Editing Individual Group Options

This guide will demonstrate how to edit a single group.

Accessing the Groups Tool

Image of the Blackboard Control Panel with the following annotations: 1.Click on Users and Groups.2.Then click on Groups.

Log into Blackboard and go to the Control Panel.  

  1. Click on Users and Groups.
  2. Then click on Groups.

Editing the Group Options

Image of the Groups screen with a list of course groups.  An arrow is pointing to the chevron next to a grou name wiht instructions to click the chevron.  In the menu,  the Edit option is highlighted in the menu  whith  a red circle undout ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

You will now see a list of groups in the course.  Locate the group you wish to edit, hover over the group name and click the chevron next to the group and select Edit Group from the menu.

Editing the Group Information

Image of the Edit Group Screen with the following annotations: 1.Name: Enter a name for the group set in the name field.  Note: Blackboard will append a number for each group created in the group set.2.Description: Enter a description for the group set.3.Group is visible to students: To allow students to access the group, set the availability to Yes. To prevent student access, select No. For Self-Enrollment groups only, to allow students access to the signup sheet only, select Sign-up Sheet Only.

You will now see a screen labeled Edit Group or Edit Self-Enrollment Group: The section labeled Group Information allows instructors to modify the name and information for the group set.

  1. Name: Enter a name for the group set in the name field.  Note: Blackboard will append a number for each group created in the group set.
  2. Description: Enter a description for the group set.
  3. Group is visible to students: To allow students to access the group, set the availability to Yes. To prevent student access, select No. For Self-Enrollment groups only, to allow students access to the signup sheet only, select Sign-up Sheet Only.

Setting up Group Tool Availability and Settings

Image of Tool availability with the following annotations: 1.Blogs: Check the checkbox here to enable the Blogs tool.  Additionally, grading options can be enabled by selecting Grade.2.Collaboration: Chick this checkbox to allow students to create live chat and virtual classroom sessions for the group.3.Discussion Board: Check this checkbox to enable the group discussion board.  Additionally, instructors can choose to permit students to create their own forums in the group, or instructors can choose to prevent students from creating their own forums.4.Email: Check this checkbox to allow students to send emails to each other within the group.5.File Exchange: Check this box to allow students to share files with each other within the group.6.Journals: Check this box to enable the Journal tool within the group.  Additionally, grading options can be enabled by selecting Grade.7.Tasks: Check this box to allow students to create tasks for group members.8.Wikis: Check this box to enable the Wiki tool in the group environment.  Additionally, grading options can be enabled by selecting Grade.9.Commercial Content Tools: Check this box to enable tools provided by an external tool provider.

Tool Availability allows you to enable and disable individual tools for student use within the groups.  To enable a tool, check the checkbox next to the tool name.  To disable a tool, uncheck the checkbox next to the tool name.

  1. Blogs: Check the checkbox here to enable the Blogs tool.  Additionally, grading options can be enabled by selecting Grade.
  2. Discussion Board: Check this checkbox to enable the group discussion board.  Additionally, instructors can choose to permit students to create their own forums in the group, or instructors can choose to prevent students from creating their own forums.
  3. Email: Check this checkbox to allow students to send emails to each other within the group.
  4. File Exchange: Check this box to allow students to share files with each other within the group.
  5. Journals: Check this box to enable the Journal tool within the group.  Additionally, grading options can be enabled by selecting Grade.
  6. Tasks: Check this box to allow students to create tasks for group members.
  7. Blackboard Collaborate Ultra: Check this box to allow students to use Blackboard Collaborate Ultra for live group collaboration.
  8. Wikis: Check this box to enable the Wiki tool in the group environment.  Additionally, grading options can be enabled by selecting Grade.

Setting up Module Personalization Settings

Image of Section 3: Module Personalization Settings with Allow Personalization checked.

Module Personalization Settings allows instructors to permit students to personalize the appearance of the group home page.  To allow students to personalize the group home page, check the box labeled Allow Personalization.

Setting up the Group Sign-Up options

Image of Section 4: Sign-up options with the following annotations: 1.Name of Sign-up Sheet: Enter a name for the sign-up sheet here.2.Sign-up Sheet Instructions: Enter a description for the sign-up sheet3.Maximum Number of Members: Specify the maximum number of members for each group.4.Show Members: Check the box next to Show Members to allow students to see the list of students who have already signed up for the group.5.Allow Students to sign-up from the Groups listing page: Check this option to allow students to sign up from the Groups link in the course.  If this option is unchecked, the instructor must create a link to the group sign-up sheet in order for students to access the signup sheet.

If you are editing a single self-enrolled group you will see Section 4: Sign-up Options: Section 4: Sign-up Options allows instructors to customize the sign-up sheet for students.

  1. Name of Sign-up Sheet: Enter a name for the sign-up sheet here.
  2. Sign-up Sheet Instructions: Enter a description for the sign-up sheet
  3. Maximum Number of Members: Specify the maximum number of members for each group.
  4. Show Members: Check the box next to Show Members to allow students to see the list of students who have already signed up for the group.
  5. Allow Students to sign-up from the Groups listing page: Check this option to allow students to sign up from the Groups link in the course.  If this option is unchecked, the instructor must create a link to the group sign-up sheet in order for students to access the signup sheet.

Editing the Group Membership, Part 2

Image of Section 4: Membership with the following annotations: 1.Click the Add Users button to add users to the group.  This will bring up a screen similar to the one in the next step2.Click the X in the rightmost column to remove a user from the group.

To modify the group membership, scroll down to the section labeled Membership:

  1. Click the Add Users button to add users to the group.  This will bring up a screen similar to the one in the next step
  2. Click the X in the rightmost column to remove a user from the group.

Selecting students

Image of the Add Users screen with the following annotations: 1.Search: Use the search bar and the criterion selectors to search for a specific user to add.2.Show all course roles: Check this option to list users with roles other than student.3.The list of course users will appear here.4.Check the checkboxes to select the users you wish to add.5.Use the page navigation buttons to navigate between multiple pages.6.Click the Show All button to show all users on one page.7.Click the Edit Paging button to manage how many users are listed per page (maximum: 200 per page)8.When finished, click the Submit button to add the users to the group.

You will now see a screen labeled Add Users:

  1. Search: Use the search bar and the criterion selectors to search for a specific user to add and click Go to search.
  2. Show all Users Regardless of Role: Check this option to list users with roles other than student.
  3. The list of course users will appear here.
  4. Check the checkboxes to select the users you wish to add.
  5. Use the page navigation buttons to navigate between multiple pages.
  6. Click the Show All button to show all users on one page.
  7. Click the Edit Paging button to manage how many users are listed per page (maximum: 200 per page)
  8. When finished, click the Submit button to add the users to the group.  

After clicking Submit, you will then be returned to the Edit Group Screen, and the students will have been added to the list of group members.

Finishing Up

Image of the Membership section showing a confirmation message that the users were added successfully.  The submit button at the bottom of the page is outlined with a red circle.

After you have edited the group membership, you will see a green bar indicating that the selected users have been added to the group.  When finished, click the Submit button at the bottom of the page to save your changes.