Groups in a course - working cooperatively and collaboratively

FELIX 20-011

What you need to know

It is possible to set up cooperative and/or collaborative working in FELIX, with a delivery option if desired.

For this, you need to create digital groups. Digital groups can exist in a course or independently of a course.
If you already have a FELIX course for your course, we recommend creating groups directly in this course as described in this helpcard. To create digital groups independently of a course, please follow Helpcard 20-010.

These digital groups can be equipped with various tools (e.g. forum, folder) so that this group can work cooperatively with each other (group members work on subtasks individually and combine them into a final result).

Alternatively, collaborative forms of work (joint learning process, joint elaboration and submission of a final product) can be set up, for example by using a group task. In a group task, groups can work together on a document directly in the course view and then submit a document to you as a group.

This helpcard gives you step-by-step instructions for creating digital groups.
Our video clip may also be helpful.

What you have to do

  1. Go to your course and click on "Administration" and access "Members management".

  2. Click on "Groups" in the menu on the left.

    • Any existing groups are displayed here and can be altered via "Edit".

  3. To create a new group, click "Create group".

  4. Give the group a name, add a description if necessary, enter the foreseen number of participants if required (activate the "Waiting list" and "Moving up automatically" if desired) and click on "Finish".

    • You are now in the created group.

  5. Now bring up the "Administration" of the group.

  6. If you want groups to be able to work together, equip the group with various tools in the "Tools" tab.

    • If you combine groups with the group task course element, they can edit files together directly in the element. You may then not need any further tools directly in the group.

    • The following tools are available:
      - Information for members (create message to group participants, e.g. work order).
      - Email: Enables you to reach members of the group via email.
      - Calendar: Used for the common organisation of the group.
      Note: By default, only you have write permission for the "Information for members", "E-mail" and "Calendar" tools.
      - Folder: Central collection point and exchange of files that are either uploaded or created directly in the folder via OnlyOffice (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) (see Helpcard 20-120).
      - Forum: For online discussions.

  7. In the "Members" tab, for example, you can set the "Members display" to Members see participants.
    You can also add or remove participants and change roles in the "Members" tab.

    • The two tabs "Courses" and "Change course access and booking configurations" can be ignored at this point.

  8. Close the group by clicking the cross (top right).

    • You are now in the Members managment of your course.

  9. If you select the group with a checkmark in front of the name, you can "Duplicate" it (above the displayed table). In this way you can copy groups e.g. including the created tools and the display of the members.

  10. There are two ways to make your group accessible to members:

    - addition of members by the course owner (see step 10)

    - independent enrolment into the groups by the participants (see step 11)

  11. Addition of members by the course owner

    • Under Members management, click on the "Members" tab (where you are after step 1).

    • If there are already members in your course, select the members you want to add to one or more groups (check the box). Otherwise you have to add the members to your course via "Add member".

    • Click on "Edit" and add the members to the corresponding group or groups as participants.
      Navigate through the wizard and finish it with "Finish".

  12. Using the enrolment module
    Use the "Enrolment" course element (follow the instructions in Helpcard 30-015).

    • Students can then self-enroll in one or more selected groups.

  13. For collaborative work, use the "Group task" course element.
    Using the group task element, tasks can be assigned digitally, edited and submitted by the groups jointly and synchronously via OnlyOffice (for more information, see Helpcard 20-120), and assessed digitally by the lecturers.
    The configuration of the group task is explained on Helpcard 30-100.

  14. Group participants can either find "their" group in the "Groups" tab (next to the "Courses" tab) or can bring up the group directly in the course. For this purpose, group participants click on the "Man" icon in the course view and can then navigate directly to their group.

Problems or questions?