Using My Groups for Students
The Groups feature provides students with an easy way to collaborate online, share notes, and submit group assignments. Groups can be self-enrolled, or manually-enrolled (instructor-assigned.)
Enrolling in a Group
To enroll in a group, click on Tools in the left-side content menu, then on the Groups item. If there is a sign-up sheet for a self-enrolled group you will see a button to view the sign-up sheet.
After clicking the Sign-up Sheet button, you will be able to choose a group by clicking the Sign Up button corresponding to the group you want to join.
Creating a Group
Even there are no groups created, you may still have the ability to create one yourself. Your fellow students will be able to join your group using a sign-up sheet. Click the Create Group button to start.
Give your group a name and give the Sign-up Sheet a name, and if you want, limit the number of members. Click Submit to create your group. You will automatically become a member of the group. Other students can join the group by visiting the Groups tool.
Using Groups
Students who are enrolled in an active group will see a new section in the course underneath the content menu named My Groups. Depending on the course settings, some of the items in the image below may not be available. Note: If the group is not active you will not see this section.
About the Group Tools
File Exchange – A place where you can upload files so other group members have access to them.
Group Blog, Discussion Board, Journal, Tasks, and Wikis. – Copies of the main course tools, but private to your group and the instructor.
Send Email – Simple way to send emails to only your group members.
Group Homepage – The starting place for your group. You can add various Blackboard modules to the page.
Customize Group Banner/Color – Change the image or color theme for your Group’s Homepage.
Submitting Group Assignments
One of the most common ways Groups are used is to submit group assignments. If you have been given a group assignment, you will see “Group Assignment” at the top of the submission page. Beneath the Browse My Computer button you will also see your group’s name.
Important: Only one person from the group can submit an assignment, so be sure to work together.
If someone else in your group has saved a draft, submitted a file, or if they leave the assignment page without hitting cancel, you’ll see a Review Submission History page when you click the assignment. If the assignment has not been submitted, you can click the blue Continue button on the right-side of the page to edit the draft and/or submit the assignment.
Note: If the assignment has already been submitted you will not see a Continue button.
Leaving a Group
If you need to leave a group or are having problems with a group member, please contact your instructor.
Shortlink for this post: http://ids.commons.udmercy.edu/?p=1907
