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Creating an e-Portfolio

All Pathways Program students will create a type of e-Portfolio called a webfolio, which is a webpage that you can make accessible to the public. In the fall, the e-Portfolio is focused on reflection, and is part of your personal, academic and professional growth. It will be viewed by Pathways Program staff and administrators, and anyone else you want to share it with. In the spring, your e-Portfolio is designed to be shared with potential employers, professors, and administrators, as well as family, friends, and anyone else you’d like to share it with. You will receive a $500 stipend per semester for completion of the e-Portfolio assignment in the fall or spring. This document will guide you to:

I. Create an account in Taskstream, our e-Portfolio platform II. Log on to your Taskstream account

III. Create an e-Portfolio. IV. Add content to your e-Portfolio V. Share your e-Portfolio with us

VI. Complete the assignment VII. Receive a stipend

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Part I: Creating your account in Taskstream Your Taskstream username will be your VCCS email address without the @email.vccs.edu part. For example, if your email address is mvh1234@email.vccs.edu, then your Taskstream username will be mvh1234. Creating a password and logging on:

1. Find the email in your xxxx@email.vccs.edu inbox from Taskstream titled “Taskstream by Watermark Confirmation” and open it.

2. Follow the confirmation link to complete your account information and personalize password.

3. Continue and log on to Taskstream. 4. After you have a Taskstream username and password, you can go to watermarkinsights.com/signon and select “Taskstream” button

(bottom left) to log on.

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Part II: Logging on to your Taskstream e-Portfolio

1. Go to watermarkinsights.com/signon/ and select the “Taskstream” button to log on

2. Use the username and password that you have set up with Taskstream

3. If you ever have trouble logging on, you can reset your password by selecting the “Get Help” or “Login assistance” at https://login.taskstream.com/signon/, or by calling the Taskstream helpdesk at (800) 311-5656 (Mon-Thur 8am-9pm, Fri 8am-7pm, Sun 510pm). They are quite willing and able to assist you with any technological issues. The helpdesk can also help you with technical issues.

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Part III: Creating your e-Portfolio

1) Log in to your Taskstream account (https://www.watermarkinsights.com/signon/)

2) Select FOLIOS & WEB PAGES in the upper lefthand corner.

3) Click on the blue CREATE NEW button in the upper righthand corner.

4) Create a title for your e-Portfolio (this will be visible to anyone you share your e-Portfolio with and should be a professional title) and click

CREATE NEW button.

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5) Select “General Purpose Templates (created by Taskstream)” and “Showcase Portfolio” and click the CONTINUE button.

6) Choose a theme that you like (You can explore and change this later too, if you want.) and change the layout and color if you wish.

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7) Click APPLY in the upper righthand corner

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Part IV: Adding content to your e-Portfolio

1) Select “Edit content” tab.

The e-Portfolio template already has pre-made titles, but you’ll want to either rename them to your own titles or get rid of the pre-made titles and create your own. In the fall, the titles you create will be your four reflections. In the spring, the titles you create will be elements from your e-Portfolio assignment, such as “About Me,” “Academic and Professional Goals and Interests,” or “Resume.” You can add these all now, or one at a time later.

Pre-made titles Example of what your titles might look like after you change them

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a) To rename a title: Click on the title you want to rename (such as “Biographical Essay”) and select the “Rename” button on the right, then give your area a new title (such as “About Me”).

You don’t have to include a descriptor, though you can if you’d like. When you’re done renaming, click APPLY CHANGES.

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b) To add or delete titles: You’ll do this by using the “Add Area” and “Delete Area,” buttons. To add a title, you will need to select the name of

your e-Portfolio (in the example below, the e-Portfolio is PP Example), and then click “Add Area.” You’ll then give your new area a title and click CREATE. You can also create subtitles by clicking on an area you’ve already created and adding a new area under that. To delete a title, select the title and click the “Delete Area” button and click OK.

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c) To move a title: Select the title you want to move (such as “Biographical Essay”) and click on “Move Area.” You’ll then select where you want to move that title by clicking on PASTE in the area where you want it to go.

