RootsTech Conference

Thursday, May 29, 2014

RootsTech, by the numbers

This is taken from RootsTech website, word for word, all credit to them.

RootsTech 2014 by the Numbers

  • Over 9,000 registered attendees from 49 U.S. states, 6 Canadian provinces, and 31 countries.
  • Estimated 15,0000+ views of live-streaming sessions on RootsTech.org.
  • 100+ bloggers from Australia, Canada, Israel, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
  • Hosted by FamilySearch, official sponsors included: Ancestry.com, findmypast, MyHeritage, Peoplefinders, Family Storytelling, BYUTV, Backblaze, Dell, Mocavo, Pictureline, Lexmark, Rootspoint, FGS, NGS, APG, NEHGS.
  • Over 135 exhibitors and vendors with booths and displays in the Expo Hall.
  • Nearly 4,000 youth ages 12–18 attended classes and activities at Family Discovery Day for Youth at RootsTech 2014.
  • 93 percent of 2014 attendees said they would recommend attending RootsTech to a friend or colleague.
  • 91 percent of attendees were very satisfied or satisfied with the value of the information given at RootsTech.
  • 80 percent of 2014 attendees plan on attending RootsTech 2015.

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

RootsTech is getting ready for 2015!

RootsTech is getting ready for RootsTech 2015. Their website has been updated! (www.rootstech.org or you can just search RootsTech) It is great! They are also going to accept presentations soon. In five days! Only five! The website says when it is, and soon we can sign up! (It's going to be more like August, kind of soon). And the candy bar was not quite as cool as I wanted it to be. I'm going to perfect it this summer and make many wrappers. Well, my little sibling want me to do "school" with them now, gotta go,  time for  our genealogy object lesson.:)

Monday, May 26, 2014

The candy bar

I decided my CTE teacher thinks I'm crazy. We made buttons and I put ancestors on them. We made candy bars and mine is family search related, Dennis Brimhall is on the front with info about him on the inside. I put a pedigree and I'm pretty excited for the finished product. I will post a picture when I'm done. I want to make some for Ancestry, My Heritage, find my past and all the rest off those. I might make one for roots tech, in fact.....

Saturday, May 24, 2014

Webinar

It has been a crazy week! I had to get stitches because I fell of my bike (okay, crashed it) and split open my chin. I still finished the triathlon though. I don't know if anyone saw the family history consultant broadcast 2 days ago, but it was pretty awesome. I loved the way they did their PowerPoint! The information was great to. I'll summarize the syllabus for you:

How do we spark interest and build enthusiasm for family history?
That is a really great question, I know many people who could do it but don't. They're just not excited.

Start with stories:
"Share an inspiring story about one of your ancestors. Ask others to share stories about their ancestors."
A great activity I just thought of, would be to have every one find a story about an ancestor and share it around a campfire.

Use the booklet:
Help others, particularly new members, complete the booklet My family: stories that bring us together.
Another idea I thought of, would be to give the primary children the booklet. My little brother loves it. He'll draw pictures of them and color it.

Transfer to tree:
Help others transfer information from the booklet to family tree and prepare family ordinance request forms.
Getting 11 year old involved in family names, would be a great way. I think for a personal progress I will see if I can teach the 11 year old activity girls how to find names.

Go to FamilySearch.org/MyFamily to:
  • Order a booklet
  • Transfer information form your booklet to Family Tree
  • Learn how to use the Help others feature
  • Use the help others feature to transfer information from someone else's booklet to Family Tree

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

My sorry attempt at a poem




My feelings

Sometimes I feel sad or blue, but soon I remember, those great
ancestors who carried on much better than you, they were better
than me, they went through more,
and then, I think that I can handle it more.

But soon after that I start to break down and 
have to take another look at their hardships.
It carries me on if I feel them near, I know that they 
were a teenager to. 

Take Ruby Nielson for instance, she did much more
her struggles abounded compared to mine. She had to pay for
a room close to her high school. There was no bus for her.
her whole family got sick, including her. Someone
had to take care of all them. 

