This applies to Moodle 4.3 from August 2024 onwards

Moodle Help & Support 

 

How to create groups and groupings

Moodle allows creation of groups and groupings (which are sets of groups, or "supergroups").

Groups allows you to split up your class into groups and assign activities and resources to those groups.

Groups can be Separate (people in that group can only see their relevant materials, activities e.g. discussions in forums etc.) or Visible (people in that group can see the materials and activities for all groups but cannot interact with or contribute to other groups e.g. forums, only to their own).

Please note, that if 'Visible' groups is selected then students will be able to view all other groups within the module and who is a member of that group. If 'Separate' groups is selected then students will only be able to view their group and members of that group. 

First Step - Enable groups in your module

1. Navigate to the module you want to work on within Moodle

2. Click on the 'Settings' link within the sub navigation bar

Selecting the Settings link from within the main sub navigation on your Moodle module in Moodle 4.1

3. Scroll down to the 'Groups' section and expand

Setting up group mode and if you wish to force this mode for all future activities on your Moodle module site.

4. Under the Groups heading change "Group mode" to 'Separate groups' or 'Visible groups'

Note: Change "Force group mode" to 'Yes' if you want to ensure that groups are then enabled for each activity/resource you then add to the module. This becomes the default for your whole module, but can be adjusted on an activity by activity basis.

The difference between Groups and Groupings

With Groupings you can create "supergroups" out of your existing groups, allowing you to bunch different groups together into a larger one.  For example, a collection of lab Groups taught on a different day to another collection of lab Groups could be clumped into Groupings labelled as that teaching day in order to differentiate them.  Groupings is more to aid teaching staff on a module, particularly when it comes to marking; students do not see the grouping title, they only see their Group title.

How to create groups

1. From the front page of your module site, click the 'Participants' link within the sub navigation bar.

Selecting the participants link within the sub navigation on Moodle 4.1

2. From the dropdown menu to the left of the 'Enrol Users' button, select 'Groups'.

Selecting groups from the dropdown menu on the Participants page within Moodle 4.1

3. On the next page which loads, click on the 'Create group' button located below the list of groups.

The group menu on Moodle 4.1, selecting the Create group button creates a new group

4. Give the new group a "Group name" (mandatory). "Group description" can be useful (e.g. noting who the marker(s) will be).  The rest of the fields are optional.

When creating a group you should add a name and description in the relevant boxes

5. Set the visibility of the group, here you have a few options:

Visibility options for groups in Moodle 4.3.


  • Visible - all course participants can view who is in the group
  • Only visible to members - course participants not in the group can’t view the group or its members
  • Only see own membership - a user can see they are in the group but can’t view other group members
  • Hidden - only teachers can view the group and its members

Users with the view hidden groups capability can always view group membership.

Note you can't change this setting if the group has members.

Depending on which option you have chosen, you can choose to show groups on your activities within the main Moodle module to alert students to group activities taking place.

6. Click on the 'Save changes' button and the new group will appear in the left-hand column.

Showing a list of groups created within the groups listing on Moodle 4.1

6. Select the new group in the left-hand column entitled 'Groups:'.

7. Click on the 'Add' / 'Remove' users button under the right-hand column entitled "Members of:".  A new screen will appear where you can add the students enrolled on your course to your new group. These are found in the right-hand column labelled "Potential members".  

    1. Search for a student
    2. Select the student and click on the 'Add' button.  You will also need to add Teachers if you wish them to take part in the activity and be restricted to that Group.  Editing Teachers can access all Groups.  NOTE:  A student CAN be part of more than one Group.
    3. Once finished, click on the 'Back to groups' button.

Adding students to groups by moving them across to the left hand column on the groups list on Moodle 4.1


Creating large groups by bulk upload

Although you can create groups by uploading a csv, you can't enrol students.

Contact us at selfservice.nottingham.ac.uk for an example spreadsheet that we can run in to create groups for you.

How to create groupings

1. From the front page of your module site, click the 'Participants' link within the sub navigation bar.

Selecting the Participants link on the sub navigation within a Moodle module on Moodle 4.1

2. From the dropdown menu to the left of the 'Enrol Users' button, select 'Groupings'.

Selecting groupings from the dropdown menu within the Participants screen on Moodle 4.1

3. Click on the Create grouping button, give it a "Grouping name" and click Save Changes.

When creating a grouping you should provide a title and description in the relevant boxes

3. Your grouping will appear on the Groupings tab. Click the blue 'Person button' underneath edit to add groups to your grouping.

The person icon within a Moodle grouping lets you choose which groups to add

4. In the next page you can use the 'Add' & 'Remove' buttons to add your groups.

Showing how to add groups to larger groupings in Moodle 4.1

5. Click 'Back to groupings' when you're done.

Back to groupings menu button in Moodle 4.1

Using the group availability icon on content in your Moodle module

You have the ability to make activities, files or other content on your Moodle site visible to certain groups without having to go into the settings for each piece of content.

Now, if you hover over any item in your Moodle module, you will see that there is a group availability option.

Clicking the icon gives you options for group availability, which can be set here without leaving the page.

Group availability options on content in Moodle 4.3.

You can choose from several options:

  • No Groups
  • Separate Groups: Students are divided into groups and can only see their groups work.
  • Visible Groups: Students are divided into groups buy can see the work of other groups.

Other pages on similar topics


 



Queries, comments or questions?

Please contact your local elearning support team.


Phone: (0115 95) 16677
or contact via the Self Service PortaI


Phone: (0574) 8818 0000 (ext. 8915)
or email: learning-technologies@nottingham.edu.cn


Phone: (03) 8924 81 99
or email: itservicedesk@nottingham.edu.my

Incorrect?

If you have any comments on how you think this help can be improved then please email Learning-Technologies@nottingham.ac.uk