Creating Small Groups

In some classes, instructors may wish to assign group projects to encourage cooperation and teamwork. Blackboard allows them to extend group activities beyond the classroom environment with an integrated group feature. Here are instructions on how to create and manage student groups.

Contents:

• Creating Small Groups
• Group Spaces
• Group Collaboration
• Group File Exchange
• Group Blog
• Group Discussion Board
• Group Journals
• Group Tasks
• Group Wikis
• Group Send Email
• Group Grading

Creating Small Groups

• Go to Control Panel > Users and Groups > Groups.
• At the top of the list of groups, you will see two buttons: Create Single Group (for creation of one group at a time) and Create Group Set (for creation of multiple groups at a time).
  
  • Hovering over either one of these buttons will display a drop-down menu, prompting you to choose how your students will enroll. For both buttons, you can choose to either Manually Enroll your students, or allow the students to Self-Enroll. Additionally, if you are creating a group set, you may allow the students to be Randomly Enrolled into small groups.

• When you are prompted, fill out all of the information about your group(s). This generally includes Group Information (name and description), Tool Availability to Users, Module Personalization, and Membership. When all fields have been correctly filled out, click Submit.

• Here are some points for small groups in Blackboard:
  
  • Small groups are useful for student group projects, facilitating discussions in large classes, and building a sense of community.
  • Only instructors can create or modify groups.
  • To view and use groups, go to Control Panel > Users and Groups > Groups.
  • Non-group members cannot view group activities.

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Group Spaces

• To enter the group space, go to Control Panel > Users and Groups > group name.

The following group options will be available based on whether or not they have been enabled during the creation process. To add or remove options, go to Control Panel > Users and Groups > Groups, click the options menu button to the right of the group's name, and choose Edit.

• Collaboration allows group members to chat with each other in real-time.
• File Exchange allows group members to exchange files.
• Group Blog allows group members to create and comment on group blog entries.
• Group Discussion Board allows group members to engage in asynchronous discussion.
• Group Journal allows group members to reflect on their findings and learning between themselves and the instructor.
• Group Tasks allow group members to create a list of tasks that need completion.
• Group Wiki allows group members to collaborate in the creation of an informational page or set of related pages.
• Group Send Email allows group members to communicate via email messages.

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Group Collaboration

Group collaboration (chat) has the same layout as class chat. Chat is lightweight and has a text-only interface. Virtual Classroom includes group browsing, whiteboard, breakout sessions, and a question inbox in addition to text. Go to Chatting via Collaboration Tools for more information.

• Students and faculty can create new collaboration sessions by clicking the Create Collaboration Session button at the top of the page.
• Students can also join existing sessions by clicking on the Session Name.
• Group members have to meet at the same time to participate.

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Group File Exchange

Group file exchange allows group members to post Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and any other files for other group members to access. Files that are added may be viewed within the browser or saved to a computer. See the Viewing and Downloading tutorial for more information.

• Students can share files by clicking on the Add File button from the Group page:
  Control Panel > Users and Groups > Groups > group name > File Exchange.

• Fill out the required information: give your file a name, and find the location of it (from your computer or course file). When you are finished, click Submit.

• Group members cannot work on files online. They would have to download them to their computer, edit, and re-add the files by following the process above.
• Students cannot submit work from the Group File Exchange area. They would have to use the complete assignment feature or the digital drop box.

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Group Blog

 Group blogs are available to all of the students in the group, as well as the instructor. Think of the group blog as a public, online diary written by multiple people. Users can create blog entries featuring information relevant to the course and may also view and post comments on individual posts.

• To create a new blog post, go to Control Panel > Users and Groups > Groups > group name > Group Blog. Click the Create Blog Entry button on the top left of the page.
• Give your post a name, write the entry message, and attach a file from your computer if you wish.

• When you have finished your entry, click Post Entry at the bottom of the page to publish your post.
• Note that group members do not need to meet at the same time to participate.

Group Discussion Board

Group discussion boards have the same layout as class discussion boards. Check out Moderating the Discussion Board for more information.

• Students can only create threads in an existing forum by clicking on the Create Thread button.
• Groups start with one forum by default, but instructors may create additional ones. Simply go to: Control Panel > Users and Groups > Groups > group name > Group Discussion Board > Create Forum.

• Group members do not have to meet at the same time to participate.
• Users have the option to post and comment anonymously.
• All Blackboard users enrolled in the course may view every group blog.

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Group Journal

A group journal allows members to reflect and collaborate through a private journal that can only be viewed by the instructor and other members of the group.

• To create a new journal entry, go to Control Panel > Users and Groups > Groups > group name > Group Journal.

• Click the Create Journal Entry button at the top of the page.

• Give your journal entry a name, write an entry message, and attach a file from your computer if you would like to.
• When everything has been filled out, click the Post Entry button in the bottom right corner of the page.

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Group Tasks

Group tasks allow group members to set a to-do list full of tasks or goals that need completion. Group tasks are only available to the members of the group and the instructor.

• To create a new task, go to Control Panel > Course Tools > Users and Groups > Groups > group name > Group Tasks. Click the Create Group Task button at the top of the page.

• Give your task a name and description. Set a due date for your task and choose the priority of your task (high, medium, or low).
• When you have finished, click Submit.

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Group Wiki

Group Wikis are collaborative sets of pages that students can create, view and edit. In a group wiki on Blackboard, anyone can view the wiki, but only the group members can create, edit or delete pages. You can access a specific group's wiki by going to Control Panel > Course Tools > Users and Groups > Groups > group name > Group Wiki. For more information about using wikis on Blackboard, visit the Course Tools Page for Wikis.

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Group Email

Group send email allows students to exchange messages with file attachments from the Blackboard website.

• Go to Control Panel > Users and Groups > Groups > group name > Send Email.
• At To, use the arrow buttons to select which group members will receive the email.

• Enter a title for your message at Subject.
• Type in your email at Message.
• Click Attach a file to add an attachment, if you would like to add one.

• Submit will send the email.

• This feature requires that a user has entered an email in his or her Personal Information.
• It works even if students have hidden their email from the rest of the class through privacy options.
• Recipients of an email will still be able to see the sender's email.

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Group Grading

The grade center displays all students by default, but instructors can filter students based on their assigned group using the smart views feature. This can be useful for making it easier to grade large classes or do group grading.

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