Staff Guide: Group Signup Tool

Introduction

The Group Signup Tool is a versatile tool that allows students to self-enroll in groups within designated group types, which instructors or administrators set up in advance. The Group Signup Tool provides features for managing sign-up windows, freeze dates, group size limits, and visibility of enrolled members. It also includes options to specify whether auditing students can participate in group signups. The tool is widely used to support small group teaching, such as tutorials, by allowing students within certain schools and modules to select their preferred groups directly within the MMS system.

Creating a Group Signup Tool

The Group Signup Tool can be added to modules by Unit Administrators, Module Administrators, and other related roles. Multiple tools can be created in the same module, however care should be taken to ensure each are assoicated with a different group type.

Note: Groups need to be created, or imported from Timetabling, before the Group Signup tool can be configured. More information can be found on the Staff Guide: Groups and Group types page.

To create a Group Signup Tool:

1. Access the module by clicking the Module title on the Modules page in MMS, or in the My Modules portlet on the Academic Activities workspace in MySaint.
2. From the module overview scroll down to the Tools section.
3. Locate the Additional tools section
4. Select the check box next to the Student group sign-up option.
5. Select the blue Create Tools button.
6. Locate the new tool in the tool table.
7. (Optional) Change the tool name in the Name column if required.
8. Select the group type from the drop down list in the Group Type column.
9. Select the green Update Tools button to save.

Accessing the Group Signup Tool

To access the Group Signup Tool:

1. Log into MMS or access the My Courses tab in MySaint.
2. Locate the module.
3. Select the Group Signup Tool link.

Configuring the Group Signup Tool

The Group Signup tools are usually linked with a group type when they are created, however the tool can be linked with a group type at anytime by:

Linking a Signup tool with a group type

1. Access the module by clicking the Module title on the Modules page in MMS, or in the My Modules portlet on the Academic Activities workspace in MySaint.
2. From the module overview scroll down to the Tools section.
3. Locate the Signup tool in the tool table.
4. (Optional) Change the tool name in the Name column if required.
5. Select the group type from the drop down list in the Group Type column.
6. Select the green Update Tools button to save.

Setting dates and groups sizes

Once a tool has been linked to a group type, the dates and group sizes can be set:

1. Access the Group Signup tool for the module by selecting the link as it appears under the module title on the MMS Modules page (or My Modules portlet in MySaint).
2. Select the Configure link from the navigation panel on the left.
3. Set the required configuration:
   1. Group sizes: Set the default maximum number of students by selecting the number field and entering a value. Group sizes for individual groups can be set in the Group Maximum Sizes section.
   2. Start date: This is when students can begin accessing the signup tool and joining groups. To set it, select the calendar icon and choose a date. To set the time, select the time box and enter it in the format hh:mm.
   3. Freeze date: This is when students can no longer switch groups. Students who haven’t yet chosen a group can still make a selection after this date. To set the freeze date, use the calendar and time fields as above.
   4. Deadline: Be default students who have not choosen a group can still choose a group after the feeze date. To prevent this, select the check box next to the Use freeze date as deadline for students to pick group option.
   5. Student name visibility: By default students are not able to see the names of other students that have signed up to the group. To make the student group assignment visible to other students select the check box next to the Show names of students in groups during signup process option.
   6. Auditing students: To allow PGR auditing students to signup to groups select the check box next to the Allow auditing students to signup to groups using this tool option.
4. Save the changes by selecting the Save Configuration button.

Viewing changes in student groups

To view the group assignment history:

1. Access the Group Signup tool for the module by selecting the link as it appears under the module title on the MMS Modules page (or My Modules portlet in MySaint).
2. Select the Configure link from the navigation panel on the left.
3. Scroll down to the Group assignment history section.

The table displays the group student assignment changes. To view the history for a single student, select the Filter table field at the top of the table, and enter the student username. The table will shrink, showing only the groups the student has been enrolled on.

If the student was assigned a group by a member of staff, that member of staff will be listed.

Add or remove students from groups

Staff can change student groups, however this is not done with the student group signup tool.

To add a student to a group, or to move them:

1. Log into MMS
2. Select the module title from the Modules page, or enter the module code into the ‘Search’ field, to view the module overview
3. Select the group type tab e.g. Tutorial groups from the top of the module overview.
4. Scroll down to the Assign students section
5. Use the radio buttons in the table to assign students to a group. Selecting the option in the N/A column will un-assign the student from any groups in the group type,
6. Select the Update Students’ Groups button to save any changes.