Import group sets

[ja46272]

I want to manually create groups outside of canvas (based on non-repeating partners for multiple group sets and for other reasons), and then import this group set into Canvas.  Is there a way to do this by importing a csv with my groups?

[kona]

ja46272, unfortunately no, this isn't possible. I did find a feature idea for this though - https://community.canvaslms.com/ideas/9304-batch-group-management" modifiedtitle="true" title="Batch... - and voted on it. My recommendation is for you to vote and comment on this idea and why it would be so useful/helpful for you. In addition, I'd also follow it so that way you'll be alerted if there are any updates.

[gasstationwitho]

Damn! I was just looking for the instructions for how to do this obviously necessary task.  Is there really no way to upload pre-defined lab groups.  I'm really expected to click 800 times to set up the five groups?

I knew that the Canvas user interface was not designed for classes bigger than 10 students, but this is insane!

[embleton]

I whole heartedly agree with you! I am "just" putting 271 students into assigned groups of 4... and having to build groups from highest number first, to lowest because the "Unassigned student" list won't expand for scrolled windows and can only see about 10 groups on the window at once. ALSO the students are listed first name first - would be TREMENDOUSLY more useful to have last name first. as that is what it is sorted on... There is LOTS of room for improvement with Groups! And the default here MUST be that students can interacts with students in other sections because our "sections" are based on major/non major NOT different class periods... UGH

[gasstationwitho]

What I ended up doing was downloading the class roster, editing out everything but the email addresses, and writing my own program to assign partners and group numbers for each assignment.  Then I posted the pairings on the class's Piazza bulletin board and had students sign up for their lab groups.  I only had to move about 4 students who incompetently signed up for the wrong groups (and I didn't have to find them—the students who were supposed to sign up in those groups complained).

It was still more work than a competently designed LMS would require.  (I'm of the opinion that all the LMS software on the market is cobbled together by people who never took human-computer interface courses, never taught classes, and has not the slightest idea what the jobs are that the software is supposed to help with.)

[gasstationwitho]

I gave up on Canvas ever properly supporting groups, and wrote my own code using the Canvas API to assign students to groups based on CSV files (the same CSV files I use to assign students to Zoom breakout rooms).

I guess Canvas is only interested in groups for faculty who (like me) have degrees in computer science.

[RobDitto · Accepted solution]

@gasstationwitho, did you try out the recently introduced functionality?

• How do I import group members in a group set?

It's been extremely helpful at our institution and allowed us to avoid asking programmers for help.

[gasstationwitho]

It sounds like this technique (though well-hidden) would have worked for me, but I retired and stopped teaching the course before they got around to implementing it.

[mikeg]

Note that the formatting for the csv file to upload groups is *different* from the formatting used to upload to gradebook.  So you'll want to follow instructions exactly. 

Two different formats for uploading student information, no wonder folks get frustrated with Canvas.  I wish I could bill the company for all the time I waste on these types of issues.