Beginner’s Guide
University/College Student:
Beginner’s Guide
Purchasing/Activating your Subscription
This section includes directions for purchasing, activating or
renewing your subscription.
TaskStream Basics
This section includes directions for logging in to TaskStream,
navigating TaskStream, and managing your account
information.
TaskStream Programs
As a student in a University/College that is using TaskStream, it
is likely that you will be participating in a TaskStream program.
This section provides background information about the types of
programs that are available.
Additional Online Support (Help Index)
In addition to this guide, TaskStream provides an extensive
collection of support materials. This section describes the
resources that are available to you in the Help Index.
Copyright ©2004 TaskStream. All rights reserved.
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Purchasing /Activating your Subscription
Purchasing/Activating your Subscription
Open a web browser (Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator, AOL)
1. In the Address field or Location
bar - type in the following URL:
http://www.taskstream.com
2. You should now see
TaskStream’s homepage.
3. Underneath the login area, click
the Subscribe Today button to
go to the TaskStream Account
subscription page.
Step 1: Purchase or Activate Subscription
1. What would you like to do? Choose the option that
applies to you. First time subscribers should
choose the “Create new TaskStream subscription”
option.
2. If you are purchasing by credit card, use Option 1.
Select College/University from this area. If you
have been issued a Key Code, use Option 2.
3. Click Continue to proceed. Follow the directions on
the resulting forms to complete the subscription
purchase or activitation process.
Obtaining Your Login Information
If you purchased your subscription via a credit card, your login information will be
emailed to you no later than the end of the next business day. Please ensure that a
valid email address has been entered so that TaskStream can send your TaskStream
username and password to you. All email addresses are confidential and will not be
made available to third parties. If you are activating your subscription using a key
code, your account information will be sent and ready to be used immediately.
Please note: We suggest that you add the “taskstream-subscriptions@taskstream.com”
email address to your email application’s address book to help ensure that your login
information will be delivered and will not blocked by any spam software/settings that
you may have enabled on your computer
Copyright ©2004 TaskStream. All rights reserved.
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TaskStream Basics
TaskStream Basics
TaskStream Technical Requirements
Since TaskStream is web-based, it requires that subscribers have a computer with an
Internet connection and access to a supported web browser. TaskStream is designed
to perform using both 56K dial-up and broadband connections; however, because
broadband operates at least 15x-50x faster than dial-up, broadband is the preferred
connection type. Our current list of supported web browsers is shown below.
Supported Browsers
PC
Internet Explorer 4.01 and above
Netscape 4.7 and above (except NS 6.0)
AOL 5.0 and above
Optimal Browsers
PC
Netscape 7.0 and above
Internet Explorer 5.0 and above
AOL 9.0
Mac
Internet Explorer 4.5 and above
Netscape 4.7 and above (except NS 6.0)
AOL 5.0 and above
Safari 1.0 and above
Mac
Netscape 7.0 and above
Internet Explorer 5.17 and above
AOL 5 and above (AOL 10.3 for OS X)
Safari 1.2
TaskStream requires certain web technologies that are generally enabled/supported by
most browsers by default, however are important to be aware of. Your browser must
have JavaScript enabled (also some security software must be configured to allow
javascript as well). Many of TaskStream’s tools utilize pop-up windows and therefore if
you have a pop-up blocker installed it must be properly configured or disabled while
working in TaskStream. Please refer to our Technical FAQ available from the Help
Index for more information.
Logging In
Enter the following URL into the
Location or Address field of your web
browser and press enter:
http://www.taskstream.com
The TaskStream login screen will
appear.
Enter your Username and Password
in the Subscriber Login area.
Copyright ©2004 TaskStream. All rights reserved.
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TaskStream Basics
Forgotten Password
If you forget your Username or Password, click the Forgot
your login info? link, located under the Member Login area.
Enter your first and last name, and either your e-mail address
or username (or both). Then click the Go button.
If the information you have entered matches that in our
database, you will get a message that your username and password have been sent to
you via e-mail.
If your information is not available you will be asked to try again or contact Mentoring
Services at 800-311-5656 or at help@taskstream.com.
Navigating TaskStream
After you log into TaskStream you will be taken to your Home Page.
Note: The first time you log in, you will be presented with the TaskStream End User
Agreement. You will then be asked to change your password, and to provide Mentoring
Services with some additional information about yourself.
