New Technology from Taskstream Successfully Supports Multi-State, Faculty-Driven Assessment Initiative Led by AAC&U and SHEEO

NEW YORK, Oct. 1, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Taskstream, the leading provider of assessment and e-portfolio technology to improve student learning and institutional quality at higher education institutions, announced that the technology it debuted as the chosen technical partner for the Multi-State Collaborative to Advance Learning Outcomes Assessment (MSC) successfully supported the pilot study and was praised for its ease-of-use in a survey conducted with project participants.

With support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO), and the Multi-State Collaborative to Advance Learning Outcomes Assessment (MSC) selected Taskstream as the technical partner to pilot a new model for learning outcomes assessment using the AAC&U VALUE rubrics.

Building on over 15 years of experience providing assessment management solutions, Taskstream debuted a new scoring system and data repository for project participants that featured a streamlined user experience, responsive design, high-performing scalable architecture, and interactive performance reports that display powerful data visualizations in real-time.

In its pilot year, the MSC engaged over 150 faculty from 59 two- and four-year institutions across 9 states. Representatives from participating institutions successfully added assignments and scored over 7,500 pieces of student work (learning artifacts) in the system. Faculty evaluators, trained and calibrated on the VALUE rubrics by AAC&U, scored the student work samples. Taskstream delivered all of the resulting data to the project leads for analysis within the specified timeframe.

Julie Carnahan, Vice President of SHEEO and Project Director of the MSC said, "Taskstream has been a fantastic partner in helping us realize our vision for the Pilot Study work.  They were always receptive to our requests on what we needed for the MSC platform, responsive to our feedback, and patient at times when the MSC participants didn't always agree or know what we needed or wanted.  At the end of the day, the application Taskstream created is intuitive, dynamic, and user friendly.  We also appreciate that what Taskstream has designed will grow with the MSC as we expand and scale our work to include many more states and institutions.  Our partnership with Taskstream is one we plan to continue for many years to come".

Taskstream surveyed project participants upon completion of the pilot study and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Ninety-seven percent of faculty scorers who responded shared positive feedback about their scoring experience and found the technology to be easy-to-use. A faculty scorer from a four-year institution noted, "Taskstream took any concerns about technology out of the scoring experience!" Another faculty scorer from a two-year institution said, "Taskstream was great. It was an easy system to use, understand, and navigate."

Taskstream looks forward to its continued partnership with the MSC, AAC&U, and SHEEO in the next phase of this initiative – which has already expanded to include additional states and institutions.

"We are honored to be a part of this important work and are delighted by the positive feedback from our partners at AAC&U and SHEEO and the participating institutions," noted Taskstream's president, Webster Thompson. "We have not only delivered scalable technology to facilitate the work, but have demonstrated that the technology can streamline the process and provide an experience for faculty scorers that is engaging."

In addition to supporting the MSC, Taskstream has continued to expand the capabilities of this new system to support similar assessment initiatives. This innovative, easy-to-use technology is now available for use at individual institutions, within states, and among other consortia through Taskstream's latest product offering – Aqua by Taskstream™.

About Taskstream
Taskstream provides proven, reliable, and user-friendly technology and supporting services that help institutions focus more clearly on improving student learning outcomes and institutional quality.

Contact
Courtney Peagler
Vice President of Strategic and Business Development
(212) 868-2700
[email protected]

SOURCE Taskstream

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