Final Reflection

      English 2035 was definitely an interesting course this semester. I learned a few things that helped me to successfully complete the final portfolio as well as other end of the semester assignments for this course. First, I learned how to write using less complex sentences that can be understood by an outside audience without being confusing. I turned in a few assignments that were corrected at the beginning at the semester, so my assignments at the end of semester were more concise. Second, I learned how to create more organized and thoughtful paragraphs that flowed well while also being concise. I learned this mostly through the project description assignment. Third, I learned how to more effectively work as a team and distribute work while also not stepping on anyone’s toes. This was a semester long process that ultimately payed off, especially while compiling the final portfolio. It was interesting learning how each of my group members worked and playing to each other’s strengths. Even though I did learn several skills in this course, there were others that I would have liked to learn for the project.

This course was not exactly what I was expecting when I enrolled in it. There were some aspects that were better than I expected such as working with a community partner. However, there were other skills that I wanted to learn. I wish we were asked to write to multiple audiences and then critiqued on them. This would help when writing in different contexts. I would have also liked to have a book that went into more detail on the skills that were expected of us in class. This would have helped with the final portfolio because it would have given more guidelines when writing. Even though I did not learned everything I would have liked, there is still a large takeaway. 

I know I will apply the skills and strategies that I have learned in this class in the future. I will use organizational strategies when writing papers for my other courses as well as professionally when I have a job. I will also use the teamwork and work distribution strategies academically because I know I will have group projects in future courses. I will also use those strategies professionally because in the field of education, there is a lot of collaboration of teachers and faculty as well as with students. Due to all that I have learned, I have some advice to give to future English 2035 students.

Future English 2035 students would maybe be better prepared if they have some advice. First, in order to enjoy this course, it is necessary to be able to do group projects effectively and work with peers. Second, it is necessary that a future student take this course seriously, especially if they are working with a community partner because their decisions can affect their partner. Third, in regards to a collaborative project, everyone must have an open mind and think of solutions that the organization may not have thought of themselves. Fourth, it is necessary to hear everyone’s ideas even if they seem a little far fetched or too advanced for the course. Lastly, it is necessary to be able to listen and be patient with everyone in the course, other students, instructors, and community partners. If they follow my advice they will hopefully have as successful a semester as I did.

I had a few key takeaways from this course. First, I was able to experience a real life situation in which I was working for someone else’s cause, and my project did have an impact on their organization. Second, my group was able to successfully work together even though we were different ages, had different levels of college experience, and had very eclectic backgrounds. Third, I was able to improve my professional writing skills through this course which was what I had originally hoped when I signed up for this course. In the end, I am glad that I took this course.  

Proposal Presentation Reflection

I feel like I did well with my introduction, summarizing what was going to be in the presentation. I also think I dressed appropriately and spoke clearly. However, I could have gone into more detail to make the outline clearer. I also could have explained my visual more as well as tried to answer more of the questions that were asked at the end of our presentation.

I felt that my group’s presentation went well. Everyone was well prepared and conveyed the information we discussed in our meetings. I also thought everyone dressed appropriately and had mostly appropriate presentation etiquette. Some of the only problems I saw with our presentation were that at times our posture was bad and we could have been more specific with when discussing an intern. Despite this, our interaction with Ellen went very well. She asked questions that we were able to answer, and we also went into more depth as to how better to help MBNA. Ellen did vocalize that she appreciated and enjoyed our presentation. I know we all were relieved when she told us this and when she was excited to continue working with us. I not terribly anxious about what is coming up in the semester. My group and I work well together, and for the most part, we have our agenda for the rest of the semester. One good thing about our agenda is that it is not more than we can handle. I hope that we will accomplish all that we have planned which mainly includes setting the ball in motion for MBNA to find an intern. After this semester, I hope to hear from MBNA about whether we were successful in finding them an intern.

MBNA Problem Proposal

MBNA Proposal

MBNA Introduction

The Medicine Bow Nordic Association (MBNA) is the unsung hero of winter athletes in the Laramie area. They are a non-profit organization who is partnered with the U.S. Forest Service to provide groomed Nordic ski trails in the Happy Jack area as well as to promote Nordic skiing (Medicine Bow Nordic Association). Since it is not a business, its funding is provided by members, community contributors, and grants (Medicine Bow Nordic Association). Most of the funding that is put in by the community is given back to it in the form of beautifully groomed trails as wells as facilities such as warming huts (Medicine Bow Nordic Association). They are also supporters of local ski teams such as those at the Laramie Junior High School, Laramie High School, and the University of Wyoming (Medicine Bow Nordic Association). Although they provide many services to the Laramie community, they face a few problems.  

Problems Faced by MBNA

MBNA was able to identify some problems it has been facing in recent years. One problem is conflicts between fat bike users, snowshoers, Nordic skiers, and hikers. Each sport makes different tracks which can un-compact the snow and make it difficult for other users. A second problem is a being able to formulate a long-term plan for the organization’s partnership with the U.S. Forest Service. The last problem identified by MBNA is guests using the trails without paying for a membership, which stems from users not knowing about MBNA and its membership. Though these are the largest problems MBNA is aware of, my group identified a few more that are seen from an outside perspective.  

By doing outside research, myself and my group members were able to identify a few other problems. First, the website needs to be updated with news, events, and information relevant to MBNA. Second, the blog posts need to be updated regularly or on a set schedule. Third, MBNA needs are larger social media presence. Last, there needs to be more advertising for their ski classes and memberships. Theses problems not only impact MBNA but those in the Laramie community. 

