How do I set up groups to suit their purpose?

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/coach
• 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, email
• 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, email
• ...

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, email
• ...

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 spontaneity 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 coach
• collaboration tools: chat, messages, email
• ...

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, email
• 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
• ...