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Helen Barrett has worked in both K-12 and Higher Education Although this blog post was written in 2010, finding resources and support for eP development in K-12 seems clear. "K-12 has little to no funding for ePortfolio..." "The K-12 culture is very different from higher education. Professional development is very different, their reasons for implementing ePortfolios are different, and the tools/strategies they use are also different. Most schools don't have the level of technology support that you will find in most higher ed institutions (unless they are a private or international school). The time constraints are also very different. They squeeze in PD in one- and two-hour blocks. But from my observations from the Intermediate (middle) school that I visited in New Zealand, it is the small incremental trainings on a regular basis (before and after school) that makes a difference in how well teachers implement technology in teaching and students' learning."

Helen Barrett shares a great chart which compares the two most common purposes of ePortfolios, Learning or Reflection, and Showcasing or Accountability.

Helen Barrett, a pioner in ePorfolios shares an ePortfolio of her own documenting her thoughts on the subject through articles she wrote over the course of 15 years. The articles document the evolution of ePortfolios into what we have today.

Helen Barrett, Grandmother of ePortfolios postulates a discusson about using ePortfolios in college and career counseling. From the National Educational Technology Plan: "Technology also gives students opportunities for taking ownership of their learning. Student-managed electronic learning portfolios can be part of a persistent learning record and help students develop the self-awareness required to set their own learning goals, express their own views of their strengths, weaknesses, and achievements, and take responsibility for them. Educators can use them to gauge students' development, and they also can be shared with peers, parents, and others who are part of students' extended network. (p.12)"

Helen Barret (pioneer in electronic portfolios) does not like ePs used for assessment or as high stakes test replacements. Her samples and thoughts are an important part of the eP conversation, but you must recognize her point of view and the larger context that ePs are now used in/for.

Before embarking on an ePortfolio journey, teacher/school must decide the purpose... based on the needs, the design and learning outcomes will differ.