Blackboard Vista: Managing Groups

Step 1: Opening Group Manager

1. From the Teach Tab, under “Instructor Tools”, click Group Manager. The Group Manager screen is displayed.
   

Step 2: Creating Groups

1. Click Create Groups. The Create Groups screen is displayed.

Step 3: Selecting Custom Groups

1. Select Create custom group and click Continue. The Create Custom Group screen is displayed.

Step 4: Creating Custom Groups

1. In the “Group name” text box, type an easily recognized group name. In this example we have used Cultural Anthropology Group A.
2. If you want to add students to the group, click Add Members. The Add Members screen displays a list of members.

Step 5: Adding Members

1. In the Add Members table, check the members you want to add and click Add Selected.
2. Click Save (not illustrated).

Step 1: Selecting Multiple Groups Adding Students Later

1. From the Teach Tab, under “Instructor Tools”, click Group Manager. The Group Manager screen is displayed (not illustrated).
2. From the Group Manager screen, click Create Groups. The Create Groups screen appears (not illustrated).
3. Select Create multiple groups and click Continue. The Create Multiple Groups screen is displayed.

Step 2: Naming Multiple Groups Adding Students Later

1. In the “Word or phrase all group names start with:” text box, type an easily recognized title for the groups. In this example we have used Cultural Anthropology Research Project.

Step 3: Creating Multiple Groups

Adding Students Later

1. Scroll down to view, “How Should the Groups Be Created”,select Create empty groups, and add members later.
2. Enter the number of groups you want to add. Ignore the remaining options in this area.
3. Click Continue.

Step 4: Saving Multiple Groups Adding Students Later

1. Click Save.

Step 1: Selecting Multiple Groups with Randomly Selected Students

1. From the Teach Tab, under “Instructor Tools”, click Group Manager. The Group Manager screen is displayed (not illustrated).
2. From the Group Manager screen, click Create Groups. The Create Groups screen is displayed (not illustrated).
3. Select Create multiple groups and click Continue. The Create Multiple Groups screen is displayed.

Step 2: Naming Multiple Groups with Randomly Selected Students

1. In the “Word or phrase all group names start with:” text box, type an easily recognized title for the groups. In this example we have used Cultural Anthropology Research Project.

Step 3: Creating Multiple Groups with Randomly Selected Students

1. Scroll down to view “How Should the Groups Be Created”, select Create full groups, and randomly distribute Students.
2. Under Students, specify:
   
   • whether to include the demo student in a group.
   • the number of groups or the number of students per group.
   • what to do with extra members that do not fit into the randomly generated groups.
3. Click Continue. The Confirm Created Groups screen is displayed.

Step 4: Saving Multiple Groups with Randomly Selected Students

1. Click Save.

Step 1: Selecting Sign-Up Sheets

1. From the Teach Tab, under “Instructor Tools”, click Group Manager. The Group Manager screen appears (not illustrated).
2. From the Group Manager screen, click Create Groups. The Create Groups screen appears (not illustrated).
3. Select Create groups with sign-up sheets.
4. Click Continue. The Create Groups with Sign-Up Sheets screen appears.

Step 2: Entering Group Settings

Under “Group Settings”, enter:

1. The number of groups to create.
2. In the “Word or phrase all group names start with:” text box, type an easily recognized title for the groups. In this example we have used Archaeology Project.
3. The maximum number of students per group.
4. Choose whether to allow students to view group members’ names before signing up.

Step 3: Entering Additional Group Settings

Under “Group Settings”, enter:

1. Scroll down to view the “Sign-up sheet title:” text box, type an easily recognized title for the groups. In this example we have used Archaeology Project.
2. From the Place the sign-up sheet link on drop-down list, select the folder where you want to add the sign-up sheet and click Continue.
3. A new screen is displayed, click Save (not illustrated).

Step 1: Selecting a Group

1. From the Teach Tab, under “Instructor Tools”, click Group Manager. The Group Manager screen is displayed.
2. In the Groups table, check the name of the group or groups you would like to create the discussion topic or chat room for.
3. From the Create Group Activity drop-down menu, select either Discussion topic or Chat room.
4. Click the Go icon. The Create Discussion Topic and Create Chat screen is displayed.
   

Step 2: Creating Group Activities

1. In the “Title” text box, type an easily recognized title for the discussion. In this example we have used Archaeology Project 1.
2. Scroll down and click Save (not illustrated).
   Note: For chat and whiteboard rooms, if you have selected multiple groups, you can select whether you want to create a single room for all of the groups or separate rooms for each group.