Have you heard of the WikiTree Presenters Group?

Question

Me neither.  Because we do not have one...yet.  

UPDATE: Presenters Group now forming

Do you proselytize to the hordes of genealogical neophytes about our Honor Code?

Are you Janie or Johnny WikiTree spreading the seeds of Collaborative Genealogy to societies in need of genealogical sustenance? 

Do you revel in the joy of enlightenment when others achieve an epiphany from exposure to the miracles of our one world tree?

In other words, do you just like to share WikiTree with groups interested in genealogy?

If so, answer below and let us know what you are currently doing.  Or, maybe you have not yet started your outreach efforts but would like help getting started?

With enough interest, we will form a Presenters Group as a sub-project of the Ambassadors Project and develop content and resources that you can use in your engagements and presentations.  We can develop media, slide shows, handouts, flyers and other content to share with the myriad of groups you wish to engage.

Help us share the Wonders of WikiTree.  

Become a Bard of WikiTree and join our Presenters Group.

Sign up with an answer below and send me your email address.

Comments

You know I LOVE this idea Michael - count me and then some! Mags

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This would be a great off shoot of the Ambassadors project-love the idea, Michael! Thanks for getting it rolling.

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What a wonderful idea!  I would be interested in doing this.

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Welcome Margaret, we will be glad to have you.

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Margaret, I sent you a invitation to join our Google Group a while back, did you get it?

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Mags's is on board and reporting her presentations.

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Thank you - I did get your invitation.  I am not familiar with Google groups and haven't taken the time yet to go figure it out.

Answer 1

I did an "Intro to WikiTree" educational talk a few months ago for the British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa (BIFHSGO). I'd be happy to share my presentation, though it uses screenshots of some of the profiles I've created, so others would likely want to replace those with their own to make it more personalized.

Count me on for the Speaker's Bureau.

Comments

Thanks Leanne,  

How did it go?

I had been giving a "What is WikiTree?" presentation to my local genealogy societies but I am switching it up to The Wonders of WikiTree: Collaborative Genealogy.

If we get enough folks, we will create a google group and space where we can share files and ideas.  I am curious what is working and what some of the challenges are.  I have some ideas to share when we form our group.

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It was very well received. Most of my audience had no or very little familiarity with WikiTree, so I focused primarily on two aspects - collaboration and privacy. I also gave some pros and cons (from my perspective) of a collaborative family tree, and I ended with some tips/advice if people want to start exploring WikiTree. I mostly talked about why and how I use WikiTree to document my genealogy research.

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Michael, I like the title The Wonders of WikiTree: Collaborative Genealogy so much better.  What a creative and accurate way of describing the site.  And the title sound inviting.

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I agree. It's a great title.

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That's great, Leanne. Thank you! And thank you, Michael, for starting this.

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Leanne was a guest at the OGS Conference 2017 WikiTree LiveCast if you want to get to know her a bit better. Thanks for joining us Leanne! Mags

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Leanne's on board with our Google Group, are you getting the emails?

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I don't hink so! Mags

Answer 2

I have not yet made any presentations about WikiTree, but I would love to do it!  I think my problem would be overwhelming potential new members with all the projects and G2G challenges that are available, because everything is so interesting on this site.  I know it's my personal problem - so many activities, so little time. ... and here I go again!

Comments

Yes, there is too much to share in a basic 1 -1.5 hour presentation.  

What I have discovered is there is an initial need to rethink how genealogy is done on the Internet. They need time to process this change.  This is a paradigm shift and I believe it is a significant change in thinking that most people must go through before they fully embrace WikiTree.   Except for those that started with WikiTree, we are moving them from a highly individualized experience to a collaborative one. Their prior online experiences have been reinforced by bad genealogies online and the nature of most big genealogy sites that cater to individualized trees.  Thus we get the “MY TREE” mentality.  I went through that too.

So what I do is start where they are and have them design the perfect online site.  We do this first as individuals thinking of a list of ideas, then with a partner to share their ideas and see how others approach online genealogy, then we come together as a group and share our ideas.

Once I have collected those ideas, I walk through them one by one and demonstrate how WikiTree would approach their ideas.  It made for a very engaging discussion tailored to that group.  But I need a few more experiences with it to gauge how well it works.  But I have already had more people join WikiTree and ask for help and continued workshops than I have with my original presentation.

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You are right on target, Michael.  Moving from "My Tree" to "Our Tree" is a challenge, and definitely the place to begin.  If someone doesn't agree with that concept, then WikiTree isn't for them.  If they do buy into that concept, they are not as likely to use WikiTree to "dump" their GEDCOM and vanish.

