Instructor Documentation (Higher Ed)

Create and manage categories and groups

This is the paper note and pencil icon used for notes.

Note: Groups have a maximum enrollment of 200 users. If there are more than 200 users in a course, you can create new group categories; there is no limit on the number of group categories in a course.

Create a group category

To organize and manage related groups, use categories. For example, you can have a category for Assignment 1, Assignment 2, Seminars, Remedial Help, and Book Reviews.

Before you create a new set of groups, you must set up a category and create restricted work areas for the groups.

On the Manage Groups page, click New Category.
Enter a Category Name and Description.
Select an Enrollment Type from the drop-down list.
Depending on the chosen Enrollment Type, enter the Number of Groups to create, the Number of Users per group, or both.
To apply a distinctive prefix to each group name and code in the category, enter it in the Group Prefix field. If you do not fill in this field, the prefix defaults to "Group".
Tip: Add the org unit ID to the group code to further distinguish it from other group codes. To enable this option, ask your administrator to turn on d2l.Tools.Groups.IncludeOrgUnitIdInGroupCode.
Depending on the chosen Enrollment Type, do one of the following:
- To automatically enroll users to groups, select Auto-enroll new users.
- To randomly place users in groups, select Randomize users in groups. If you do not choose this option, users are placed alphabetically based on the Classlist.
- To make the description of the groups visible to learners from within their groups, select Make category and group descriptions visible to group members.
- If you select an Enrollment Type that supports self enrollment, to set enrollment availability times, select the Set Self Enrollment Start Date and/or Set Self Enrollment Expiry Date check boxes and select dates from the mini calendar field.

If you select Set Self Enrollment Expiry Date, but you want all learners who do not enroll before the expiry date to be enrolled, you can select Allocate unenrolled users after Self Enrollment Expiry Date to automatically, randomly and evenly distribute them into the available groups. This option adds group members beyond the capacity of groups, if applicable. The automatic enrollment recurs at a set interval after the expiry date to ensure that all learners are assigned to a group.

Note: Enable the options in the Create Workspace area only after you've customized your group names. The Discussions areas are then created with the customized group names right away, and you do not have to edit their names manually later.

Click Save.
To customize individual group names, click the group and enter a new group name.
Click Save.
To set up discussion areas, locker areas, and assignments with the customized group name, from the category name's context menu, click Edit Category.
In the Create Workspace area, select Set up discussion areas, Set up lockers, and/or Set up assignments.
Click Save.
On the Create Restricted Topics page, select the Forum in which you want to create restricted topics.
If you have the new group topic creation feature enabled, do one of the following:
- If you want instructors to manage each topic individually, select the Create one topic per group radio button. Learners can only see topics assigned to their group.
- If you want to enable instructors to manage all activity and assessment from one topic, select the Create one topic with threads separated by group radio button. Learners can only see threads from their own group.
Click Create and Next.
Enter a group discussion Title and Description.
Click Create and Next.
Click Done.

Note: Assignments can be created on the New Category page by selecting the Set up assignments check box, and choosing a submission type. When the new category is saved, you are taken to the Create Assignments page to complete the assignment creation process.

Use distinct group codes for multiple categories

Leveraging the ability to include the OrgunitId in a group code to create a distinct group within a course offering, you can also create distinct group codes for multiple categories and when copying and importing groups into other course offerings. The setting that your administrator sets in the d2l.Tools.Groups.IncludeOrgUnitIdInGroupCode configuration variable is also used to create distinct group codes in additional scenario:

When creating multiple categories within a course offering, each category has distinct group codes for child groups. Group categories include both the OrgUnitId and the GroupCategoryId to ensure child groups remain distinct. For example, if you have set the Group Prefix field to "grp" in Step 5 above, the categories appear as "grp_[OrgUnitId]_[GroupCategoryId]_1, grp_[OrgUnitId]_[GroupCategoryId]_2".

Copy groups that include an OrgUnitId

When copying groups that include an OrgUnitId, the identifier is updated to match the OrgUnitId of the destination course offering to ensure that the group codes remain distinct.

Descriptions of enrollment type options

The following descriptions explain the enrollment type options available when creating a new category and provide conceptual information on when you should use them.

Enrollment type: # of Groups – No Auto Enrollments

Selecting this option creates a specified number of groups, for which you can add any number of users using the Enroll Users page.

Use this enrollment type when you know how many groups you want to create and which users you want in each group. Select this option when you have a teaching model that divides course participants into specific learning levels or when you want to divide users by skill or interests.

