Topic Overview

The Course Groups feature allows instructors and students to create groups of students within a Course. These Course Groups have their own area on Blackboard. These spaces are equipped with tools that can assist in this collaborative process: Blogs, Journals, file sharing and Group Assignments.

Steps

Tool Availability for Groups

Group Blog: In the Group area, all members of a Group can create entries for the same Blog, building upon one another. Any course member can read an comment on a Group Blog, but cannot make entries if they are not a member of the Group

Collaboration: Users within the group can participate in real-time lessons and discussions.

Discussion Board: The Group Discussion Board is an area where Course Group members can post messages and replies Instructors can use this tool to encourage discussions of course material outside of the classroom. This Discussion Board is available only to Course Group members, not to the entire course.

File Exchange: Students and Instructors can use this tool to upload documents to the Course Group area and organize them through the creation of folders in which their items can be stored. Students can access this material from within the course. Instructors have access to all folders in their course.

Send Email: All members of a Course Group can send email messages to selected members or the entire group. These messages are internal to the Course Group, they are not available to anyone outside the group.

Group Journal: When used in the Group area, all members of a Group can view each others entries, but the Group Journal can only be viewed by the Group and the Instructor.

Group Tasks: The Group Tasks page organizes projects or activities (referred to as tasks) by defining task priority and tracking task status.

Create a Group Set

1. Begin by selecting Users and Groups from the Control Panel

2. Click Groups

3. Click Create Single Group or Group Set

4. Select Enrollment type

Self-Enroll -- Students select their own group
Manual Enroll --You determine the group
Random Enroll -- Blackboard sets the groups randomly

5. Follow the steps below corresponding to the type of group you want to make....

Self-Enroll/Sign-up Sheet

1. Give the Group a name and description

2. Select Availability

No
Yes
Sign-up Sheet

3. Select Tool Availability (See previous section)

4. Set Sign-up Options

Set maximum number of members allowed per group
Show Members
Allow students to sign up from the Groups listing page

5. Set total number of groups to make

6. Click Submit to Save

7. You will return to the Groups page and should see a green bar indicating success and see the groups listed

Manual-Enroll

1. Give the Group a name and description

2. Select Availability

3. Select Tool Availability (See previous section)

4. Set total number of groups to make

5. Click Submit to Save

6. You will be taken to the options page

7. Set Filter Options

8. Select Members for each group by using the left/right arrows

You can choose to Randomize at this stage
You also have the ability at this point to add/delete groups
As you add users to one group, they are automatically removed from the next set of groups to prevent duplication

9. Click Submit to Save

10. You will return to the Groups page and should see a green bar indicating success and see the groups listed

Random-Enroll

1. Give the Group a name and description

2. Select Availability

3. Select Tool Availability (See previous section)

4. Determine Number of Groups by:

Set the number of members per group OR Set total number of groups

5. Determine How to Enroll any Remaining Members

6. Click Submit to Save

7. You will return to the Groups page and should see a green bar indicating success and see the groups listed

Edit Group Members

Add or remove users from existing groups:

1. Start on the Groups page

2. Click the action item button to the right of the name of the group

3. Click Edit

4. Scroll down to #5 – Membership

5. Select the name of the student you want to add/remove

6. Use the right/left arrows to change the membership

7. Click Submit to save

View a Group

1. Start on the Groups page

2. Click the action item button to the right of the name of the group

3. Click Open

4. You will be taken the that group’s page

This is similar to what students see in the Groups Area of the Course Menu

Create a Single Group

Single groups are created using the exact same steps used to create Group Sets but only create one group at a time. Only Self-Enroll and Manual Enroll options are available. Group Sets will typically be used more often but groups can be created individually as well.

Sources and Relevant Links