We have several subject areas using TaskStream or other web tools to create a range of portfolios for learning. Some are using them regularly, some have only done one project so far, and others have started and quit. Some are still planning to start, but haven't gotten there, yet.
The Art Department has begun a Department Portfolio, showcasing all the great work done in these classes.
Abstract Art
Digital Media Arts
The Bridge Project
One problem that Mr. Villar's extensive work with these tools has created is the extensive amount of lab time he needs to have students do so much work online. Though we have three computer labs available here with just over 800 students, even when a teacher is not preventing others from getting into a lab, there's a general resentment toward teachers who use the lab frequently.
One great thing that always happens with new technology tools is that one teacher sees a project and says, I want to do that! So, when Ms. Rosa saw Mr. Villar's students' work, she wanted to create portfolios.
Mr. Bonaccorsu and Ms. Terry created a form to let students check on how well they did meeting the LALAR Standards. Students searched through the work they've done this year to find proof that they'd met the standards in each category - Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking. They checked off each standard on the Form in each section of the portfolio and identified the standard addressed. Then, they wrote a reflection on that work. Students evaluating themselves and thinking about the process of learning is very powerful teaching and learning.
The math department chair is concerned that having a tool that we have to pay for will mean that after REFLECT is over, we'll lose all the work we've done here. Budgets being what they are these days, there's little optimism about being able to continue a subscription.
Mr. Flisak's Wikispace
Mr. Clothier and I created this Directed Response portFolio (DRF) template to help students learn the vocabulary of their PE activities. Not only did they learn a range of athletic forms and the vocabulary for them, they practiced our school-wide analytic paragraph form as they reflected on the process.
1 Lesson Plan for this Project
Alfredo
Christian
Guadalupe
Jair
Jesus
Josue
Kaja
Keana
Mario
Mayra
Mohamed
Nathalie
Roxana
Sean
Walter
Again, one of our new teachers was eager to try out TaskStream when she saw the tools. A collection of science labs is planned. We were a little slowed down when Ms. Tobin snowboarded herself into a tree over winter break. Now that she's back, we've just started the second round.
Mr. Gould's Slide Show
(
10.2 MB
)
A portfolio of book talks by teachers is designed to inspire students to collect their own book talks. This is actually a much more active project than shows here. One of the challenges of doing this work is getting the evidence collected and published!
Book Talks
The college to career classes have been the most invested in the project. It's really the place where I'm learning most as we go through this project. Mr. Luc and Ms. Hendrix have been the pilots for the TaskStream portfolios. The more we use them, the better we like it. 
Many teaching programs in the Bay Area are requiring pre-service teachers to create portfolios and work collaboratively in TaskStream. Lucky for me that several new teachers at O'Connell are very familiar with the tools and come enthusiastic about trying out portfolios for their students. Mr. Villar came as a new teacher this year with an impressive teacher portfolio.
Mr. Villar-Puig's Portfolio
Please wait...