Enrollment Type: Groups of #

Selecting this option creates the minimum number of groups needed to place users in groups of a specified maximum size. More groups are created when they are needed to accommodate users. In the Members column of the Groups table, capacity markers display in the form x/y, where x is the number of enrolled students and y is the capacity.

Use this enrollment type when you know how many users you want in each group. Select this option when you have assignments that require work to be divided between a specific number of users, or when you can only accommodate a set number of users in a lab or work area at one time.

If users are enrolled before groups are set up and the Can be auto enrolled into groups option is enabled, users are added using a brick laying algorithm. For example, if a maximum group size of 5 users is chosen for a class of 23, then 5 groups are created. The first user is added to Group 1, the second to Group 2, and so on. The sixth user returns the enrollment sequence to Group 1. Groups 1, 2 and 3 have 5 users and Groups 4 and 5 have 4 users. If a new user enrolls later, they are put in Group 4.

If you also enable the Auto-enroll new users option and all of the existing groups reach their maximum size, new users are added to a new group. Because there is no way to know how many new users will join, all new users are added to the same group until it is full. This is called a bucket-filling algorithm because the limits of one group must be met before creating another group.

If users are enrolled after groups are set up, users are added to groups using a bucket-filling algorithm because there is no way for the system to determine how many groups in total are needed. For example, if a maximum group size of 5 users is chosen for a class in which 23 users eventually enroll, the first five users are added to Group 1, the sixth through tenth user to Group 2, and so on. After 23 users are enrolled, groups 1-4 have 5 users and Group 5 has 3 users.

If the Can be auto enrolled into groups option is cleared, the minimum number of groups needed to create groups under the specified size are created with no users enrolled in them. If no users are enrolled in the course, one group is created. You can enroll users using the Enroll Users page.

Note: If a learner is unenrolled from a course, and new learners enroll in the course, and the original learner re-enrolls into the course, the group the original learner was in will exceed the maximum number of learners. This is done to ensure learners are able to maintain the work they contributed to previously. If you would like to maintain a strict number of learners per group, reorganization of groups after unenrollments and re-enrollments must be done manually.

Enrollment type: # of Groups

Selecting this option creates a specified number of groups.

Use this enrollment type when you know how many groups you want to create, but want the system to place users in groups for you. Select this option when you want group membership to be indiscriminate, or when classroom, resource, or teaching assistant availability restricts the number of groups you can have.

If the Can be auto enrolled into groups option is enabled, users are added using a brick laying algorithm, regardless of whether they enrolled before or after the groups were created. For example, if a class has 23 users and 5 groups, the first user is added to Group 1, the second to Group 2, and so on. The sixth user returns the enrollment sequence to Group 1. Groups 1, 2, and 3 have 5 users and Groups 4 and 5 have 4 users. If a new user enrolls later, they are put in Group 4.

If the Can be auto enrolled into groups option is not enabled, the specified number of groups are created with no users enrolled in them. You can enroll users using the Enroll Users page.

Enrollment type: Groups of # – Self Enrollment

Selecting this option creates the minimum number of groups needed to accommodate users in groups of a specified maximum size automatically. Users choose the group they want to enroll in from the Groups page. In the Members column of the Groups grid list, capacity markers display in the form x/y, where x is the number of enrolled students and y is the capacity.

Use this enrollment type when you know how many users you want in each group, but you want to allow users to choose their own groups. By default, users cannot self-enroll in more than one group. Select this option when you want users to choose their groups based on friendship, learning style, schedules, or geographic location.

If there are no users enrolled in your course at the time of creation, then only one group is initially created. You can use the Edit Category page to add additional groups. Add additional groups if you want to ensure all users have options when forming groups.

Enrollment type: # of Groups – Self Enrollment

Selecting this option creates a specified number of groups, which users enroll in from the Groups page.

Use this enrollment type when you want to make a specific number of groups available for users to join. Select this option when you want to organize groups on specific topics, which users can join based on interest, or for creating groups that are responsible for specific aspects of a larger project, which users can join based on knowledge or task preferences. By default, users cannot self-enroll in more than one group at one time.

Enrollment Type: # of Groups, Capacity of # – Self Enrollment

Selecting this option creates a specified number of groups with a specified number of enrollments per group. Users choose the group they want to enroll in from the Groups page. In the Members column of the Groups table, capacity markers display in the form x/y, where x is the number of enrolled students and y is the capacity.

Note: You can increase or decrease the capacity for self-enrollment groups after they have been created, and prior to the group sign-up expiry date and time. Decreasing a group size to an amount smaller than has already signed up for a group will not re-allocate users to other groups, so you must assign those users manually to other groups. However, increasing or decreasing the group size affects all groups in the category. You cannot change the size of only one group.

