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.

  1. On the Manage Groups page, click New Category.
  2. Enter a Category Name and Description.
  3. Select an Enrollment Type from the drop-down list.
  4. Depending on the chosen Enrollment Type, enter the Number of Groups to create, the Number of Users per group, or both.
  5. 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.
  6. Depending on the chosen Enrollment Type, to automatically enroll users to groups, select Auto-enroll new users.
  7. Depending on the chosen Enrollment Type, 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.
  8. If you select an Enrollment Type that supports self enrollment, to set a deadline after which learners can no longer self enroll in the group, select Set Self Enrollment Expiry Date.
  9. 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.
    Note: This option will add 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 will then be created with the customized group names right away, and you will not have to edit their names manually later.
  10. Click Save.
  11. To customize individual group names, click the group and enter a new Group Name.
  12. Click Save.
  13. To set up discussion areas, locker areas, and assignment submissions folders with the customized group name, from the category name's context menu, click The edit icon Edit Category.
  14. In the Create Workspace area, select Set up discussion areas, Set up lockers, and/or Set up assignment submissions folders.
  15. Click Save.