After that, you’ll be given the option of placing the new area above, below, or within the title you selected. Make your selection and click SUMBIT.

d) Once you have your own titles, you can add content to or edit any of the areas by clicking on the title and then editing or adding text &

image. (Be sure to include images in your e-Portfolio !) You can preview your e-Portfolio anytime by selecting “PREVIEW” in the upper lefthand corner.

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Part V: Sharing your e-Portfolio In order for anyone to see your e-Portfolio, you must publish it. Don’t worry: you can continue to edit and add to your e-Portfolio after you’ve published it. Please share your e-Portfolio with us as soon as you’ve finished creating it.

1) Go to the Publish/Share tab on the upper righthand side and select the PUBLISH button.

2) Create your customized web address and decide whether you want your e-Portfolio to be password-protected. (If you make it password-protected, you will need to give the password, along with the web address, with anyone you want to share your e-Portfolio with. Be sure you use a password that can be shared.) Click “Publish.” (Remember: You can continue to make changes to your e-Portfolio after you’ve published it.)

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3) Copy your URL (your address) and email it (and your password if you’ve chosen to password-protect your e-Portfolio) to the following people:

a. Micol Hutchison—mhutchison@vccs.edu b. Ian Coyle—coylei@vcu.edu c. Kirstin Pantazis (Tyler) kpantazis@jtcc.edu or Paul Williams (Reynolds) pwilliams@reynolds.edu

Your e-Portfolio address—copy this and paste it into an email!

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Part VII: Completing the assignment

e-Portfolio Assignment for Fall 2020 By the end of the semester, your e-Portfolio will have four entries, and all of them will have been revised during the semester. Each entry will be a reflective response to one of the prompts we provide. There will be a new prompt provided every two weeks. All prompts will be in the weekly newsletter. You do not have to respond to every prompt, and you can go back to respond to earlier prompts if you wish. Your entries should be thoughtful and authentic. We will have optional office hours for tech or assignment assistance Thursday, 9/10 (12-1), Friday, 9/11 (8:30-10), and Monday, 9/14 (2-3)

e-Portfolio Timeline

o By Friday, 9/18: Create a new e-Portfolio or add “Reflections Fall 2020” button to your existing e-Portfolio o By Friday, 9/18: Email your e-Portfolio address to mhutchison@vccs.edu o By Friday, 10/9: Complete entries for at least 2 e-Portfolio prompts o Between Monday, 10/12 and Friday, 10/30: Attend individual appointment with Prof. Sam Emswiler o By Sunday, 11/1: Revise first 2 e-Portfolio entries o By Friday, 11/13: Complete entries for 2 more e-Portfolio prompts o Week of 11/30: Attend and share at informal e-Portfolio showcase o By Friday, 12/4: Revise all 4 e-Portfolio entries

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Part VI: Receiving a stipend To receive the $500 stipend for Fall 2020, students must: *If you anticipate problems with completing any of these requirements, please reach out as soon as possible to a transfer coach or coordinator or the director to discuss.

To maintain status in the program and receive the stipend, Pathways Program students must do the following in fall semester*

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o Enroll in at least 6 credits o Maintain or make progress towards a 2.5 GPA o Meet two times with Transfer Coach and/or Transfer Coordinator o Attend Application Day (if eligible and not attended in Fall 2019)

Attend at least one event per week (9/14/20 – 12/4/20, no events week of 11/23), from the following: o Virtual event/discussion o Folio Café o e-Portfolio Reflection Consultation (required of all students, by appointment, October 9 - 29) o Putting the Humanities to Work panel o e-Portfolio showcase (last week of session) o Book group

Important notes: a) Some e-Portfolio prompts are connected to virtual events, so you should plan to attend at least one virtual event by 9/25. b) Not all types of events will be held every week. The schedule for the upcoming week is in the Friday newsletter and on the webpage. Please plan ahead. c) We understand that there are sometimes circumstances beyond your control. If you foresee a week when you will not be able to attend an event, please let us know in

advance so that we can schedule an alternate time for you.

Complete e-Portfolio assignment in timeline provided