Canvas also allows instructors to organize and manage theirs students within GROUPS.

Ways Groups Can Function in Your Class

When you create a group, you are essentially creating a digital space for students to collaborate and communicate. Here are some ideas on ways you can leverage groups in your course:

Create Study Groups
Each Group has its own announcements feature, discussions area, content pages, and space for files. This could be a great space for students to communicate and work together on group projects.
Create Group Assignments
Under assignment settings, there is an option for group assignments. Instead of all students having to submit an assignment, Canvas will allow one person from each group to submit on behalf of their team. As an instructor, you can choose to grade the assignment as a group (all members will receive the same grade) or individually.
Create Small Group Discussions
If you have a big class, it might be beneficial to break your discussions into groups to have a more intimate and deeper conversation. Only the members of the group will see and respond to their group's post (even though all students are posting to the same discussion topic).
Create Groups as Sections
You may want to run more than one section from a single course. Groups will allow you to do this by keeping students grouped together for discussions or grading by more than one instructor. Click here for more information about creating sections.

You can create your groups and assign students manually or automatically. Or, choose to allow students to self-select into the group of their choice.

To view videos about groups, click to watch Group Creation and Management for Instructors (Video) and Group Creation and Interaction for Students (Video).

Guides icon

The following tutorials relate to course-level groups:

What are Student Groups?
How do I view Groups?
Where do I find the Group sets that I already created?
Which Groups am I enrolled in?
How do I make a new set of Groups?
How do I automatically create Groups?
How do I manually create Groups?
How do I expand and collapse Groups?
How do I create self sign-up Groups?
How do I automatically assign students to Groups?
How do I allow students to sign up for their own Groups?
How do I manually assign students to Groups?
How do I message students who have not signed up for a self sign-up group?
How do I prevent students from switching groups in self sign-up groups?
How do I move a student into a different Group?
How do I view what students are doing in their groups?
How do I delete a set of Groups?
How do I start a Collaboration with my Group?