In its short and dynamic history, the ePortfolio has rapidly moved from the status of simple paperless portfolio to sophisticated ePortfolio Management Systems. Today, the explosion of new social practices emerging from the use of new media, such as social networks and what is commonly referred to as Web 2.0, tends to blur the frontiers of ePortfolios. This will have an impact on the technology developed by ePortfolio Management System suppliers, as well as on the standards for making them interoperable with related information systems.
Is MySpace an ePortfolio? Is 43things an ePortfolio? Is Elgg really an ePortfolio? What is the relationship between an ePortfolio and an ePortfolio Management System? What standards do we need to make ePortfolios interoperable? What ePortfolio parts shouldn't be made interoperable?
The objective of this position paper is to describe an ePortfolio architecture where the response to these questions will be offered, providing a pathway for innovation and standardisation, keeping the power of free personalised expression and interoperability. This will be done through the description of an ePortfolio enabled environment based on the interaction between ePortfolios, personal ePortfolio organisers and organisational ePortfolio Management Systems.