Navigation Bar
As you navigate the site, the navigation bar will always be present on
the left side of your screen. This allows you to access any part of
TaskStream at any time. The links on the navigation bar are divided into
six sections:
Site Management (appears only for TS Coordinators)
Programs & Resources
Web Publication
Instructional Design (Teaching Productivity Tools)
Communications
General
Notice that the Home link sits at the very top of the navigation bar. As
you explore the site, keep in mind that you can always return to your
Home Page by clicking the Home link.
Copyright ©2004 TaskStream. All rights reserved.
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TaskStream Basics
The Home Page
Each of the five sections on your Home Page corresponds to a set of tools.
Programs
My Programs
Web Publication
Web Folio Builder
Web Page Builder
Resources
Standards Manager
Cybrary
Mybrary
Instructional Design
Unit Builder
Lesson Builder
Rubric Wizard
Communications
Message Center
TS Instant Messenger
Discussion Board
Calendar
Announcements
Note: The Instructional Design tools will only appear if the Teaching Productivity Pack
is enabled.
My Account Information
To access the My Account Information area of
TaskStream, click either the My Account Info link
from the Left Navigational bar or the My Account
Information link from the home page.
The My Account Information page is organized into three separate tabbed sections.
The Subscription Information section contains
information about the organization(s) with
which the account is affiliated, the expiration
date of the subscription, and the number of
logins. The Teaching Productivity Tool Pack
can be enabled or disabled from this area, as
well.
Copyright ©2004 TaskStream. All rights reserved.
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TaskStream Basics
The Personal Information section contains
your personal information. You can change
any of your personal information on this page
by editing the information and then clicking the
Update Account Information button.
The Username & Password section prompts
you to enter your current password to access
a form that enables you to change your
password, password hint, username, and/or
your email address.
Copyright ©2004 TaskStream. All rights reserved.
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TaskStream Programs
TaskStream Programs
A TaskStream program provides the means for a group of subscribers within an
organization to submit work to other members of the organization for review and/or
evaluation. There are two types of programs that you may participate in:
Collaborative Programs and Folio Assessment Programs (part of the Folio
Assessment System).
Programs are created by individuals in your organization (instructors, professors,
leaders, etc.) that have been designated as TS Coordinators. When a TS
Coordinator creates a program, he/she enrolls subscribers and gives them different
roles that define how they will participate in that program. The TS Coordinator then
sets grouping preferences that determine with whom and how different subscribers
participate in the program. Below you will find a description of each program type
and the roles available for that program type. You will also find a FAQ section with
questions and answers to help you find out about the programs you are involved in.
For more detailed information about participating in a program, we encourage you
to visit the Help Index to access numerous online and downloadable help resources
organized by program type and role.
Folio Assessment System
TaskStream’s Folio Assessment System provides the solution for creating, submitting,
managing, and evaluating electronic portfolios. The two primary components of this
system are the Directed Response Folio (DRF) and the Folio Assessment Program.
The DRF is the folio that outlines the requirements and work submissions and is also
the vehicle for submitting and tracking work for evaluation. The Folio Assessment
Program defines and provides the structure for how participating individuals work with
a selected Directed Response Folio (DRF).
Folio Assessment Program Participant Roles
Author
Authors in a Folio Assessment Program are assigned a DRF. The DRF originates from
a template that is created by a program manager and contains a set of tasks that must
be completed and submitted by the author. As the author completes and submits each
task, an assigned or selected evaluator assesses and scores each submission.
Reviewer
The reviewer role is optional in a Folio Assessment Program. If a reviewer is assigned
to a Folio Assessment Program, he/she will be able to give feedback and respond to
the DRFs (and potentially other TaskStream work) that have been shared. However,
Copyright ©2004 TaskStream. All rights reserved.
Version 4.0
TaskStream Programs
he/she is not able to evaluate or score the work submissions. If the program was
created without reviewers, then the Request Feedback feature will not be enabled for
authors.
Evaluator
The evaluator in a Folio Assessment Program is assigned by the program manager to
assess and score the DRF submissions made by the authors.
Collaborative Program
A Collaborative Program is created by a TaskStream Coordinator (often a professor,
instructor, and/or institutional leader) to faciliate the use of the Request
Feedback/Review features by specific subscribers. To participate in a Collaborative
Program, a subscriber must be enrolled by a TaskStream Coordinator into an active
program.
Collaborative Program Participant Roles
Author
An Author can request feedback from any Reviewer(s) in his/her group on web folios,
web pages, and/or other TaskStream work that he/she has created. For each request,
the Author may select which Reviewer(s) from whom he/she would like to request
feedback. The Author can also use the comment area to engage in a dialog with his or
her Reviewer(s).