She couldn't go to college as she and her folks were
to poor. She got a job and Fonnsbeck's Kniting Factory
She finally could go, yet she still had to work while doing her homework
mine must not be that bad. The Great Depression ran its
course picking up Ruby on the way. They were poor and had bad
hours for working on that railroad.

On October 1931 they had to care for a youngin' to! 
she had no peaceful nights. In 1932 they had to say goodbye
to their mother to. Their father, well he was gone in 10 months.
They were left with little Blaine born in 1931. In 1935 they had to care for Milo to.

He brought every hardship and trouble to. He was sick 
and often disrupted everything, and soon he was fine.

The worst year by far was 1943, her husband got shot 
down by asthma that won't go a way. Multiple times everyday,
he would almost die. He would choke and choke until
the fit passed him by. 

With faithful friends who prayed for him
his heath began to improve. In November he 
got a job, but 2 weeks later got bad with a 
cold. That nasty cold turned into pleurisy pneumonia
and his pain was so much, and went on for 2 years.

Then this faithful lady, said "Lord, if you don't
want him to live, please let him die for all this 
suffering is to much" She loved this man
with all her heart, so much that she wanted
him to die if it would help.

He died in 1970, congestive heart failure is what it was
and as for dear, Ruby who I've learned so much from,
she died in 1983.

I found out just now that she was a genealogist to,
I wonder if she also turned to her ancestors,
just to survive.

After learning all about her life,
I know that I can survive. For
she did much more and was
fine.

Monday, May 19, 2014

Trying to get into presentations at Roots Tech

I was talking to my mom in the car the other day and Roots Tech came up. She said "I know there calling for presentations already!" I can't remember the details of the whole conversation but I told her I had considered trying to get a class, but had decided against the whole thing because I was 12. She said that they might let me! So last night I sent an email seeing if there was and age limit. I'm not sure yet, but I started on a power point. And who knows? I would either do a class on how to get the younger generation started, or a lab class on indexing.(I'm not sure how those lab classes work) So if you see, my class please come and join it. Well, if I do get in I'll probably write another post to get it out of my system. I also need to talk it over with my parents, see what they think if there okay with it, etc.

And if I'm not posting a whole lot, it might be because I'm working on the power point, and a ton of end of year testing. This summer will be a ton better with posting.    

The RootsTech motto

Sources:
http://dictionary.reference.com


The RootsTech motto has more meaning then you would think. Their motto is Connect your family - Past, Present, and Future!

So lets break it down:

Connect your family:
What is connecting your family?
Some would say family time, others would say making a bond.

Dictionary definition:
Connect: "to unite or bind"
Family: "all those persons considered as descendants of a common progenitor

Past:
What is the past:
The past (in my opinion) is anything not in the present moment or time, so for example, exactly .01 seconded a go would be the past.

Dictionary definition:
Past: "gone by or elapsed in time"

Present:
The present is what is currently happening.

Dictionary definition:
Present: "immediate or current"

Future:
The future is what will happen for example RootsTech will happen in 2015

Dictionary definition:
"time that is to be or come hereafter"


So if you put it together you get:

To unite or bind all those persons considered as descendants of a common progenitor - gone by or elapsed in time, immediate or current, time that is to be or come hereafter.

It is kind of weird, but the first one works, and actually sounds nice, The Past, Present, and Future parts are somewhat messed up with the dictionary definitions.

