Creating a Learning Task

Creating a Learning Task

Overview

You can create Learning Tasks in three locations, Class Pages, Subject Pages and School Resources.  You can create a Learning Task from scratch or via one of your school's Learning Task templates.  Using a Learning Task template allows you to have the foundation of the Learning Task already configured for you, you can still edit all aspects but it is an efficient way to create Learning Tasks which use a consistent structure.

Creating a Learning Task on a class page will set it as a class task.
Creating a task on a subject page will set it as a subject-wide Learning Task and all classes within that subject will complete this same task.  The intended purpose of the Learning Task needs to be considered because once a Learning Task is created you cannot change whether it is a class task or a subject-wide task.

Learning Tasks created in School Resources remain there ongoing and can be used as needed by classes and subjects.  When the Learning Task is pushed to a class, it will then be a class task; likewise if the Learning Task is pushed from School Resources to a subject, it will be a subject-wide task.  The original Learning Task remains in School Resources to be used again as needed, essentially the 'pushed' task is a copy of the original task.  Any edits you make to the task on either the class or subject page will not affect the original task stored in School Resources.

Creating a Learning Task

To create a Learning Task on a class page, go to the Learning Task tab on the class page and choose either 'Add Learning Task' or 'Add Learning Task from Template'.
     

To create a Learning Task on a subject page (a subject-wide task), go to the Learning Task tab on the subject page and choose either 'Add Learning Task' or 'Add Learning Task from Template'.

     

To create a Learning Task in School Resources go to the Teaching and Learning menu (pencil icon) and click 'School Resources'.  Locate the folder you want to add the Learning Task to and right click the folder.  Choose the 'Add Content' option and then select either 'Learning Task' or "Learning Task From Template'.
     

Note: For staff to be able to add content to folders in School Resources, the folder needs the staff ability to edit enabled.
     

Please refer to the 'School Resources and School Documentation' article from our Knowledge Base for further details.

Basic Tab

If you created the task from scratch the basic tab will not contain any content initially; if you created the task from a template, there may already be content or settings in place.  You can edit any existing content/settings.


     

This tab is where you specify the details of the Learning Task including the name, category, due date and time, instructions and add any attachments required. You can enter instructions or the details of the assignment in the large box on the left. You can use the various formatting options available above the box to format the description, including standard text formatting, adding tables, equations, and embedding music or video files.


Security

In the column to the right, you can set the security levels for the task. This determines who can see and/or interact with the Learning Task. To toggle the settings on or off, just click on the red cross icons to change them to green ticks or vice versa.

Task VisibleAbility for students and parents to view the task. This setting allows staff to set up tasks within Compass and choose when they are published to the students and parents.
ConversationControls the ability for parents and students to comment on the task.
Allow SubmissionAllow students to submit their tasks online through Compass. (Please note, this row will be greyed out until a submission component is added on the Components tab.)
Grading VisibleThe ability to control whether students and parents can view grading results for the task. This allows staff members to enter the student's results piecemeal and then publish all of the results together.  Only grading components set as visible to Parents/Student on the Components tab will become visible when this setting is on.


Component Summary

This is where any included grading components will display.  When creating the task from scratch this will be empty until you work through the Components tab of the Learning Task.

Additional Options

If the 'SMS (Late or Overdue)' checkbox is ticked, the student's primary parent will receive an SMS if the student has not submitted the Learning Task by the selected due date.  Please click here to see our SMS Knowledge Base article for associated costs.

You can tick the box to flag the task as important.  When viewing the Learning Task tab, the flag will display.


Attachments

You can upload a file to include with the Learning Task.  For school's with Google or Office Drive integration enabled, the option to select a file from your drive will also be accessible here by clicking the 'Pick From' button.

Components Tab

The Components section is where you add the grading schema against which the students will be assessed, as well as allow the students the option to submit their work via file upload.
     

Clicking the '+ Add Component' button opens a list of available submission components, grading components, calculated grading components, and rubrics. To see any rubrics here you must have added them to your Subject Resources. For further information on Rubrics in Compass please see the 'Rubrics' Knowledge Base article.

     

You can add multiple grading components by clicking the 'plus' icon for the component.  This will add it to the 'Components' section on the right.

For example if you wanted to have students upload a Draft and a Final version of their assignment, you would click the 'File Upload' component twice.
     

Please note if you want to allow online submission for the Learning Task you need to have added at leas one of the Submission Components.
If you wanted to have a feedback comment for the Draft and another comment for the Final version, you would click the 'Comment' component twice.

     
     
Once you've added a component you can click the Edit button (pencil icon) to edit certain aspects of the grading component. 

