New Feature Release - Forum

After a month of hardwork, forum is finally released. You can add Forum as one of the templates to Activities.

What do I use it for?

Forum is teacher-centered and good for formal learning
Forum is useful as part of the learning sequence that is designed by the mentor. It flows with the other activites on the folder content page. Only a mentor can add a forum to the folder content page. However, he has the option to allow mentees and guest to add topic.

Other uses of forum
Forum can be used to organise icebreakers such as My Favorite URL, Online Bingo, etc
Forum can be used as a workspace for them to share information regaring a certain assignment, eg research for a composition on a visit to Chinatown.
Forum can be used for online debate debate.
Forum can be used as a collaboration workspace for them to work on an assignment together.

And I am sure you can think of more...

When do I use blog, conversation or forum?

Conversation is learner-centred and good for informal learning
As for Conversation, these are good for informal discussions, that are outside of the learning sequence like where shall we go for our outing next week etc. Conversation is learner-centered tool as learners can initiate any discussion on within or without the curriculum.

Blog is learner-centered and good for sharing of reflections.
Blog is a learner-centered tool, meaning learners can initiate a blog to share any of their reflections, learning journey etc. The authors main aim is sharing and not discussing about an issue.

Other uses of Blog
In the context of learning English where mentees are ask to blog specifically about a topic, in that case it is initiated by the Mentor

There is really no hard and fast rules. What we share are just the orginal intent of the design. Do post any ideas you have in the forums in Reference.