These UNCW students use the TaskStream LAT to maintain what’s called a "Foundations Portfolio," which is basically an electronic compilation of selected work from each of their foundations courses. TaskStream is also used later in their academic programs as a tool for gathering evidence of their work in meeting performance standards, and it becomes part of their exit requirements from the Watson School of Education.

State Requiring Eportfolios
In a few years, notes UNCW Professor of Education and Department of Educational Leadership Program Coordinator John Fischetti, North Carolina will require that all teacher education programs have their students submit eportfolios as evidence of their ability to meet professional teaching standards that have been approved by the State Board of Education.

Not Cost Prohibitive
"One of the reasons why we chose TaskStream was their cost is relatively low," Fischetti says. "Our students pay for it by subscription, which turns out to be cheaper for them per semester." In the past students created their portfolios on paper and published them in three-ring binders. Fischetti explains that when you consider the cost of the paper, notebooks, plastic sleeves and toner, the total cost is actually more than the cost of a student subscription to TaskStream. "So we haven’t had too much pushback because it really is relatively inexpensive," he says.

Outstanding Technology and Support
In addition, Fischetti notes that the overall technology and support provided by TaskStream has been more than satisfactory. "Their tech support, which they call ‘mentoring services,’ has been outstanding. You always get a real person, and you usually get an answer immediately. Functionality wise, they have evolved their tools to be friendly. They have made things streamlined and fairly straightforward. There is a lingo. What they call a Direct Response Folio (DRF) is actually an accountability portfolio that you can attach rubrics to. So, there is a language you have to pick up. For anybody, there is a short and slight learning curve, but one of the reasons why we liked it was that it is not very profound. Users just have to click and scroll through. It’s pretty simple."

Helps With Accreditation Management
Finally, using TaskStream was instrumental in the successful outcome of multiple reaccreditation visits. "Our use of TaskStream was one of the reasons why, in 2005, during our accreditation visit by the state and NCATE, we had 100 percent compliance, no concerns and several acclamations," Fischetti claims. "We had our act together and were able to present how we used TaskStream for analysis of our programs."

And as the Watson School grows, Fischetti adds that TaskStream will continue to be used "absolutely for ongoing program evaluation, refinement and course improvement."