Sunday, May 18, 2014

RootsTech ravings 1

This post may happen many times within the coming months :). Sorry, I just love RootsTech, it is so inspiring! On another genealogy blog the person who was writing the post was highly disipointed with his second year at RootsTech. I have absoultly no clue about how that could happen! RootsTech is simply to awesome. I literally dreamed about it in the days and weeks leading up to RootsTech, and when I was there it literally was better than my wildest dreams! The expo hall was way better than I thought it would be. The classes, were the best and the overall feeling was great! When I signed up (early bird) I knew the exact amount of months, weeks, and days until RootsTech. I got my grandma to do it, my mom, and my dad. We all signed up. I was so excited! I knew my exact sleeping arrangements months before it was time for RootsTech! I had been packed about two weeks before RootsTech and had all the classes picked out on the same day I downloaded the app. My friends made fun of me, knowing the exact days. They said I would know the hours to! And lo and behold I did. RootsTech also totally exahsted me! That last class was hard but well worth it, my mom took notes, seeing as I could hardly stay awake. (The excitement had left me sleep deprived)  I can hardly wait for next year! 

Friday, May 16, 2014

The class

I decided I wanted to do a family history class for personal progress, I spent 5 hours on a PowerPoint for it! 5 hours, then of course our computer went down and it is missing. But it was still a spark. Our ward then decided to do a family history class. The class was awesome! Our agenda was obviously confusing, since we asked an adult family history consultant to conduct. He thought  he was just supposed to welcome everybody. My dad was busy setting up computers for the class at the moment and was really stressed. So I, having no idea what to do started trying to conduct. It was rough at the beginning, but in the end was great, and everybody who had a question got it answered. A bunch of inspired people left our house that day. I had helped someone get started, get more sources and firm up on what she was supposed to be doing. Overall it was an inspiring event, and we will most likely be doing it again. Next time I will try to remember to put the packet we gave them up on the blog.

Thursday, May 15, 2014

Beta!!!!!!!!!!!

I am so excited!  I just got the email from Family Search saying that I can Beta test their new app! I signed up at Roots Tech 2014 and they just released it. I have already sent to emails of feedback to them, mostly the tree app one, the memories one is great! I can't wait till they release it to the general public. So keep an eye out. I also signed up to Beta test the Indexing app that they are working on. Family Search has really done a great job on this app. I asked in one of my feedback emails when they will release the app to the public and they haven't answered yet, but I will keep you posted! Sorry, I haven't been posting, I have been really busy with end of year testing. Next week should be better for posting.

Sunday, May 4, 2014

RootsTech 2015 timeline

JUNE:

2- Presentation submissions open
27- Presentation submissions close

JULY:

25- Speakers notified

AUGUST:

1- Speaker due to RootsTech
15- Final speaker picture and bio are due

SEPTEMBER:

1- Speakers notified of selection to be recorded

NOVEMBER:

1- Speakers must be registered to attend RootsTech
4- Syllabi seminar
18- Presentation seminar for recorded speakers
18- Computer lab facilitation seminar

DECEMBER:

1- Class Syllabi due
15- Syllabi posted to www.rootstech.org

JANUARY:

6- Presentation seminar for non-recorded speakers

FEBUARY:

3- RootsTech logistics Seminar
11 through 14- RootsTech held in Salt Lake City Utah

Presentation 2015 requirments

RootsTech call for presentations

RootsTech is looking for dynamic speakers to present at RootsTech 2015. The purpose is to inform and educate all skill levels. Submissions open June 2-27, 2014.

What is RootsTech: RootsTech is a global family history event, it is three days and offers over 200 classes. It is always held at Salt Lake city Utah at the Salt Palace center. The last RootsTech, 2014 had 49 states and 32 countries participating. South Dakota please come!

What categories can I present in:
RootsTech needs, Beginning, intermediate, and advance classes for each subject.

