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How do I set up groups purpose-driven?

There are many reasons and intentions why groups are formed. Depending on the purpose, different tools can be used by the groups in OpenOlat.

1. Grades / Classes / Semester

Purpose:

  • organizationally based group composition

Characteristics:

  • learners stay in the common group over several courses
  • learners stay in the shared group for a longer period of time
  • creation of the group by the administrator/coach
  • no group membership by self-booking

Tools in OpenOlat:

  • virtual classrooms (BBB, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, among others).
  • module curriculum
  • module organizations
  • group tools
  • shared calendars
  • common forum
  • common wiki
  • ...

2. Proficiency groups

Purpose:

  • Groups with the same proficiency level (e.g. beginners, advanced)

Characteristics:

  • learners usually stay in the same group only for a certain course (with a certain level).
  • creation of the group by the administrator/supervisor
  • possibly group membership through self-booking

Tools in OpenOlat:

  • e.g. within courses sections with different levels
  • e.g. access regulation via learning path
  • e.g. access regulation via function "exceptions"
  • possibly course element enrollment
  • course element group task
  • course element exercise
  • coaching tool
  • ...

3. Language groups

Purpose:

  • groups with the same language

Characteristics:

  • Assignment to the group possibly automatically by Syncher (after entry to the language).
  • or assignment to the group by selection of the participant

Tools in OpenOlat:

  • multilingual user interface
  • language adaptation tool
  • specific offer for language groups (through learning path via exception function)
  • module curriculum
  • module organizations
  • ...

4. Groups according to regions

Purpose:

  • often groups for blended learning (face-to-face + online learning)

Characteristics:

  • group members come from the same geographic region

Tools in OpenOlat:

  • e.g. message dispatch according to postal code
  • assignment to group possibly automatically (specification of language, postal code -> Syncher)
  • copy function for whole courses (-> creation of language versions)
  • module organizations
  • ...

5. Workshop

Purpose:

  • practical work on a topic in a small group

Characteristics:

  • limited in time
  • active cooperation of the participants

Tools in OpenOlat:

  • access control to courses (access only in a certain time window)
  • collaboration tools: chat, messages, e-mail
  • course element group task
  • course element topic assignment
  • course element documents (for joint editing of a document)
  • shared folder
  • moderation by coach
  • course element BBB with breakout rooms for subgroups
  • course element file discussion
  • course element link list
  • course element check list
  • ...

6. Project groups (work sharing)

Purpose:

  • division of labor to achieve a specific goal

Characteristics:

  • deadline for completion
  • division into work steps
  • scheduling
  • scheduling tasks
  • coordination

Tools in OpenOlat:

  • course element topic assignment
  • course element scheduling
  • common calendar
  • list of participants
  • common participant folder
  • podcast (report on project status)
  • ...

7. Planning teams

Purpose:

  • joint planning

Characteristics:

  • scheduling
  • scheduling tasks
  • coordination

Tools in OpenOlat:

  • course element scheduling
  • different calendars
  • course element survey
  • course element link list
  • course element checklist
  • project management functions
  • ...

8. Preparation groups

Purpose:

  • preparatory committees to prepare an event, project, ...

Characteristics:

  • mainly coordination tasks
  • limited in time

Tools in OpenOlat:

  • course element scheduling
  • different calendars, also with calendar import
  • course element topic assignment
  • collaboration tools: chat, messages, e-mail
  • ...

9. Decision-making committees

Purpose:

  • discussion, decision and communication of the result

Characteristics:

  • preparation phase individual
  • joint viewing of documents (basis for decision-making)
  • voting
  • documentation of decisions
  • communication of decisions

Tools in OpenOlat:

  • virtual meeting room (BBB with voting function)
  • course element participant list
  • course element file discussion
  • course element assessment
  • collaboration tools: chat, messages, e-mail
  • ...

10. Consulting

Purpose:

  • Consulting with an expert

Characteristics:

  • often 1:1 meetings
  • situation analysis by the consultant
  • accompanied implementation

Tools in OpenOlat:

  • BBB meeting room
  • course element task
  • course element checklist
  • course element assessment
  • course element link list
  • ...

11. Discussion groups

Purpose:

  • learning effect through joint discussion

Characteristics:

  • mostly live -> online meetings
  • equal, active group members
  • possibly with blog

Tools in OpenOlat:

  • course element BBB
  • course element Teams
  • course element Zoom
  • course element forum
  • course element blog
  • OpenOlat chat function
  • possibly course element enrollment
  • ...

