Blackboard: Groups Sets & Groups

Overview

This feature enables Instructors to filter student posts based on the Groups Sets they've created in their Blackboard course.

Creating Groups Sets & Groups in Blackboard

• In Blackboard, set up your Group sets and Groups under the Group Option.

• For more information on how to do this, see the following help guides provided by Blackboard:
  • Create Groups (Learn)
  • Create Groups (Ultra)
• Once your group sets and groups are created, move on to the next step.

Setting Group Visibility in a Harmonize Discussion

• Create a new Harmonize Discussion or launch a previously created Harmonize Discussion and click Edit. This will open the Edit Topic view.

• In the Edit Topic view, click the Post Settings tab.

• In the Visibility Settings section, click Students in Same Group.

• The Group Set drop down menu will appear, along with a Refresh button.

• NOTE: If a new Blackboard Group Set or Group has been created recently, click the Refresh button.
• Select the desired Group Set from the Group Set drop down menu. If you would like to filter student posts based on all your created Group Sets, choose All Group Sets from the drop down menu. This visibility setting will apply to the current Harmonize discussion only.

• Click Publish.

Instructor View of Small Group Discussion

• A new groups filter now appears in the top left of the Harmonize discussion window.
• The Instructor can choose to view all student work or filter student work based on Group Set or Group selected in the drop down menu.

Student View of Small Group Discussion

• Students will now see their particular small group listed in the upper lefthand corner of the discussion.

• Students will only see posts for their group (as well as any posts made by the instructor).

Visibility of Posts, Comments, and Replies in Group Discussions

When using groups in your Harmonize discussion, it is important to understand the visibility of posts, comments, and replies.

Instructors

• Instructors can see all instructor posts, comments, and replies.
• Instructors can see all student posts, comments, and replies.
• Original posts created by instructors are visible to everyone enrolled in the class.
• Instructor comments and replies published to student posts are visible to students assigned to the same group as the student who created the original post.

Students

• Students can see all instructor original posts.
• Students can see instructor comments and replies published to the original posts of students assigned to the same group.
• Students can see posts, comments, and replies of students assigned to the same group as them.
• Posts, comments, and replies they create are visible to students in the same group and to all instructors.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Are instructors able to submit one grade for the entire group?

There is currently no way to submit a single group grade that applies to all group members. These grades will need to be entered manually for each student.

Q. Can I change the visibility settings after students have started posting?

• Yes. Changing visibility settings will not delete or alter any posts made by students.
• If you plan to switch visibility from Groups or Private to Everyone, we recommend warning students in advance that this will happen.