Use this enrollment type when you know how many users you want in each group, you want to allow users to choose their own groups, and you want each group to have a maximum number of users. Select this option when you want users to choose their groups based on areas of interest or responsibility in larger projects, but you want to limit membership in each group to a certain number of users.

Enrollment Type: Single user, member-specific groups

Using this option creates a group with a single user where the first name and last name of the learner is the name of the group. When a new learner is enrolled in the course a group is automatically created for them.

Select this option when you want to create journal type groups with a single member.

Note: This enrollment type must be enabled by your administrator using configuration variables. If you are not able to use this option, contact your administrator.

Video: Overview of Group Enrollment Options

<br/>

Add a group to a category

On the navbar, click Groups.
On the Manage Groups page, from the View Categories drop-down list, select the category you want to add a group to.
From the context menu of the category, click Add Group.
If you do not want to use the default name provided, enter a group name.
If you do not want to use the default group code provided, enter a group code.
Enter a description for the group.
Click Save.

After clicking Save, the Groups tool displays the category and provides you with a prompt that your group, or groups, are being created in the background and that you will be notified once the group, or groups, are created. This notification appears as an update alert in the minibar that indicates that the group, or groups, have been created.

While this is in process, Brightspace indicates that "Group creation is in progress". While processing, you are unable to make changes to groups or enrollments.

Note: You can also copy existing groups using the Copy Courses workflow. The asynchronous creation executes behind the scenes and doesn't block other course copy items from completing. You can check your group creation status in the Groups tool. The copy history log reports that the group creation process has started. The completion status is notified via an update alert. Contact your administrator for more information.

Restore deleted groups and categories

Deleted groups and categories are moved to a Recycle Bin, enabling users to restore individual group units or entire categories within a course offering. When you restore groups, existing enrollments and lockers are also reinstated (if present). Any activities linked to the restored groups, such as discussions or assignments, can then be individually restored through their respective restore pages.

Click the Recycle Bin button on the Manage Groups dialog to restore deleted groups and categories.

Figure: Click Recycle Bin on the Manage Groups page to restore deleted groups and categories.

Note: Groups and categories deleted before this feature was introduced in November 2024/20.24.11 do not appear in the Groups Recycle Bin. To restore these previously deleted items, contact D2L Support for assistance.

On the navbar, or from the Course Admin menu, click Groups.
On the Manage Groups page, click Recycle Bin.
On the Recycle Bin page, select the item you want to restore.
Click Restore.

Figure: Click the checkbox beside the item you want to restore, then click Restore.

Enroll course leaders in groups

The way to enroll a course leader into groups depends on whether they have access to all groups or only select groups. Users should have access to all groups if they are responsible for mediating, grading, and working on material for the entire class. They should have access to select groups if they are only responsible for mediating, grading, or working on material for a particular group.

Add staff that are working with select groups the same way you add users. However, if an administrator enables the Can be auto enrolled into groups permission, users that lead courses and assist users (like teaching assistants) are added to groups at the same time as regular users; this could mean that all or most of your staff end up in the same group. Make sure you even out enrollment using the Enroll Users page.

On the Manage Groups page, click Enroll Users from the context menu of the category that contains the group (or groups) you want to enroll a user in.
In the Search For field, search for the user you want to add. To see a list of users that need to be enrolled, use the Not Enrolled search option.
To add users to groups, select the check boxes beside each user's name. Clear check boxes to remove users from groups.
Click Save.

Enable additional identifiers for learners

Instructors can differentiate between duplicate learner names by displaying the username or Org Defined Id beside a learner's name. Instructors can enable this option in both the Manage Groups and Manage Sections tools.

Ensure that the View User's Org Defined IDs Users permission and the See Usernames User Information Privacy permission are enabled.

From the Manage Groups or Manage Sections page, click Settings.
From User Details, ensure Username and Org Defined ID are selected to enable the corresponding user detail.

Delete a user from a group

When you delete a user from a group, all of their files remain in the system, including discussion posts, Assignments submissions, and Locker files.

On the Manage Groups page, from the View Categories drop-down list, select the category containing the groups with users you want to delete.
From the context menu of the category, click Enroll Users.
On the Enroll Users page, beside the user's name, clear the check box for each group you want to remove the user from.
Click Save.

Set up self-enrollment in groups

To set up self-enrollment in groups

Self-enrollment allows users to enroll in groups on their own. Use this option when you want users to choose their own group members or to be a part of a group on a topic that interests them.