12. Exchange of experience

Purpose:

  • learning effect through participation

Characteristics:

  • communication of experiences made
  • possibility for discussion

Tools in OpenOlat:

  • course element forum
  • course element blog
  • course element BigBlueButton
  • course element survey
  • ...

13. Feedback groups

Purpose:

  • Learning effect due to organized feedback

Characteristics:

  • jointly observed

Tools in OpenOlat:

  • course element checklist
  • course element survey
  • course element file discussion
  • ...

14. Partner work

Purpose:

  • 1:1 work has higher level of activation than in groups

Characteristics:

  • more spontaity e.g. in feedback during joint learning / joint work

Tools in OpenOlat:

  • course element document
  • course element group task
  • portfolio task
  • ...

15. Spontaneous temporary learning groups

Purpose:

  • deepening through change of methods within a live event

Characteristics:

  • Group formation during online meetings

Tools in OpenOlat:

  • course element BBB with breakout rooms (within a teaching unit/session at BBB).
  • ...

16. Learning groups for activation

Purpose:

  • dividing into groups to learn more effectively than in the large group

Characteristics:

  • division of a large group
  • mostly presentation of the different group results in the plenum

Tools in OpenOlat:

  • course element enrollment
  • course element topic assignment
  • course element group task
  • course element checklist
  • course element wiki (wiki entry per group)
  • group folder
  • group supervisor
  • collaboration tools: chat, messages, e-mail
  • ...

17. Learning groups for the staging of reality

Purpose:

  • methodical enrichment of lessons by staging

Characteristics:

  • representation of real scenes (entry, implementation phase)

Tools in OpenOlat:

  • virtual classrooms (BBB, Teams, etc.)
  • video recording
  • collaboration tools: chat, messaging, email
  • course element video task
  • ...

18. Group formation as a learning objective

Purpose:

  • social learning, e.g. group processes in projects

Characteristics:

  • reflection of a group formation

Tools in OpenOlat:

  • course element enrollment
  • course element topic assignment
  • ...

19. Role-playing game

Purpose:

  • trying out and practicing new roles
  • reflecting, reviewing and correcting existing roles

Characteristics:

  • interaction in given situations of 2 or more persons.
  • observation by the other group participants

Tools in OpenOlat:

  • course element BBB and other video conferencing tools
  • video recording at different places in OpenOlat
  • course element form for recording observations
  • course element video task (assessment of a pre-recorded video)
  • course element discussion forum
  • ...

20. Management game

Purpose:

  • practicing behavior in complex processes and situations without danger

Characteristics:

  • in contrast to role play, usually several contact phases (with interruptions), in between completion of tasks by the individuals or in small groups

Tools in OpenOlat:

  • course element group task
  • course element video (e.g. for presentation of game situation)
  • collaboration tools: chat, messages, e-mail
  • course element discussion forum
  • course element checklist
  • group folder
  • ...

21. Internship groups

Purpose:

  • Group with possibility to gain practical experience
  • occasional exchange, rather for organizational questions, main thing takes place at the different internship places

Characteristics:

  • group members have similar experience in a particular field.
  • at the beginning all group members have little experience in the learning field of the internship
  • group members are in the same situation, but are mostly separated in location

Tools in OpenOlat:

  • course element documents (for info sheets)
  • course element forum
  • course element blog (for internship report)
  • ...

22. Exam groups

Purpose:

  • joint participation in an examination

Characteristics:

  • processing of tasks without outside help in a limited amount of time
  • examination can take place at the same time or with a time delay
  • evidences/proofs, certificates as goal

Tools in OpenOlat:

  • question pool
  • 15 different question types
  • special exam courses
  • exam mode
  • use of the SafeExamBrowser
  • creation of exams from OpenOlat questions, execution on paper with individualized documents (export as Word)
  • automatic evaluation with manual review possibility
  • disadvantage compensation
  • certificates
  • documentation, archiving
  • ...

23. Interest groups

Purpose:

  • exchange on common interests

Characteristics:

  • group created by users
  • usually cross-course
  • high demand for communication elements

Tools in OpenOlat:

  • OpenOlat chat
  • course element blog
  • course element forum
  • membership in courses by self-booking
  • ...