<% for i in 1..5 %> <%= render :partial=>'user', :locals => { :index => i } %> <% end %>
in your _user.rhtml:
<%= text_field "user_#{index}", 'field_name' %> <%= text_field "user_#{index}", 'field_name_2' %>
in your controller:
for i in 1..5 user = User.new(params["user_#{index}"]) user.save end
when you do the batch edit, it is quite the same way.