The "design the perfect genealogy site" is an interesting concept. I'm interested in hearing how another one of these sessions goes.

Answer 3

WikiTree is included in my presentation on "Using DNA and WikiTree to Find our Bahamian Ancestral Heritage."  

The video is at https://youtu.be/WA6IKUJ9rgU and the discussion of WikiTree begins at 27:39

Please add me to the Speaker's Bureau.

Thanks and sincerely, Peter

Comments

Peter,

What a wonderful video presentation. Is there a place to find the current stats about WikiTree? Maybe I have missed that page. Was this presentation done in PowerPoint? What did you do to video tape and go from the screen shots to the video of you speaking.

I am blown away. This is awesome. You did a great job.

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Hello Barbara,

Credit goes to Tom Walters

http://www.ctvnews.ca/ctv-national-team/tom-walters-1.815568  

He had two cameras and a copy of my PowerPoint presentation.

Which WikiTree stats do you have in mind?

Thanks and sincerely, Peter

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Peter is on board and reporting his presentations.

Answer 4

I'm a Toastmaster, and I've introduced "WikiTree" and related topics at meetings; including two impromptu (Table Topics) opportunities:  1) Read a tombstone and talk about the person based on what you see; and 2) select a 17th Century toast (from a group of toasts typically offered in Colonial times) and give a talk on it.  The toasts were found on a "Flagon and Trencher" website; Obediah Clement and John Payne, among others, owned and operated New Hampshire inns during the American Revolution.

So, gulp, depending on my schedule -- I'd like to help with a Speaker's Bureau.

Comments

Awesome Janie!  I hope to join the Flagon and Trencher someday as well as Pirates and Privateers.

Our goal will be to gather enough material to help you get through your presentation easier.

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Janine's on board with our Google Group, are you getting the emails?

Answer 5

Great idea, Michael.  I've done a fair amount of public speaking and would definitely be interested.  I get a steady stream of email from cousins who find DNA connections or WikiTree profiles, and make it a point to tell them why I'm such a big WikiTree fan.  Always looking for opportunities to "spread the shade" of our WikiTree!  ~Fred

Comments

Good to have you Fred, I hope you are working with Peter and his DNA group, this area is very exciting and really sets WikiTree apart.

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Fred's on board with our Google Group, are you getting the emails?

Answer 6

I'm always talking about WikiTree. Assuming a date issue gets worked out, I'll be giving a presentation at our local GenSoc in the fall. I guess you'd better count me in.

Comments

Good for you Debi, this group should help you prepare, especially if you have not give a talk on WikiTree before.  I have had some interesting reactions as noted in my other comments here.

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Debi's on board with our Google Group, are you getting the emails?

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I got a few just after you opened the group but haven't gotten anything recently.

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And I figured out the problem. GoogleGroups by default set the message to "Do Not Email." I've just changed that and will get messages from now on. You may want to get the word out somehow to have others check. The link I used to find the setting may be generic enough that anyone can use it when signed in to Google https://groups.google.com/forum/#!myforums

Answer 7

I talk about WikiTree all the time (1on1) and would be great to have resources to share. Haven't talked to any groups lately but could. I love this idea.

Comments

Janice, a few of us started by talking to our local genealogy societies, is that something you would be able to do?

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Hi Jaince, did you get our link to the google group?

Answer 8

Yes, I would love to serve as a speaker to provide talks locally about Wikitree and Collaborative Genealogy in general.

I'm an experienced speaker, but speaking on any aspect of genealogical research and especially regarding Wikitree would be new and interesting for me.

Comments

Stuart, glad you can join us, any thoughts yet as to an approach you would take with your first presentation?

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Hi Stuart, did you get our link to the google group?

Answer 9

Excellent idea!  I have offered to do a presentation on wikitree for a local genealogy club but there did not appear to be enough interest last year.  I was not sure how I would make that presentation and would like to network with others with the same interest.  Our local group meetings will re-start in September and I will offer to make a presentation again at that time.  There is another group that meets in another community about 20 minutes away that may also like a presentation if the first one goes well.

I am currently a Project Manager with the Upper Canada War of 1812 Project.

Comments

I hear you Fred, many people just do not know that they need to know about WikiTree.  Our group is going to change that.  Colloaborative Genealogy makes us unique but nobody really knows what that is outside of WikiTree.  I group can help you with ideas to drum up interest.

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Fred's on board with our Google Group, are you getting the emails?

Answer 10

I also have not delivered any formal presentations on WikiTree, Michael but I am interested in exploring the idea. It appears that you have struck a chord with several members who have been thinking along the same lines. Yes, lets expand this concept and collaborate on material.

