Early Bird

Canvas Spotlight: Use Groups in Canvas

How to increase peer-to-peer interaction in Canvas using assignment and discussion groups.

By Alex McDaniel

November 3, 2020

Welcome to Canvas Spotlight, a new series from the Center for Teaching, Learning and Design that provides faculty members and educators with best practices in using online teaching tools. This bimonthly series offers helpful tips, templates, tools and techniques designed to help educators and students find success with teaching and learning.

Metropolitan State University of Denver educators can increase peer-to-peer interaction in a course by grouping students for collaborative activities. These activities could include projects, assignments, discussions and peer-review activities (not using the Peer Review feature of an assignment). Regardless of the activity, instructors will need to create groups for their students, which can be done in Canvas from three tools: People, Assignments and Discussions.

The video below highlights the Assignments and Discussions tools specifically. For a detailed tutorial on creating groups in the People tab, please view the tutorial “Create Groups” on the Groups and Collaboration (insert link) page of the Ready tutorial site.

Best practices for increasing peer-to-peer interaction

• Assign roles: Structuring groups helps maintain accountability and participation of each member.
• Scaffold group projects over time (i.e., separate due dates for incremental milestones).
• Set clear expectations using instructions, a rubric or both.
• Use group evaluation forms to monitor collaboration.

Let’s walk through it together

For complete written step-by-step instructions, visit the CTLD Ready Spotlight page.

Have questions?

To get help on this or other teaching and learning topics, access live support from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Monday through Friday, or try a self-help tutorial at www.msudenver.edu/Ready.