One for all and all for one

From Elearning

Contents 1 Pattern Name - One for all and all for one 2 Challenge 3 Solution 4 Implementation 5 Risks

Pattern Name - One for all and all for one

Abbreviated to "OFA+AFO"

Challenge

Combining individual tasks with group interaction.

For example, we often want students to use a blog to do some individual reflective work, such as developing a research focus. At the same time, we want give them a sense of being part of an intellectual community. This can lead to a dilemma, since the first objective is more suited to having a single blog for each student, while the second objective would seem to require a group blog to encourage students to read and comment on each other's posts.

Solution

1. One for all - Create a single blog for each student
2. All for one - Show them how to use a web feed aggregator to display the web feeds of all their classmates' blogs.

Implementation

Any blog that generates a web feed can be used for this pattern. (Unfortunately, the blog function within WebCT doesn't generate a web feed, and so can't be used in this way.)

Any feed aggregator can be used. Some popular options are

• Netvibes
• Google Reader
• Google homepage
• My Yahoo
• Bloglines.

For more information, see the Web feeds tool page.

Risks

The students may simply not return to the aggregated feeds after the exercise is complete. This is particularly likely if students are not familiar with web feed aggregators, and there is no other component of the course that requires them to use an aggregator.

One way of ameliorating this risk is by rewarding weaving posts that summarise a range of classmate's opinions.

Another way is by populating the same aggregator page with other professional web feeds (e.g. from journals or sources) that students will need to respond to. This will give them another reason to look at the aggregator, and encourage them to respond to others' comments on the same sources.