Anne O'Dell's AAD ePortfolio

My marketing plan can be found here: O’Dell MMC Plan

My Lexicon Essay may be found in pdf format here: O’Dell Lexicon Essay

My Personal Learning Environment

I tend to think of my personal learning environment as being the world because I absorb information from many different sources in every setting, but that is rather broad.  I narrowed the focus to how I access the world and came to the conclusion that my personal learning environment is my desk in my apartment.  It is a mess, but an organized mess, and is covered in an array of personal and educational materials.  On it can be seen a partial roll of quarters for laundry, pictures of my family and me, cards they have sent, learning materials I use for the class I teach as a Graduate Teaching Fellow, a mug that I bought at the Getty that I use regularly, and that plastic container on the right actually belongs to a friend back East.  I forgot to return it to his kitchen this past summer.  But, inside of it are three small buttons I made for him and plan on giving him because he is a button collector.

Naturally, in the center of all of this is my MacBook, and I would be distraught and face academic ruin if something were to happen to it that would result in a loss of all of the work I’ve done that I’ve not backed up.  It, in addition to my iPhone (pictured in the infograph), is one of two portals that keep me in touch with my friends around the world whom I otherwise would not stay in touch with.  I have friends in India, Italy, Canada, Singapore, Turkey, and throughout the US.  This is why there is a globe in the center of the infographic and it is covered in lines that are suggestive of the virtual network keeping us all instantaneously connected and informed.

Much of my learning occurs through news my friends post – about themselves and news they find interesting – as well as organizations I follow on Facebook, which is why that logo is at the very top of the world. The group of logos on the left consists of organizations based here in the US, and the three in the lower right corner, Al Jazeera, The Guardian, and the BBC, are based abroad.  To be more accurate, The Guardian and BBC are British and Al Jazeera has an American bureau, but its parent affiliate is in the Middle Eastern country of Qatar.  It’s nice to see US and world news from a “foreign” perspective because it shows how the US is perceived and what other countries think is relevant.

Looking at the group on the left, there are seven logos in addition to Facebook representing sources of current events knowledge for me.  They are NPR, The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Associated Press, YouTube, Yahoo (email), and Gmail.  I include email because I am on organizational listservs and also receive news from friends and family that way.  The picture of an iPhone is included because I have all of these apps on it so I can access these sources when not at my computer.  It is also how I talk with my family and friends directly.  Pinterest is where I go for interior design and recipe ideas; Amazon is a source for books, movies, and documentaries; and the University of Oregon ‘O’ is there because I am constantly accessing the university library (both virtually and physically), my UO email and blackboard as well as other class sites to facilitate my learning.

When I speak of the importance of learning what “the news” is, I’m speaking of news in a sense that covers more than the latest headlines.  I want to know about discoveries in astronomy, archeology, and other sciences, how communities are rebuilding themselves post-industrial/modern age, politics, music, and progressive social commentary.  I also want to know the news as people share it in their own words, video uploads, and pictures in addition to what major news outlets report.

In conclusion, my personal learning environment is the world as much as I can access it virtually and physically.  I do think that the virtual learning environment has been more a source for my own personal knowledge growth than the classroom ever was growing up.  However, I do keep in mind that at the end of it all, I am the one filtering the knowledge and I can never truly know what an experience is like unless I encounter it myself.

(PDFs of the info graphic, desk environment, and narrative  can be downloaded here: PLE Infographic, PLE desk  PLE narrative)

The Washington, DC, NFL team that I am rebranding this term has a multitude of media outlets, apps, and promotional deals to reach its fan base, both male and female.

Those media sources that target both men and women are:

• Opportunities co-sponsored with local sports pubs and restaurants to win player signed merchandise, home game tickets with tailgate passes, and trips to watch the team play against an opponent or at training camp
• Food and drink specials with Subway and Papa John’s Pizza
• An E-newsletter
• Military are an identified audience and may join the special “Military Salute” club through which members can register to win trips to watch the team play an opponent during an away game
• Deals with a local home repair and heating and cooling business
• Travel packages with deals for staying at specific hotels
• Use of social media sites Facebook, Instagram, google+, Foursquare, Living Social, twitter, and an Extreme Skins Message Board.
• Both team and Washington Times mobile applications and a team desktop application
• Redskins.com
• Participatory photo contests through social media

Those that would specifically target women are:

• Deals on a facial cleanser
• Use of pinterest
• Donation of used cellphones to victims of domestic violence

I have prepared drafts of the logo and collateral for Washington, DC’s NFL team that I am rebranding for this term.  They can be downloaded below.

Logo: Logo-Draft

Stationary: Stationary

Envelope: envelope draft

Business Card: Business Card Back, Business Card Front

Poster: poster draft

1. What is your organization or company. Give background history including who, when, and why it was founded.

The Washington Redskins organization was founded in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1936 as the Boston Braves, and owner George Preston Marshall changed its name to the Redskins in 1933 just prior to its move to the Washington, DC, area.  Unofficially, the name “Redskins” was chosen in honor of its then coach, William Dietz, who himself claimed Native American ancestry.  Dietz had also recruited a number of Native American players to the team when it was still based in Boston as the Braves, so it was thought a fitting name and one that would differentiate the team from the Boston Braves baseball team.  Essentially, the organization was founded as a professional athletic organization to provide entertainment and pride for its public.

