ORLANDO, Jan. 28, 2005 — TaskStream, a leading provider of Web-based education
tools to colleges, said today it will underwrite an international research
project on the impact of electronic portfolios on learning, engagement and
motivation in secondary schools. The company said it will provide free
electronic portfolio software to up to 50,000 students for the length of the
two-year study.
The project director is Helen Barrett, Ph.D., an internationally recognized
expert in electronic portfolios who has been researching educational strategies
and technologies for e-portfolios since 1991. Dr. Barrett is co-director of the
International Society for Technology in Education’s PT3 Catalyst Grant
Assessment Project. A faculty member at University of Alaska Anchorage, she is
also a former director of staff development at North Star Borough School
District in Fairbanks.
The study, called The REFLECT Initiative, was launched at the Florida
Educational Technology Conference, where the project’s organizers began
recruiting school districts to participate.
“Electronic portfolios allow students to demonstrate their knowledge and think
about their work in a way that appeals to both their creativity and their
comfort with digital media,” said Dr. Barrett. “This study, which is
unprecedented in scope, will examine how e-portfolios foster engagement and
reflection in the learning process.”
“TaskStream is pleased to underwrite Helen’s important work in electronic
portfolios,” said Kevin Doyle, the company’s CEO. “We are committed to support
research in this important field and develop solutions that are driven by
research and experience.”
Applications are due by April 21, and applicants will be notified of their
participation status in May. Project training will occur in regional workshops
during the summer and at on-site visits in the fall. Additional information,
including a formal project description and Invitation to Participate, can be
found at www.taskstream.com/reflect.
| About TaskStream--For over a decade, TaskStream (www.taskstream.com) has pioneered advancements in educational excellence and has been committed to helping meet educational performance challenges by providing Web-based solutions that enhance community, increase collaboration and support learner-centered education across the organization. TaskStream’s solutions can be customized to meet the needs of the individual learner or teacher/instructor in any of the following markets: higher education, secondary education, and professional and skills training in the corporate, government and not-for-profit sectors. |
Press Contact:
Lyn Cooperman
71 W 23rd Street, 14th Floor
New York, NY 10010
Ph: 212-868-2700
Fax: 212-868-2947
lcooperman@taskstream.com
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