Continuing Education: ProGen Study Group

Last month I started the ProGen 24 study group.  ProGen is one of those items on my list of courses, seminars and other things I thought I should try and complete for my ongoing genealogical education.  So far I am enjoying it immensely.

Of course many people are looking at me like I have grown 3 heads.  It is an 18 month commitment which sounds daunting and a bit terrifying.  I am in ProGen 24 which started last month and goes until April 2016. There is never really a perfect time to jump into a commitment like that since no one knows what the future holds for them.  You just have to jump in, hold on, and do your best.  To me this was as good of a time as any and I honestly think I can make it work.

I do best in small group learning sessions which is why I wanted to give this study group a try.  When I was in the BU program we read sections of Professional Genealogy but not the whole thing.  Over the last year I have looked at the book time and again on my shelf and said “I really need to finish that.”  It’s been a great reference guide though and I use it frequently when I need a template (even if it needs to be updated in some places).

Having interaction with a small group is great.  We come from varied backgrounds and have a wide range of skill sets. This makes the discussions thought provoking and the views varied.  Most importantly, even though we are chatting through the computer, I get that small group interaction which helps me retain and process information better.

To learn more about the ProGen study groups visit their website at http://progenstudy.org/.