2. What do they do or make – describe the products and services and what makes them unique.

The Washington Redskins is primarily known for professional football, a source of pride for its fans and the Washington, DC, area.  They also have two charitable foundations, The Washington Redskins Charitable Foundation and the Washington Redskins Original Americans Foundation.  Both of these foundations are philanthropic in nature.  What makes the organization unique is that it is better at stirring up controversy over its name than winning games, and, despite their appalling athletic record and what is considered by many to be an insensitive name and logo, they maintain a very large and prominent fan base in one of the most educated areas of the US.

3. Describe the culture of the organization or company. What is the work environment like – the atmosphere? What is the building like – exterior/interior, architecture, fittings and furniture? How do the employees work together? What are the jobs and roles of individuals? How are they treated by management?

The organization is technically established in the state of Maryland, and its stadium, FedEx Field, is in Landover, Maryland.  However, its practice facilities are in Ashburn, Virginia.  I don’t know what the office building looks like that houses its administrative and charitable offices and employees, but I do know that FedEx Field opened in 1997 and has a capacity of 79,000.  I’m not sure how the administrative personnel are treated by management, what their respective jobs are or how they work together.  I am thinking of emailing to see if I could conduct an informational interview, but I’m not sure they would want to pursue that this is a rebranding project and the organization is emphatically refusing to rebrand.

4. Who is the targeted audience? What are their demographics?

The targeted audience for the athletic side of the enterprise is any and everyone.  Of all DC’s sports teams, they have one of the predominantly older demographics according to a survey conducted in 2009.  The same survey also showed their fan base to be 56% male.  This parallels closely to another set of demographics for the National Football League (NFL) from 2013 in which 60% of fans were male, 76% white, 39% over the age of 59, with incomes between $35,000 and $75,000.  As for the foundations, each have a very specific targeted demographic.  The Washington Redskins Charitable Foundation seeks to improve the quality of life for youth in DC metropolitan area.  The Washington Redskins Original Americans Foundation seeks to better the life of tribal members in the US.

5. What is the organization or company mission statement?

There is no mission statement of the football team that I could find.

The mission statement of the Charitable Foundation is as follows:

“The mission of the Washington Redskins Charitable Foundation is to utilize the assets of the Washington Redskins and its corporate and community partners to make a positive and measurable impact on youth development in the greater Washington, D.C. region in the areas of education, community outreach, and health and wellness. The Foundation is led by Dan Snyder, Jay Gruden, Bruce Allen and a large team of dedicated members of the community who are committed to making a positive impact in the DC region.”

The mission statement of the Original Americans Foundation is:

“The mission of the Washington Redskins Original Americans Foundation is to provide resources that offer genuine opportunities for Tribal communities.  We will work as partners to tackle the troubling realities facing so many tribes across our country. The Foundation utilizes the national platform of professional sports organizations and their partners to address the challenges in the daily lives of Native Americans based on what Tribal leaders tell us they need most.”

(Emphasis in italics made by the Foundation itself.)

A PDF of this assignment can be downloaded as well. MMC Org Questions

1. Where did you move from to attend the UO? And, briefly describe how you landed on the UO AAD program. Any interesting, funny, anecdotal stories/details are welcome.

I lived in Washington, DC, before moving to Eugene to attend UO.  I initially entered the School of Music and Dance as a Doctoral Student with a supporting area in Arts Administration and the AAD component of the degree was the major reason that I chose to come here.  After beginning my work on the doctoral degree and evaluating the job market I would be entering with it, I had a heart to heart with myself about what I really want to do with my career, how I want to impact my community and how I can best do that.  So, I have decided to change my curriculum to a Masters in Arts Management and am now fully in the AAD program.

2. Area of concentration in AAD?

Performing Arts Management

3. Describe your knowledge and use of technology systems. Responses should include the following:

• Computer platform you use (Mac, PC, Linux, other)
• Smart phones, tablets, other hand held/smart devices
• Digital Cameras, Video, Audio devices
• Peripherals – printers, scanners, other necessary and/or cool gadgets

I have basic operating knowledge of Macs and PCs.  I’ve not ever needed to use the Mac’s software to its fullest capacity, but I choose the operating system because I prefer it to a PC and find it to be more intuitive.  I also use an iPhone and have experience with video and digital camera use.  I love my printer/scanner/copier!!!  It’s the best…and it can fax, too, but I don’t use that component.

4. What software do you commonly use? Briefly describe purpose/application for software on your list.

I use Microsoft Office for documents and excel files because it is the universally used software for those things.  I do not have experience with Adobe creative suit, Dream Weaver, etc, but I have used WordPress for various school related projects.

5. Do you have any graphic design or media production/management experience? Have you taken any graphic design or media production courses?

I have zero experience in this area other than making sure publications went to press and dealing with the financial aspect of production.

6. Know anything about typography?  No.

7. Do you use Web 2.0 apps? Name those that you use or are familiar with.

Foreign language for me!

8. Do you use Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Vine, Yelp, etc.)? Name those that you engage in.

I use Facebook and Pinterest and have used Twitter and Yelp in the past.  I honestly don’t have time to stay that engaged with platforms like Twitter, and I think, being slightly older makes these platforms less of an imperative for me personally.  Professionally, I would definitely engage with them on a regular basis if it were part of my job.

9. Tell me something unique about yourself.

I’ve been told I should be a stand up comedienne.

10. Anything else?

I’m looking forward to taking this class because it is a wonderful opportunity for me to learn a new language and skill set.