     

  • Name - This is the Name of the Grading Component and the title as it appears to students and parents both on Compass and on the Semester Report (if the task is included on reports) i.e. if you have two Submission components, you might like to rename one to 'Draft' and the other to 'Final'.  If you have two Comment components, you might like to rename one to 'Feedback for Submitted Draft' and the other 'Feedback'.
  • Column Heading - The name of the component on the Grid View of the Learning Tasks tab. You can leave it blank for the default heading or change this to something else for ease of viewing in Grid View. (e.g. a shorter name).
  • Other options - depending on the grading component you are editing you may have other options available below this. For example if the Number component is being edited you can set a Minimum and Maximum number. Editing a Comment grading component gives you the option to set the maximum number of characters. We recommend checking the Edit menu on all the components you choose to add to ensure there are no settings you wish to alter, even if you're content with the Name and Column Heading fields as is.
  • Self Assessment - If you tick that option, that specific component is then completed by the student and not the teacher. When you are ready for students to complete their component, you will need to set the Self Assessment to 'Open' and then when viewing the Learning Task via their student portal, the task will have an additional tab for the student to add their response for any included self assessment components.  You can include as many student assessed components as needed.  You can also then include this on Semester Reports if required.  Please refer to the 'Learning Task Self Assessment' article from our Knowledge Base for further details.
Self Assessment Student View Example:
 
There are also a range of Calculated Grading components that you can use to calculate results based on this task or other tasks (depending on the type of Calculated component you select).

When you click the 'plus' icon to select a Calculated Grading Component, a pop-up will display allowing you to configure the calculation.  

     

On the Settings tab you can edit the Name and make selections dependant on the Calculated component you selected.  On the Components tab you configure the calculation details and the Rules tab details how the specific Calculated Grading Component you have selected works.

Click 'Accept' when you have completed the information required for the Calculated component.

When you have finished adding all the Grading Components for your Learning Task, click 'Ok' in the bottom right corner.

     

This will take you back to the Components tab of your Learning Task with a summary of the Components you have selected.

     

From the Components tab you can also edit the Staff Access to each grading component using the dropdown menu at the right.


Edit - Staff can see this grading component, and enter and edit results for it.

Read-only - Staff can see this grading component but cannot enter or edit results for it.

Hidden - Staff cannot see this grading component and are not aware it is on the task.


You can also set which Grading Components are visible to Parents/Students when the Grading Visible option in the Learning Task's security matrix is enabled.  The default setting for newly added components is 'Hidden'.

     

  • Students & Parents - Both Students and Parents will see this result.
  • Parents Only - Students will not see this result.
  • Students Only - Parents will not see this result.
  • Hidden - Neither parents or students will see this result.


Based on the above image, when the security matrix (see below image) for the Learning Task is set to Grading Visible for Parents and Students, both would see the Feedback, only Students would see the Draft Feedback and neither Parents or Students would see the Result.
     


Student Tab

The next step when creating your Learning Task is the Student tab.

        

If you have created the Learning Task on a class page, all enrolled students in the class will default to being included in the Learning Task.
If the Learning Task was created on the a subject page, all enrolled students in classes for that subject will default to being included in the task.

When you create a Learning Task in School Resources, because the task is not yet associated with a class or subject, there is no Student tab.  This will be added when the task is pushed to a class or subject.

If a student is exempt from completing a particular Learning Task, they can be excluded from that task by ensuring that the red cross shows in the right-hand column next to their name. All students showing the green tick in the right-hand column will be assessed in the task. To change whether a student should or should not be assessed against the Learning Task, you will need to click on the icon to change it from a green tick to a red cross or vice versa and then click save.

Students who are no longer enrolled in a class associated with the subject can still be included in the Learning Task. It is important that if they were originally included in the Learning Task, then stopped attending the class or school, that the student remains included in the Learning Task, especially if the Learning Task has been included in Semester reports.


Reporting Tab

If the task is not being included in Semester Reports you do not need to add any information for this tab and the configuration process for the task is complete.  You can click 'Save' and the Learning Task will be added to your class page, subject page or School Resources depending on where you have created it from.

If you need to configure the Learning Task for inclusion in Semester Reports, the process differs slightly between doing so on a class or subject page, and doing so in School Resources.


Class or Subject Page

When the Learning Task is created on the class or subject page, the Reporting tab will be predominantly greyed out initially.  To include the task in Semester Reports, first select the Reporting cycle (or cycles) you would like the task included in.

     

When you have chose the cycle, or cycles, the other sections on the tab will become accessible.  You also have the option to have the Learning Task title different on the Report to what it may have been named at the class/subject level if needed.

     

Select the Display type from the drop-down.  Depending on the type selected, the Components section will then need to be configured and you may have the option to add a Task Summary Description to include in the Semester Report.  For details on each of the Display options, please see the 'Learning Task Display Types in Semester Reports' article from our Knowledge Base.
Please Note: When the Display Type is set as 'Task Summary' you will see a setting option 'Disable layout changes for Primary Grading component'.  When enabled (ticked), the report layout will not adjust any report layout settings to indicate that there is a Primary Grading component (if one has been set for the task).  This allows you to use the feature of the Primary Grading component for the Learning Task without it impacting the way the task will display in a report.
When you have chosen your layout and configured the other aspects, click 'Save' and you Learning Task will be created.



School Resources

When you view the Reporting tab in a Learning Task you are creating in School Resource, you will not have the option to select a Semester Reporting cycle as the task is not yet associated with a class or subject.  You can however select the option to have the Learning Task included in reports which will allow you to configure the layout you require when in a Semester Report.  

     

When you have chosen your layout and configured the other aspects, click 'Save' and you Learning Task will be created. When the task is being pushed to a class or subject, there is the option at that time to select the applicable Semester Reporting cycle or cycles for it to be included in.

     

You can edit aspects on each tab of the Learning Task if needed.  For details on managing an existing Learning Task, please see the 'Learning Tasks' article from our Knowledge Base.

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