Finding and Organizing: Search Tactics,
Resources, Specialized Tools, Methodologies,
Solutions, Metadata, Apps and Software
Preserving Your Work and Legacy: Family Trees,
Digital Migration, Audio and Video Solutions
Sharing: Social Media, Tools for Collaboration,
Wikis, Crowd Sourcing, Community Building, Blogs
Stories and Photos: Storytelling and Interviewing, Capturing Stories, Preserving Stories,
Enhancing Stories with Photos, Photo Restoration, Movies and Presentations, Photo Editing, Oral
Histories
Tools: Technology Introductions, Gadgets, Genetic Research, DNA, Breaking Down Barriers
General: Family History topics in general, including Geographic Research, Time-Period
Research, Inspirations, Market Trends, Research Trends, Adjacent Industries, Record Types.
(Please note that there is still an expectation in this category that technology is a part of the presented topic.)
Family Traditions and Lifestyle: Cultural Arts, Handicrafts, Food, Influential Historical Events,
Everyday Living Standards, Social Customs, Pastimes, Artifacts. (Please note that there is still an
expectation in this category that this knowledge assists the learner in family history and that technology is part of the presented topic.)

Innovators summit:
There are two categories to present in for innovators summit.

Developer (Innovator Summit): Standards and APIs, Mobile App development, Social
Applications, Record Imaging and Visualizations, Apps for Youth, Software and Tools that Enable
the Work of Family History.
Business (Innovator Summit): Funding and Investment, Startup success stories and tips,
Opportunities and Market Trends, Networking and Partnerships, Insights and Entertainment

Session Types:
All Sessions will be about an hour long including a Q&A period.

Traditional:
A class where the participants sit down and listen, it may include a poll to add interactive experience.

Lab:
A computer lab is a hands-on workshop, where subject matter or training can be accomplished on a computer and done simultaneously by each attendee. These sessions should provide an interactive experience from which attendees go home with a finished product or next
steps.

Panel:
Presenters may come together for a collaborative presentation on a particular topic or
answer questions from attendees. Presenters can be on-site, or presentations can include subject-matter experts in remote locations.

Submission process:
To submit your presentation for consideration for RootsTech 2015, please visit RootsTech.org/proposals, and
click the submission link.
You will need to do the following:
Complete a short submission profile.
Submit your presentation title.
Submit a 40–50 word abstract for your proposed presentation. Please include learning objectives
for attendees, for example: “You will learn to add a name to your family tree.”
Submit a 100–200 word description of your session (Please list any programs, software, or
specific tools that you will in your session here.)
Submit a photograph of yourself (300 dpi .jpg, .eps, or .png file).
Submit a video of yourself presenting (optional).
Summarize any previous speaking experience and topics.
After you have successfully completed the process, you will receive an email from the RootsTech Team
confirming your submission.

Evaluation:
Relevance:
Does the proposed session help attendees to discover their family stories?
Does technology play a role in the implementation of the topic discussed?
Does the topic speak to a broad audience of family history enthusiasts?
Innovation:
Are the ideas, methods, or subjects timely and relevant to attendees?
Is the subject matter fresh ?
Clarity:
Is the intent of the session clear and concise in the abstract and title?
Are the learning objectives well-defined?
Presenter:
Is the presenter knowledgeable and experienced on the topic submitted?
Is the presenter careful in the submission process to meet all requirements and willing to meet the
expectations if selected
What you can expect:
Speakers selected to present at RootsTech 2015 will receive:
One free full-conference pass.
A lunch voucher for each day of the conference.
Access to the speaker lounge.
Hotel accommodations (for out-of-state speakers presenting two or more sessions).
Because RootsTech is a nonprofit event, we do not pay speakers. We hope you will consider this conference
an investment since it is the largest live forum in the world to reach people with the insights and knowledge
you have to share.
In each classroom, RootsTech will supply:
A laptop computer.
A wired Internet connection.
A projector .
A screen.
A lavaliere microphone.
A handheld microphone.
In addition, computer labs will be equipped with a
computer station and a wired Internet connection for
each attendee in the class.
All other equipment required for your presentation
must be supplied by you or the attendees in your session. Please indicate in your course abstract whether
attendees will need to bring something with them to the session. Attendees will have access to wireless
Internet in the classrooms at the Salt Palace; however, connections are not always reliable or fast
because of the number of people on site at one time.
RootsTech reserves the right to edit session titles and abstracts. You will be notified and consulted if there is
a need to make changes to your title or abstract.
In 2015, we will require all speakers to provide a syllabus for their class sessions in both a Microsoft
Word format and a PDF format. Syllabi will be posted on RootsTech.org for attendees to preview and
download. Having syllabi available allows attendees to make informed decisions about which classes to
attend during the conference. Presenters who do not submit syllabi by December 1, 2014, may not be
allowed to present at RootsTech.
We will record many class sessions for use on RootsTech.org and at remote RootsTech events around the
world, in the year following RootsTech 2015. These recorded sessions will not be used for any purpose other
than on the RootsTech website and for remote RootsTech events. We will notify speakers by September 1, if
your class is selected for recording. You will be required to submit your presentation slides, syllabus, and
class handouts in an editable format such as PowerPoint or Microsoft Word, for translation by December 1,
2014. Your session will be translated into as many as 10 languages for use at RootsTech family history fairs.
You will be able to download the recording of your presentation for your own use as well.
If you have questions regarding the submission process or speaking at RootsTech 2015, please
contact us at info@rootstech.org.