People Affected and Benefited

These problems affect a few groups of people: MBNA, users of the ski trails, and those who are looking for somewhere to do outdoor winter activities. Due to problems with the website, social media presence, and a lack of advertising, MBNA is not able to get as much funding or recognition as possible which could lead to future problems. The users of the ski trails are affected by problems such as user conflict which can discourage some users from benefiting from MBNA. Even those who are not yet users of the trails are affected by a lack of advertising and public knowledge of the organization because it takes away the possibility of getting active in the winter and starting up a new hobby. Fortunately, our collaboration can help solve a problem affecting these groups.

All of these groups will be benefited if any one of the problems outlined above are solved. MBNA would have more funding to continue grooming trails and supporting the community as well as gaining more recognition. The users of the trails would have fewer problems with un-compacted trails. Lastly, those who are potential users would be able to find the trails and become regular users and become members of MBNA.  However, in one semester my group is not able to help solve all the problems identified, but we will hopefully be able to help with one.

Potential Solutions

One of the problems my group can address is the lack of MBNA’s social media presence as well as better visibility on Facebook. Nowadays it is difficult to find a person who is not active on some form of social media. In fact, ninety percent of those between the ages of eighteen and twenty-nine use some form of social media, as well as sixty-five percent of older adults (Perrin). This hits right in the target audience which consists of college students, outdoor enthusiasts, and anyone looking for an outdoor adventure. Other ski associations are trying to hit this target audience as well and can serve as good models for MBNA to follow.

The American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation (ABSF) and the Spokane Nordic Ski Association (SNSA) are two of the best models for MBNA. They are ski associations like MBNA. The American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation has a strong social media presence, especially on Facebook (American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation). They post updates everyday that consist of eye-catching pictures and minimal text that draws in the reader. Some posts are as simple as an answer to a question about skiing or a coupon to a gear store. The Spokane Nordic Ski Association has similar posts but is closer to the scale of MBNA (Spokane Nordic Ski Association). They post a lot of photos submitted by Nordic skiers and encourage participation in local events and races. Taking on the practices of these organizations would benefit MBNA as wells as the Laramie community.

MBNA is a part of the Laramie and Nordic skiing community, but not a lot of people know it. By having an active social media presence like ABSF and SNSA, MBNA can interact with the community and show them all that the organization does. MBNA can post similar updates such as pictures of the local trails and events as well as general Nordic skiing knowledge and advice on Facebook and on their blog. MBNA would have to designate one person or an organized group of people to keep an active, consistent presence on social media. This could be a task for members of the Nordic ski team at the University of Wyoming or the job of a volunteer or intern. Whoever’s task it is to take the lead on social media has to be consistent and creative, but we are not short of people like that in Laramie. I have hopes that they will benefit from implementing a solution.

I have high hopes that my group, in collaboration with MBNA, will be able to make MBNA an active social media presence. It will be difficult to get into the habit of posting consistent, creative updates, but once there is a designated person/s to do this job, it will be a successful project. Even if the project is not quite completed before the semester ends, I know MBNA will finish what we started in order to draw in its target audience.   

Works Cited

American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation [Facebook page]. American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation. Web. 29 Feb. 2016. 

Medicine Bow Nordic Association. Medicine Bow Nordic Association. Web. 29 Feb. 2016. 

Perrin, Andrew. “Social Media Usage: 2005-2015.” Pew Research Center. Pew Research Center, 8 Oct. 2015. Web. 29 Feb. 2016. 

Spokane Nordic Ski Association [Facebook page]. Spokane Nordic Ski Association. Web. 29 Feb. 2016. 

Getting the ball rolling...

We have started getting the ball rolling with our project. Our groups are decided, some research has been done, and we are getting ready to start contacting and working with MBNA. I am so excited to learn more about the organization (especially from their point of view) and to figure out what problem/s we will be helping them with. We have brainstormed quite a bit as a group, and I am looking forward to hearing MBNA’s response to what we have already come up with.

I am little anxious though. I am worried that they might get offended by how nit-picky we were when looking for problems. I also worry that some ideas that we have may not be appreciated or considered. We have spent a lot of class time educating ourselves on MBNA and preparing ourselves to collaborate, so I hope it pays off.

I also hope that they will be open-minded when it comes to solutions. We bring a fresh set of eyes to their problems, and I hope they will see things from our perspective and see the value of our ideas. I also hope that by the end of the semester we will have made a good impact on the organization and helped them, even if it is in a small way. Overall, I have high hopes for this project and this experience.

Writing To Make Something Happen

I have written numerous pieces that I am proud of. There have been late nights researching and early mornings trying to conceptualize feelings that seem impossible to describe. Often times, I am not only trying to create a piece I am proud of, but also one that a teacher will appreciate and give me an A for. However, the piece (or pieces as this case may be) of writing I am most proud of is one where I tried to get people to listen to me. More specifically, I wanted the public to come to programs I was putting on at the local state park where I was working.
 

I had just been hired at Lake Sakakawea State Park as an interpreter, someone who puts on nature programs for guests. Unfortunately, the following for these programs was nominal at best, and I had to convince the public that my programs were worth going to. In order to advertise and demonstrate the worth of programs, I decided the best medium of communication for the intimate community was fliers and Facebook posts. At first it was difficult to be concise and detail-oriented while also trying to sound fun, but after a few tries and input from other employees, I had consistent wording and formats for my fliers and posts. I hoped this consistency and conciseness would make people flock to my programs.
 

My hopes and efforts were not in vain. I did get a larger and more consistent following for my programs than the previous year, and thanks to Facebook, I was able to reach people outside the small community. However, I was using more paper than I would have liked, and I often found my fliers on the ground and in the trash. I accepted the same position for this summer and have a few changes in mind. I would make daily Facebook posts about programs and create a newsletter that had more information about program activities while also advertising for the park. These writings would create less questions and allow for everyone to have an enjoyable summer.