Erin Kassebaum
Draft 1
Annotated Bibliography
Draft 2
Project 2 Final Draft
Research Proposal: Project 2
For project 2, I plan on writing about a community that I have just recently became a part of, the Marching Chiefs. I plan on calling it “Technology within the band.” My main topic throughout the paper will be how we incorporate technology into the program to help us with just about everything. I am going to talk about how we have taken most of what we do on paper, and transferred that information to our phones. I would use different articles that talk about the LSU band who inspired us to start this initiative, articles that talk about how important it is save paper, and articles that are written specifically about chiefs and our no-paper initiative. We have even had made modifications to our instruments and normal music lyres (something we use to see our music when we march) so that it can hold our phone instead of paper music. The use of technology in band is how we do just about everything. We communicate with each other within the program through multiple different Facebook pages, through an app called remind that sends mass-texts to the band, through dropbox, and through email. There are over 400 of us so the directors and leadership do whatever they can to make sure everyone get word of what’s going on. When it comes to how we communicate, how we learn our music, or even how we learn our show, technology has become a really important part of the Marching Chiefs.
Conference Reflection
At my conference, I began by explaining the route that I was taking with my essay. I am talking about the Marching Chiefs and how technology and social media helps us communicate within the program. Mat said that he liked where I was going but now I needed to pick out a specific example to talk about. We both agreed that a meme from the marching chief meme page would be a fun yet informative talking point. In order to improve my project 2, I plan on organizing my essay a little better, incorporating more sources, as well as adding the bit about the meme page. We then talked about my annotated bibliography and how I needed to incorporate more scholarly sources, although it may be a little tougher to do with the topic that I chose. Overall, the conference was extremely helpful in making sure that I am going down a good and cohesive path with my second project.
Interview Summary
I interviewed my flute section leader Rebecca (Becky) Needham. Becky is a fourth year Marching Chief and has experienced Chiefs through many different eyes as a rookie, a vet, and in her leadership position.
When did you start to notice a transition from paper to technology?
“In June 2017 during our leadership seminar is when the directors told us about our transition from paper material to putting everything on our phone.”
When did the section start using dropbox, creating Facebook groups, using Remind?
Dropbox- “We start using dropbox in June 2017 as well, when instead of handing us a leadership packet they instead told us that all the information would be downloaded to Dropbox.”
Facebook- “Facebook pages have been around since I have been in Chiefs my Freshman year.”
Remind- “Chiefs have been using Remind as a way of communication for the past four years that I have been here, but we just started using Remind within the section this past year.”
Which form of communication do you prefer?
“I prefer remind as a way to get information because it is the easiest and quickest way to receive information because I am always checking my texts but not necessarily always checking Facebook or Dropbox folders.”
When was the meme page created?
“Last November, at the away game to Clemson after a big loss. Everyone was invited to the page on the bus ride back but I immediately turned my notifications off.”
How did the issue of the music lyre arise and how was it fixed to be able to use a phone?
“They only made e-flips for brass instruments, so we brainstormed as a section to try and find a solution. They were a couple of pretty good ideas and we ended up having a member of our section figure out how to 3-D print a piece that would make it so that we could mount our phones on our lyres.”
How important is technology in the band this year compared to previous years?
“I think that the use of technology this year is immensely more important than in previous years, I would probably rate its importance an 8.7/10.”
Do you think that close order is an effective way to convey information?
“Yes, it is very helpful because everyone is there and receives the information in person and can ask questions if they feel necessary.”
Other forms of communication- “There is the Chief website and the directors send out emails, but I don’t think that those forms of communication are as important as the others. There is also a twitter page but I really do not like twitter.”
What does MCATDT mean to you?
“It means were always here for each other, in the season, out of season, in practice and out of practice, we are a family all the damn time.”
What are some things that bring the chiefs together and unify you as one?