Friday, May 2, 2014

Rootstech takeaways Day one, Thursday

I finally edited my Roots tech notes, some of them are absolute gibberish, as I did not look when taking notes, (I think I'll look next year.)

The first day:

Keynote Session:



sources to use:
Puzzila
Family maps
Family maps is a app

Obituaries have lots of leads, date of birth, date of death, relatives, etc.


Start with the heart:

Helping people feel the spirit is more important then giving them an overload of information
Start with the heart, not charts

Family History Consultant jobs:

1. Help members feel the spirit

2. Minister with other ward leaders

3. Get the help you need

4. Teach patrons to fish

Detail about Family History Consultant jobs:

Help members feel spirit:

Stories are a great way to help them feel the spirit

If they are raised in the church and say their family tree is done you need to keep adding onto the cousins and childrens lines. if that is all done have them look at the stories, and find all the stories add more!  Find sources to back it up.

Click on memories then photos, you will then see the photos of your ancestors. It's like instagram, there is a new photo every day, go to memories, then people and then you can click on the picture and you will see all their pictures, above that there is a "view my relationship" button,  if you click on it then it will show you your relationship with that person.



New convert, no tree/ no records?  Use the "My family book"! It is good way to get started for the youth, children, etc.



After they fill out the booklet you can enter it in to the website and you are started!!!


Helper function

You find it then help them find it don't just tell them. They will feel the spirit more if they find it on their own.


If you use the search button then you can find new indexed records.

 To turn the hearts, leaders guide book


Ask not what they can do to help family history. Ask what family history can do to help them!

New converts are less likely to become inactive if you get them to the temple within the next 3 months.


"Today, hundreds of her descendants..... are the beneficiaries"

1 in every 5 new consultants is a youth.

Every new missionary must report to the M T C with a 4 generation family chart

Help 11 year olds find names for the temple

Family history enables true conversion


Get their Email and get back to them

Search on lds.org for Family history consultant then, click on it and you are on the family history consultant page

Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day, teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.


For youth:
Indexing

Ask, what do you want to do?

Empty tree, fill it

Work is all done, COUSINS

Register for Family history consultant newsletter


FamilySeach whats new and whats next:


New.familysearch.org is read only


New features 2013

Search feature, if you want you can click view document so you can makes sure it is real information,

Image source, you can add pictures or documents.   You can click upload, then attach and it is a source

Some people have multiple wifes or multiple husbands, you can choose a different wife or husband, if you choose a different wife you see different children and different ancestors, same with the husband.

Whats Next:

Mobile applications

Get the Living into family tree, out of new family tree
        life sketch
        edit vitals
        sources
        change log


Record hinting, find matching records automatically

Descendancy View:

see descendants of an ancestors

Mobile app: (on beta)

Memories
Family tree viewer

Beta is going to be released in April or May
Beta for memories will be released in March

To tag people on family memories, you do it like you do on instagram

Ask The Experts:
Learn about DNA

Help number:
866-430-1830