This is the first in a series of posts describing some work funded by Microsoft. We are posting in this format to invite reader comment and trackback. The work described below is an example of a learning portfolio, and this post is our problem statement.

Individuals and institutions are often asked to provide a record of their accomplishments, whether to show progress in mastering a field or to document educational outcomes. E-portfolios have emerged as a valuable online tool that learners, faculty, and institutions can use to collect, store, update, and share information. E-portfolios allow students to reflect on their learning, communicate with instructors, document credentials, and provide potential employers with examples of their work. Faculty use teaching e-portfolios to easily capture and share teaching and learning methods, both to advance pedagogy and for promotions and tenure. Colleges and universities use institutional e-portfolios to provide accessible, persistent collections of data, analyses, and samples of student and faculty achievement that demonstrate institutional success.