Reviewer
The Reviewer receives requests for feedback from the Authors in his/her group. The
Reviewer can then comment on any of the submitted work.
Getting Started with Programs FAQs
Knowing the type of TaskStream program you are enrolled in and your role(s) in the
program is useful information if you need additional support. Many of our help
resources are organized by role to help tailor our resources to the specific type of
tasks each role may be involved in. The following FAQs will help you determine the
type of program(s) you are enrolled in and the role(s) you have in that program.
Copyright ©2004 TaskStream. All rights reserved.
TaskStream Programs
Am I enrolled in a Program?
You can tell if you are enrolled in a program by
clicking the My Programs link in the left-hand
navigation menu or the TaskStream home page. If
you are enrolled in a program, you will see a page
similar to the image to the right, listing the programs
you are enrolled in. If you are not enrolled in any
programs, you will see an informational page that
includes some general program information and FAQs.
What type of Program am I enrolled in?
There are two ways to determine the type of program
you are enrolled in. If shortcuts are enabled, the
program type is listed below the program name on the
My Programs home page as illustrated in the image to
the right. You can also click the Overview link to
access information about the program including what
type of TaskStream program it is.
What is my role in the program?
Click the Overview link from the My Programs home page for the program you are
interested in or click the Overview tab if you are already in the My Programs area to
access the overview page. The Overview page includes a table of program-related
information for you including your roles and more detailed role information.
Copyright ©2004 TaskStream. All rights reserved.
Additional Online Support (Help Index)
Additional Online Support (Help Index)
The Help Index contains a collection of resources designed to support your use of
TaskStream. Through the Help Index, you are able to access online help pages,
downloadable site guides, FAQs, and other valuable resources organized by tool or
area of the TaskStream site.
Accessing Resources in the Help Index
The Help Index home page contains several
areas. The Tool Help Pages section
contains pull-down menus from which help
pages for specific areas of the site can be
accessed.
The programs and Resources pull-down
menu provides access to the following help
pages:
•
•
•
•
My Programs
Standards Manager
Cybrary *
Mybrary
The Tools pull-down menu provides access to the following help pages:
• Web Folio Builder
• Web Page Builder
• Unit Builder *
• Lesson Builder *
• Rubric Wizard *
• Message Center
• TS Instant Messenger
• Discussion Board
• Calendar
• Annoucements
The TS Coordinator Tools pull-down menu provides access to the following help pages:
• Curriculum and Resource Management **
• Account Management **
• Communication Management **
• Program Management: Folio Assessment System **
• Program Management: Collaborative **
* These options appear when the Teaching Productivity Pack is enabled.
** These options appear when a subscriber has TS Coordinator privilege.
Copyright ©2004 TaskStream. All rights reserved.
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Additional Online Support (Help Index)
Many of our help pages include FAQs, links
to more specific help pages, and links to
PDF guides that can be saved to your
computer and/or printed out for reference.
Accessing Help for Program
Participants
To access help relating to TaskStream programs,
select the My Programs option in the Programs
and Resources pull-down from the Help Home
page.
General program information is presented at the
top of the page with specific help for
Collaborative Programs and Folio Assessment
Programs following.
Note: If you are unsure of the type of
TaskStream program you are participating in and
what your role is click the My Programs link in
the left-hand navigation menu and access the
Overview page of the program you are
interested in.
Click any of the role-specific links to access
FAQs, links to specific help pages, and
downloadable resources for the particular role.
Depending upon what types of work you will
produce and use in a program environment, you
may want to refer to specific tool help resources.
For example, if you need to create a Web Page,
you may want to refer to the Web Page Builder
help area for more information.
Copyright ©2004 TaskStream. All rights reserved.
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Additional Online Support (Help Index)
There are two sources of support that are generally available to you. You have the
support provided by TaskStream and that which is provided by the organization you are
participating in. To receive the fastest and most effective support, you will want to
direct your inquiries to the most appropriate source. TaskStream’s materials and
resources are designed to address any technical and feature inquiries you might have
to support your use of our tools. How an organization employs our open and flexible
toolset is unique and specific to that organization’s needs. If you have any questions
about, content, assignments, goals, or activities as they relate to your work in a
particular organization, we encourage you to contact a local program leader (instructor,
professor, colleague, and/or administrator) for help.
Copyright ©2004 TaskStream. All rights reserved.
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