They are free!
Online classes have a few advantages. If they are free, then you are spared the hardship of finding a way to fit the cost of the class into your budget. A class that takes place inside of a physical classroom requires you to adjust your schedule around the time that the class is held. Online classes, however, make your home into a virtual classroom. You can usually take them whenever you have the time to do so, even if that time is in the wee hours of the morning.
FamilySearch is an extremely popular genealogy website. It is run, maintained, and updated by members of the Mormon Church (or the Church of Latter Day Saints). FamilySearch is free for all genealogists to use, no matter what their religious beliefs happen to be.
They have an online learning center that offers several genealogy classes. Some new ones have been added since the last time I wrote a blog about their classes. Here are a few that you can take right now!
“GeneTech: YDNA Solutions to Common Genealogical Problems” includes a video that is 32 minutes long. There is a PDF of course materials. This class is presented by Nathan W. Murphy, and is for beginners. The class was created on February 21, 2012. The class focuses on how information stored in the Y chromosome can help genealogists determine whether or not they share a common ancestor with someone else.
Decendancy Research Series: Lesson 3 includes a video that is 21 minutes long. There is a handout for this class that is in the form of a PDF. This class is presented by Tim Bingaman. It is the third in a series of three, and is for genealogists of intermediate skill level. This class is listed as a new class on the FamilySearch website, but it was created in 2009. The class helps genealogists to find living descendants to to compile all that they have learned.
Principle Sources for British Research – Pre 1837 has a video and slides that are 30 minutes long. This course is presented by Christine Reid. It was created in November of 2011, and is for genealogists of intermediate skill level. This course shows you how to use the Church of England parish registers and Bishop’s Transcripts to find ancestors in England and Wales.
Product Demo: Indexing Quick Start is a video that is about six minutes long. It is for beginning level genealogists. It teaches you how to start indexing records with FamilySearch indexing.
Image by Ben Babcock on Flickr