Brightspace Frequently Asked Questions
Check out our newly updated Brightspace FAQs! This list runs through the most common questions the Brightspace Support Team gets throughout the year. If you have any questions not listed here, be sure to contact our Support team for assistance.
Support Schedule
The 91吃瓜网 Brightspace Instructional Technologists are available for support between 8 AM and 4 PM Monday through Friday. Any emails received after 4 PM will be addressed when our team returns to normal support at 8 AM the following business day. While we鈥檙e out, we encourage you to utilize our On-Demand Resources to answer any questions that arise.
Many times, students will work in groups to do a project. Brightspace allows you to set up groups in a variety of ways. You can also set up group discussion boards that are only available to group members. Groups can also submit a single assignment that you聽can then assign a group grade. This guide will show you how to set up your groups.
Do you want your group to include group discussions or assignments? That is explained in Step 5 of this guide.
Updated August 2023
Set up Groups
1. Go to Activities & Assessment聽and select聽Groups. To set up your groups, click on聽New Category.
2. On this screen you will give the group Category聽a meaningful name.
3. Include a Description聽that will be visible to the students.
4. Select which Enrollment Type聽you would like to use
Enrollment types with description:
- # of Groups 鈥� No Auto Enrollments聽鈥� set the number of groups, and聽the instructor will manually assign students
- Groups of #聽鈥� set the group capacity, i.e. 鈥済roups of 4鈥�
- # of Groups聽鈥� set a group limit, i.e. 鈥�7 groups total鈥�
- Groups of # 鈥� Self Enrollment聽鈥� set the group capacity and allow students to self-enroll
- # of Groups, Capacity of # 鈥� Self聽Enrollment聽鈥� set the group capacity and number of groups, and allow students to self-enroll
- Single user, member-specific groups聽鈥� set up groups of 1
Depending on which Enrollment Type you chose, you will have fields to fill in regarding number of groups, number of users, and other enrollment-related options.
If you choose the聽Groups of #听辞谤听# of Groups聽enrollment types, you will have three additional options under聽Advanced Properties.
- Auto-enroll new users聽鈥� If enabled, this setting will automatically add any new students to a group in this category if they are added to the course later.
- Randomize users in groups聽鈥� If enabled, this will enroll students in a random order. If this is not enabled, students will be enrolled based on their order in the classlist.
- Make category and group descriptions visible to group members.
5. Decide which Additional Options you would like:
- Set up聽Discussion areas聽鈥� This will set up a聽Discussion Item聽that only group members can use. The instructor can also view and participate in the discussion.聽To learn more about Group聽Discussions聽click here.
- Set up lockers聽鈥� We advise against using聽Lockers聽for sharing files.聽.
- Set up assignment submission folders聽鈥� This allows you to immediately create an聽Assignment聽that will be associated with these groups. This assignment will allow a group submission. You can also create a group assignment later following these instructions.
6. Click Save聽when you are finished.
If you indicated that you would like to set up a group Discussion or Assignment, you will be presented with screens to set up those items.
Once you are completely finished you will see your groups on the Groups page.