Summary
This article discusses working with groups in Blackboard.
Blackboard Groups
How to Create Groups
The Groups feature allows Instructors and students to create groups of students within a Course. These Course Groups have their own area on Blackboard to collaborate on course work. These spaces are equipped with tools that can assist in this collaborative process including file sharing and Group Assignments. Additionally, blogs, wikis, and other resources can be created in the course site's main content areas and access restricted to a specific group.
Instructors can create a single group or multiple groups in which students can be enrolled automatically, manually, or by allowing the students to enroll themselves. Instructors do not need to be enrolled in groups to access content or interact with group members, and if an instructor enrolls themselves in 10 groups or more Blackboard will produce error messages of "not implemented" when the course site opens. To avoid this problem, we do not recommend that instructors enroll themselves in groups.
How to Enroll Course Group Members Randomly
Click Users and Groups on the Control Panel;
Click Groups;
Select "Random Enroll" from Create Group Set drop-down list;
Enter the Group Information, Tool Availability, Module Personalization Settings, and Membership preferences;
Click Submit.
How to Enroll Course Group Members Manually
Click Users and Groups on the Control Panel;
Click Groups;
Select "Manual Enroll" from either the Create Single Group or Create Group Set drop-down lists.
Enter the Group Information, Tool Availability and Module Personalization Setting.
Select the students to enroll in the Group.
Use the arrow buttons to enroll the selected students in the Group. OR Click Select All to select all eligible students and then use the arrow buttons to enroll all eligible students in the Group. OR Click Invert Selection to switch selected students in or out of the Group.
Click Submit.
How to Create Sign-up Sheets
The Groups tool can also be used to create just Sign-up Sheets (separate from creating groups via Sign-up Sheet). Creating just a Sign-up Sheet provides a space where students can sign up but does not provide any of the collaborative tools available to a Group.
Go to Control Panel > Users and Groups > Groups
Select Create Single Group or Create Groups Set > Self Enroll
Under Group Information add a name.
Toggle the Group Available dot to "Sign-up sheet only"
Under 4) Sign Up Sheet Options give the sheet a name and instructions (optional)
Enter a number for the "Maximum Number of Members."
Check the box for "Show Members" if you want the students to be able to see who has already signed up.
If you selected Create Group Set to make multiple sign-up sheets, also enter a value for 5) Group Set Options > Number of Groups.
Finally make sure there is a Groups tool button or course link in your site where the students can go to access the Sign-up Sheet.
How to Use a Sign-Up Sheet to Enroll Course Group Members
Click Users and Groups on the Control Panel;
Click Groups;
Select "Self-Enroll" from either the Create Single Group or Create Group Set drop-down lists;
Enter the Group Information, Tool Availability and Module Personalization Setting;
Select Sign-up Options and Group Options if appropriate;
Cick Submit.
How to Restrict Access to Content by Group
Create the desired blog, wiki, or content item.
Navigate to the title of the item.
Click the double down arrows to the right of the title for more menu options.
Select Adaptive Release.
Under Membership, select the group(s) you wish to have access.
Submit. This item will display only to those who have access.
