I'm often being asked if I can show examples of effective e-Potrfolios. And that is not so easy.

So I was delighted when Cristina Costa sent me the url to 2007 Senior Portfolios. The e-Portfolios were produce through the Key Learning Community who explain their mission as to "research and develop innovative practices in teaching to celebrate diversity in our population and our communities and to personalize education by building upon each student's strengths in the following intellectual areas: Linguistic, Musical, Logical-Mathematical, Spatial, Bodily-Kinesthetic, Naturalistic, Interpersonal and Intrapersonal."

As part of Key's graduation requirements, seniors must complete a portfolio documenting their growth over 4 years. This year, for the first time, the portfolios are web-based and available for viewing.

Its a great example of the creative use of e-Portfolios. And it neatly illustrates another dilemma in developing both e-Portfolios and Personal Learning environments. These e-Portfolio have been developed using Apple iLife software, which for all its limitations, is great for multimedia and is based on services layers between the different applications.

I am always caught by the dilemma between viewing the PLE as a collection of everyday software tools, and thus a process or approach, and the bundled (usually web) application seeking some sort of tool integration to make life easy for the user.