Blackboard Tools > Creating Groups

Blackboard supports the ability to create what they refer to as "Groups". A "Group" is a small subset of users within your Blackboard site that will have access to a set of collaboration tools that only the group members and the instructor can view. This is a nice tool to use if you assign a group project during the course of a semester - the group page allows for user's to communicate and post files related to the group project.

To Create a Group
Login to your Blackboard site and click on "Control Panel>Manage Groups":

You will see a button labeled "Add Group" - click on this button. In the subsequent screen you will be prompted to type in a name and description for the Group. You will also be asked to assign access to the following "Group Options":

Assign access to these tools accordingly and then scroll to the bottom of the form and click submit. After creating your group you will receive a confirmation that you have succeeded and you will be passed back into the "Manage Groups" page. To begin adding students into the group you just created click on the button labeled "Modify" located next to the group you just created. You can now begin "Add(ing) Users To Group". Click on the "Add Users" link and search for specific users within your site or simply click "List All>List All" and then scroll through your roster and place check marks in the boxes next to the students you wish to assign to this group.

When students login they will be able to click on the navigation menu button labeled "Groups", or the button labeled "Tools" or "Student Tools" and then gain access to the collaboration areas that you have created for them.

**Please note** In order for students to begin using the "Group Discussion Board" you will need to login and create an individual forum for them to use. You will need to do this for each group that you create.

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Related FAQ's

Q: I sent an e-mail message via the "Send Mail" tool and I received an error message back stating that the message was not delivered to a few of my students - whats wrong?

When we create blackboard accounts for students we use the UIC e-mail address as the default address associated with their account. If students do not use this address or if they have set their account to use another e-mail address that is no longer active you will receive a message stating that the mail could not be delivered. In order to fix this the students in question must login and set their Blackboard e-mail account to a valid, active account. Any Blackboard user can change this themselves by logging in and clicking the MY UIC tab on the main login page and then the "Personal Information" link.

Q: Can I edit a students submitted assignment and then send it back to them using the "Assignment Manager"?

You can edit a students submitted assignment and then send it back to them using the assignment manager. In order to do this you must login and access the students assignment by clicking on the "Grabebook". Once you are in the gradebook find the assignment in question that the student submitted and click on the exclamation point and then the button labeled "View". To view the assignment click on the link to the file.

In order to edit it you must make your edits and then save the file on your own hard drive before re-attaching a file to send back to them.

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