Comments

Rod great attitude, we welcome your ideas.  Good to have you with us.

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Rod's on board with our Google Group, are you getting the emails?

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And Rod, Know you have an amazing database of old-time pictures that would be fun for an audience to see in a presentation about Wikitree.

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That's an interesting thought, Dorothy, Thanks.

Answer 11

Well what a great response!  I am going to let this perculate a day or so and then I will be contact you via a Google Group where we can start our process.

Answer 12

Happy to Join, have given one group overview presentation and have introduced several others to Wikitree.

Comments

Hi David, welcome, how did your presentation go?

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Very Well, I had a about 15 minutes at the end of a family history class where almost all use ancestory or familytree to record their trees.

A couple had tried, but not stuck to wikitree.

The largest concern seemed to be the security, so I opened the site in an incognito window and brought up my own profile and demonstrated how I had limited access in that scenario, without logging in.  Then I went back to the security settings page and walked them through the 7 levels of security.  The skeptics were impressed. One comment made, "sure beats the either on or off of their application" for security.

I then walked them through the honour code to instill some sense of the concern for collaboration, using a recent example that I had experience with one of my Whitehouse trees.

Regards,

David

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Hi David, I sent you a invitation to join our Google Group a while back, did you get it?

Answer 13

I gave a talk called "Plays Well with Others: Pros and Cons of Collaborative Family Trees" that is here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wi-HHNVn2Jw&t=2072s

I regularly lead the DNA discussion group for the Computer Interest Group of the Colorado Genealogical Society, and WikiTree is always part of the discussion.

Comments

Greetings from Rhode Island Karen, Love the title of your program.  See you at RootsTech?

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Yep! See you at FGS?

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No, I have never been.

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Karen, you have not joined our Google Group, do you need the link again?

Answer 14

I am doing WikiTree presentation at Bartlesville Public Library in Oklahoma this fall.

I have done some limited WikiTree training for local family history department staff. I need all the help I can get because I am still learning WikiTree myself. (I blunder my way through.)

I would like some handouts and am not sure exactly what to use. They have offered me a computer hooked up to an overhead screen so others can follow along as I show them how everything works. Many will bring their own laptops.

Comments

Hi Barbara, glad you found us.  I believe we can help.  My Society back in Colorado partnered with the Library and they created some marketing materials for us as well.  I gave them a talk on Ancestry.com Library Edition.

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Barbara's on board with our Google Group, are you getting the emails?

Answer 15

I talk about WikiTree all the time just on an individual basis

I haven't talked to any groups about wikitree but I could and it would be great to have resources to share.

Comments

Welcome Veni,  glad you are willing to spread the word, we can get you started with some resources as we grow.

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Hi Veni, I sent you a invitation to join our Google Group a while back, did you get it?

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Sorry MIchael - I don't yet have a Google id

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Veni, is google asking you for an Id? usually, you just join with your existing email, you should not need a google account.

Answer 16

By the Way,  Mags saw us coming and created this page with resources.

https://www.wikitree.com/g2g/263963/knack-public-speaking-given-talk-favorite-subject-wikitree

Answer 17

I had been scheduled to give a talk and wikitree last May, but had a health issue pop up at the last moment. Now I am rescheduled to give it to my genealogy Society in September. I'm looking forward to spreading the good news.

Comments

Looks like we have a lot of September programs.  We will have a calender set up to track everyone who wants to share what they are doing when.  Welcome aboard Dana.

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Dana's on board with our Google Group, are you getting the emails?

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I sure am.  :)

Answer 18

Definitely would be interested. I am a current speaker for three different Historical Societies and I'm sure all three would love for me to present again soon.

Comments

Very good, welcome Geneadiva.

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Geneadiva,  I sent you a invitation to join our Google Group a while back, did you get it?

Answer 19

Have done a few presentations for Wikimedia to some local history and local family history groups in which I have always included Wikitree. There has always been a lot of interest, so I would be happy to get involved with a dedicated project.

Comments

Hi Peter, I just sent you a link to our google group.

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Thanks :)

Answer 20

It's the end of August 2017, how is it going presenters?  Anything happening for September?  Any Questions?

Comments

Just finished teaching a five day genetic genealogy class for eight students at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, North Carolina. Each student is now a WikiTree user with a GEDmatch ID (and in a few cases a mitoYDNA ID) on their WikiTree profile.  The school was founded by Olive Campbell https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Dame-252 in 1925. One class’ day was devoted to just DNA and WikiTree.  Other days touched on WikiTree.