[Groups] Allow Groups to set Homepage

[hpalmersheim]

We have more schools using the admin- and course-level groups feature to communicate with staff in the building and differentiate by type of staff, grade level teams, departments and others.  It would be extremely beneficial if the group function allowed them to set a custom homepage.  If you go to the pages it does allow you to set a homepage but then the group home only shows the recent activity stream.

[rodger-ling]

Thanks for that effort.  I do have an actual test student login I can use to see exactly how groups appear to students (the regular "preview" doesn't work because the instructor preview student cannot join a group).

We use graded group discussions in every class, and it is impossible to prevent students from creating a separate (not graded) discussion response by clicking "discussion" in the group menu and then the "+ discussion" button (no ability t o disable that button).

[scottdennis]

No problem, Rodger.  I wish I could have found otherwise (and been in Tennessee) to earn that lunch.   

[birger_eriksson]

To support learning we need to improve the tools for collaboration between students. This would be a good starting point.

[r_v_jones]

I really think this needs to be created ASAP as we are trying to use groups more to support people during COVID19 an having a lack of homepage is problematic 

[GideonWilliams]

Just up voted this idea and pretty depressing that it is now 5 years old. Group tasks hugely important particularly in the current climate of remote learning.

Studies gives collaborative tasks a +0.45 to +0.50 impact score and peer interaction tasks identified as a key factor in supporting learning - https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/public/files/Publications/Covid-19_Resources/Remote_lear... 

Making the group task personal to the group and allowing them to personalise the page should be an option available to them. Its only a little thing amongst a great many requests but it means a lot!

[birger_eriksson]

I fully agree. The universities in Sweden collaborate to improve the group functions in Canvas to facilitate group learning. But we need to get more people to vote on this proposal, among other ideas, to develop the group functions in Canvas.

[GideonWilliams]

Hi  @birger_eriksson ‌ - do you know what improvements they made?

[birger_eriksson]

Actually, they are not making the changes, but rather together trying to push Instructure to make the development.
Here is a list of some ideas they are pushing in the conversation:

1) As a teacher I want to be able to create sub-groups, e.g I want to divide Group A and B into A1, A2, A3 and B1, B2, B3 in order for students to collaborate in smaller groups while at the same time being able to access the material contained in parent groups.
    https://community.canvaslms.com/ideas/15529-create-sub-groups
***
2) As a teacher, I want to assign assignments for peer review in two additional ways:
- A group could provide peer review on other groups
- Individuals within a group could provide peer review on other students within the group (automatically assign peer reviews)
    https://community.canvaslms.com/ideas/10128-peer-review-for-groups-to-review-other-groups
    https://community.canvaslms.com/ideas/4789-assign-peer-reviews-by-student-group


***
As a teacher, I want to choose from which groups I want to receive notifications so that I get a better overview of the groups' work. 

    https://community.canvaslms.com/ideas/1179-users-need-to-be-able-to-customize-notifications-at-the-c...
    https://community.canvaslms.com/ideas/3663-notifications-by-course
*** 


As a teacher, I want to import/copy one/all groupset/s from other courses. I would also like to have the opportunity to copy the individuals. 
    https://community.canvaslms.com/ideas/1551-copy-group-settings
    https://community.canvaslms.com/ideas/15651-copy-andor-import-group-sets
***


As a student I want to see which course a group is related to in the global navigation menu.
    https://community.canvaslms.com/ideas/14294-allow-students-to-addstar-groups-to-group-menu
***
As a teacher I want to be able to assign individual assignments to groups instead of typing all student names manually one at a time. Likewise, announcements should be possible to direct to specific groups. The group creation process is user friendly which makes it a complement to the use of sections.
    https://community.canvaslms.com/ideas/5574-assign-to-by-group-for-individual-assignment
***
As a student I want to be able to specify group members who has been contributing to the work. This will be regarded as information to the teacher during assessment.
    https://community.canvaslms.com/ideas/4982-peer-evaluation-for-group-projects
    https://community.canvaslms.com/ideas/1272
***
As a teacher, I want to be added to one or more specific group(s) as an active participant so that I can follow the group’s work easily (not all groups as standard)
    https://community.canvaslms.com/ideas/14618-allow-teachers-to-be-added-to-groups
***
As a teacher, I want to add the test student, from “Student view”, in a group so that I can see the group from the student view perspective.
    https://community.canvaslms.com/ideas/15653-add-the-test-student-to-a-group
***
As a student, I want to be able to star mark groups in the same way as courses so that I can easily find the right group.
    https://community.canvaslms.com/ideas/14294-allow-students-to-addstar-groups-to-group-menu
***
The group navigation list should be configurable so that either teacher or student group can choose functionality. Teachers should also be able to lock these settings.
As a teacher I want to be able to select what functionality will be available to a group, and visible in the group navigation menu. In this way I can better control how the group can collaborate.
    https://community.canvaslms.com/ideas/15654-configure-group-navigation-list
    A connected idea: 
    https://community.canvaslms.com/ideas/2579-allow-groups-to-set-homepage
*** 
As a teacher, I want to make group area content available to students in read-only after a course is concluded. Students should be able to read but not be able to add content. 
    

   https://community.canvaslms.com/ideas/15299-group-access-to-a-concluded-course
***


As a student, I want to see my groups in my calendar next to the courses and not further down in the navigation so that I don’t miss to activate the groups’ activities. 
    

   https://community.canvaslms.com/ideas/15655-show-group-calendar-at-the-course
*** 


As a teacher, I want to be able to decide in advance when group-signup should be closed, to set a deadline for allowing self sign-up. Currently the teacher can close this possibility manually by changing the settings for the group set and disable the "Allow self sign-up”. But the teacher has to remember to really do this manually. 
The problem: Allowing students to sign up for groups implies that they can switch between groups several times. This means they can, if they want, spy what other groups are doing and they can switch groups before submission. 
    https://community.canvaslms.com/ideas/12609-close-self-sign-up-to-groups-on-a-specific-date


***


The self-sign-up to groups is hard to find for students. The ability for the teacher to put this on the course home page would make it easier to find.
    https://community.canvaslms.com/ideas/15656-easier-self-sign-up
    A connected idea:
    https://community.canvaslms.com/ideas/12972-group-assignment-self-sign-up-from-submission-page

[GideonWilliams]

Thanks  @birger_eriksson ‌ , have viewed and voted...

[rebecca_denham]

It is very strange to have the option to declare a page "front page" - when it cannot be used as a front page. We have to tell our students not to pay any attention to what looks like an option.