Note:

Groups have a maximum enrollment of 200 users. If there are more than 200 users in a course, you can create new group categories; there is no limit on the number of group categories in a course.

Users can self-enroll in groups by clicking the Choose Group link beside the name of a group category set up for self-enrollment. A link displays at the top of the user’s Groups page when self-enrollment is available. By default, users cannot self-enroll in more than one group. Instructors can add users to other groups at any time.

If a group is full, the Members column displays the total number of group members in red with "(Full)" beside it. If a learner wants to leave a group that they self-enrolled in before the date and time specified by the Set Self Enrollment Expiry Date option (if selected), on the My Groups page, learners can click Leave Group if the option is configured.

Clicking the capacity marker or the total listed in the Members column opens the Group Members pop-up, which contains a list of current group members. You cannot click empty groups.

On the Manage Groups page, click New Category.
Enter a Category Name and Description.
Select one of the following options from the Enrollment Type drop-down list:
- Groups of # - Self Enrollment
- # of Groups - Self Enrollment
- # of Groups, Capacity of # - Self Enrollment
Depending on the chosen Enrollment Type, enter the Number of Groups to create, the Number of Users per group, or both.
To control self-enrollment availability dates, select the Set Self Enrollment Start Date and/or Set Self Enrollment Expiry Date check boxes and select dates and times from the mini calendar field.
To associate discussion areas with the groups in the category, select Set up discussion areas.
To associate locker areas with the groups in the category, select Set up lockers.
To associate assignments with the groups in the category, select Set up assignments.
Click Save.

Watch how to self-enroll in a group

<br/>

Watch how to modify group enrollment

<br/>

Restrict enrollments to specific groups

Instructors can create sub-groups, based on Section or Group enrollment, within the Groups tool. Instructors can only apply one enrollment restriction to a sub-group.

From the course navbar, click Groups.
Under Manage Groups, click New Category and complete the category information.
Under Restrict Enrollments To, select the relevant group or section. The Group Prefix field auto-fills based on the selected group or section, but you can edit it before saving.
Note: Sub-groups can only be added once, users cannot create sub-groups of sub-groups.
Click Save.

Insert Group Self-Enrollment Link

In the Content tool, instructors can create a self-enrollment link for discussion groups to facilitate sorting the members of a course with many learners into groups.

To insert a Group Self-Enrollment link

Navigate to Content.
Click Create New.

The Create New option in Content.

Figure: The Create New option in Content.

On the What would you like to create? page, click New Lesson.

The New Lesson option on the What would you like to create? page.

Figure: The New Lesson option on the What would you like to create? page.

Enter the details for your topic.
In Brightspace Editor, click Insert Quicklink.

The Insert Quicklink icon in Brightspace Editor.

Figure: The Insert Quicklink icon in Brightspace Editor.

In the Insert Quicklink dialog, select Self-Enrollment Groups.

The Insert Quicklink dialog showing the Self-Enrollment Groups option.

Figure: The Insert Quicklink dialog showing the Self-Enrollment Groups option.

Select a group in the Self-Enrollment Groups window, and click Select.
On the New Lesson creation page, make your topic Visible and click Save and Close.

Figure: The Save and Close option and Visibility toggle.

You have created a group self-enrollment link.

What happens when you move users to a new group?

When moving users to a new group

Discussion posts remain in the old group and do not count towards a user’s grade if the forum or topic is associated with a grade item. The user must satisfy the discussion post requirements in the new section. You can override a grade using the Grades tool.

Locker files remain in the old group. Users must add any files they want to keep to the new Locker area themselves.

Assignments submissions submitted for the old group remain with the old group. The user receives the grade achieved by the new group on any group assignments. You can change the user’s grade back to the original group’s mark in the Grades tool.

Watch how to modify group enrollment

<br/>

What happens when you delete a group or group category?

When you delete a group, the following things happen:

If you've selected the Auto-enroll new users option, users are automatically distributed in the remaining groups.
If groups are set up for manual enrollment, you must add users to the remaining groups using the Enroll Users page.
Group discussion forums remain available for reference. You can delete them in the Discussions tool.
Group locker areas and the files they contain are deleted.
group assignments and the files they contain are deleted.

When you delete a category, the following things happen:

Users are no longer enrolled in groups because they do not exist.
Group discussion forums remain available for reference. You can delete them in the Discussions tool.
Group Locker areas and the files they contain are deleted.
group assignments and the files they contain are deleted.

Watch how to delete a group or group category