Taking assessment as an example: The PLE would contain a collection of (organised) knowledge – networks, links, material gathered, personal thoughts, ideas, notes. The actual assessment, whatever form, could be ‘taken’ / produced in the PLE. The e-portfolio would consist of the product of assessment and reflection on the process, feedback from tutor/peers, personal reflection on the feedback. These aspects would feed into the planning process.

Couldn’t the e-portfolio just be another aspect of the PLE with the learner using whatever e-portfolio tool best suits the purpose?

I see a PLE as the extension of the piles of notes I’ve accumulated … but not the sole holder. I was doing some work at the weekend – a computer just can’t replace a wonderfully large blank sheet, a nice pencil – at just the right point between too sharp & too blunt (& rubber when required!) There are other things, though, such as organising resources, that a computer based PLE makes *much* easier.

In the same way, when I’m ready to share my work with others, an online way of doing it is great. Sometimes, such as my main blog, it’s more or less the same as the PLE. At other times, e.g. my “other” blog, it’s a little more hidden, has things that are kept private until they’re ready to be published.

Ideally, as I say, neither should be institutionally based, however, i can see that an ePortfolio (as long as it has export facilities) as being more appropriate for being institutionally based, as they often are assessment based (here are memories of coursework folders on my MSc, and art folders from O-level; both of which had to be made available to examiners). But, both the coursework folder & the art folder were of a format that once the examiner had done with them, I could take them home. ePortfolios have to have that portability.

Today it is more, or at least, as important to show that you ‘know-how’ than what you actually ‘know’. This is for me one of the most critical skills one has to have these days – to show one is able to learn and is flexible and open enough to engage with different realities / groups/ communities / resources, etc, to achieve whatever they have to achieve ….
Could we say PLEs is the aggregation of all those places where learning spontaneously happens as part of those interactions/learning relationships …?

I am not a PLE expert – I am not an expert on anything, period!- but the question is: Can PLEs be developed by a group of techies? If yes, will it have a definite structure? How flexible will it be?

The way I see it, my PLE is what I want it to be – or better – the sites, the resources, the communities, the individuals, the readings, the new toys, etc, which I decide to make relevant for my growth as an individual and as a professional. My PLE might be meaningful for someone else besides me, but it might also be total irrelevant for others.
Can we say my PLE is where my diffuse presence and self wander – it changes from time to time, according to my mood, willing, interests, needs, etc; whereas my eportfolio is my structured self… a kind of retreat, where I meditate about what I have acquired from all of those online and on-site scattered places, and what I have learned with and from all those individuals I establish learning bonds with.

I like Jenny’s play with words about eportfolios as representation of knowledge. It is always great when you guys get us thinking.