OnTrack
OnTrack is a comprehensive tool that provides students with a task-oriented approach to building a portfolio of evidence to demonstrate their learning and seek feedback on performance. While OnTrack can be employed in any discipline and is integrated with Deakin’s student administrative system, it is popular in Information Technology disciplines.
OnTrack allows users to:
- Work toward their self-determined learning goals and targeted grade
- Follow a workflow and track their progress on learning
- Request and receive targeted formative feedback
- Progressively build a portfolio to demonstrate achievement against observable learning outcomes
AI elements
OnTrack does not currently leverage AI features.
OnTrack offers teachers a streamline process for facilitating student learning and assessment tasks.
List of functions
Key features of OnTrack are:
- Portfolio approach using portfolio assessment
- Tasks aligned to learning outcomes;
- Customisable profile within OnTrack; and
- Indicative grade based on student input.
Recommendations for using OnTrack are:
- Portfolio to store, organise and reflect on and share items that evidence student learning
Support resources
Deakin Resources:
OnTrack: a comprehensive suite of guides for users to set up and use OnTrack in their unit.
OnTrack student resources: a suite of video resources to guide students using OnTrack in their unit
OnTrack staff and student support email: ontrack-support@deakin.edu.au
Examples
The use cases below showcase some ways in which you can use OnTrack in your practice:
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Knowledge Acquisition
Scaffold knowledge acquisition – support progressive demonstration of knowledge
As a teacher I can monitor my students’ interaction with their learning tasks across the unit and provided regular and targeted formative feedback which they can use to improve their learning.
My students can self-determine their learning goals and target grade, which will then set up their workflow of tasks to complete. When completing their tasks, students nominate specific areas they would like feedback on from their tutor or teacher, and use their completed tasks to build a portfolio for summative assessment and feedback.
Example design considerations when creating content using OnTrack:
- Allow time for the teaching team to design authentic learning tasks that meaningfully represent grade variations (e.g. students choosing a ‘Pass’ learning pathway will still need to achieve the intended Unit Learning Outcomes; those choosing a ‘Distinction’ pathways will also need to pass Credit and Distinction extension tasks).
- Plan for providing regular, quality feedback in response to student task submissions, where time savings from using an intuitive system can be transferred to time of formulating feedback.
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Practice
Scaffold practice – facilitate students’ application of knowledge to practice and evaluate students’ evidence of practice
As a teacher I can support my students to progressively gain mastery across a unit of study through iterative goal-oriented practice opportunities to demonstrate their skills and receive meaningful feedback.
My students can apply knowledge to practice in a series of goal-oriented tasks, reflect on their progressively completed tasks and feedback received, to ultimately build a portfolio of evidence.
Example design considerations learning through practice using OnTrack:
- Provide tasks (embedded in OnTrack) with clear practice goals to motivate students to meaningfully apply their learning.
- Provide regular meaningful feedback using the OnTrack feedback features including responding to students’ direct requests for feedback on specific areas of learning.
- Offer opportunities for students to act on feedback so they can review their practice and evidence modulation of their practice in other tasks.
- Promote the reflection on practice features in OnTrack. This includes during portfolio creation time, when students can justify their own summative grade and match evidence from their range of practice tasks and add any additional evidence of practice.
