Progen Study Group -- Month 1

Today, I met with 11 other professional and aspiring professional genealogists in my Progen course.  This class is 18 months long with about 6-10 hours of homework a month and one online meeting a month. To learn more about the program, you can check out the site: http://progenstudy.org/.  The great thing about the course is that it's free, with the exception of the text book (see picture) and a $30 fee for access to the Progen database, which holds messages, files, assignments, and the chat room. 

The book we are studying and discussing is Professional Genealogy: a Manual for Researchers, Writers, Editors, Lecturers, and Librarians, edited by Elizabeth Shown Mills.  The chapters we read for this month were:

•Chapter 1 – Defining Professionalism by Donn Devine, J.D., CG, CGI
•Chapter 5 – Ethical Standards by Neil D. Thompson, LL.B., Ph.D., CG, FASG

We also had two assignments to complete, which will undergo peer review.  In other words, I have to review the assignments of the others, and they review mine. This month I have to write a mission statement and a genealogy resume.  I have completed these assignments, although they aren't due until the end of the month. I found writing both of these very useful for defining my focus area and experience, and I can see more clearly what I need to work on, too.

I will continue to post on this course monthly.  Thanks for tuning in!