Simultaneous collaboration and competition is a stimulating and interactive way to learn in a technology-enabled classroom or lab, where each student has a PC and an Internet connection.

In a simple in-classroom example, a lecturer has set up a study problem for which he has created a set of questions. The class is broken into several syndicate groups. Each syndicate appoints a leader.

• Syndicates work independently. Each syndicate has a private learning space to work within. All students simultaneously type answers to each question.

• Using a data projector connected to the lecturer's PC each team is able to present their answers displayed on a large screen. At any point the syndicates may cease to work and students may join a single session and work together.

• The lecturer has full control of each of the sessions, and is able to visit each syndicate at will - to view work-in-progress or input comments online. Presentations, websites and reference files may be viewed at any time.