Group work is easy to facilitate and assess in Canvas. Additionally, a Canvas setting can be enabled to allow students to create their own study groups as well.
How to Facilitate Group Work
Set Up and Utilize Groups
- Review UBC’s guide on creating group sets in Canvas: https://keepteaching.ubc.ca/group-work/.
- You can then assign groups to assignments, discussion posts, etc. click here to see how to assign an assignment to a course group.
- You can also allow real-time group work within ZOOM breakout rooms. This has to be done while you are hosting the meeting.
- If you have more than 20 groups, we recommend batch-uploading groups through iPeer, then syncing to Canvas (Step 6B in How to create a course in iPeer and create groups )
Let Students Manage Groups
Read UBC’s guide on how to allow students to create their own groups for discussion and collaboration: https://keepteaching.ubc.ca/group-work/#student-groups
Group Presentations
If you have in class group presentations planned, here is the approach we recommend:
- Synchronous Groups Presentations:
- Set up a meeting in ZOOM and name for each group. Ensure that you change the role of group members presenting from ‘Participant’ to ‘Co-Host’. This will allow them to share their screen or PowerPoint slides. The group members can join remotely and present to just the instructor or the whole class. The presentation can also be recorded to review later.
- Asynchronous Groups Presentations:
- For asynchronous group presentations involving students, we suggest using MS Teams sessions for each group. Students in each group would be moderators with the ability to share slides, speak, control the room etc. When they are ready to present, they will record their session and then upload the video. For instructions on set up click HERE.
Group Evaluation
iPeer is a group peer review application where instructors can customize and receive students’ evaluations of one another. These anonymized evaluations can then be shared with the evaluated student or kept confidential between the evaluator and instructor.
For more information about iPeer, see Peer Reviews page (STP) and iPeer Instructor Guide (LT Hub).
If you would like to use iPeer please complete the steps in Canvas Step by Step: How to Link iPeer with Canvas. Then contact help@sauder.ubc.ca to set up the evaluation.
If you have more than 20 groups, we recommend batch-uploading groups through iPeer, then syncing to Canvas (Step 6B in document above)
Student Collaboration
Collaboration Platforms
Peer Review
Canvas Peer Review: Canvas peer review option allows students to review one or more assignment submissions by other students. Students share their feedback to other students by writing in a comment box, attaching a document, or evaluate using a rubric or a combination of feedback methods. The Canvas Peer Review tool also allows instructors to supervise the feedback process, provide their own comments, see which students have completed their Peer Reviews and reassign or remove assignment reviews.
ComPAIR: ComPAIR is an open-source tool that allows students to answer questions, then assess their peer’s responses according to criteria set out by the instructor. More information is available in the technology tab.
iPeer: iPeer is a group peer review application where instructors can customize and receive students’ evaluations of one another. These anonymized evaluations can then be shared with the evaluated student or kept confidential between the evaluator and instructor. More information is available at the iPeer instructor guide, and the technology tab
Note: There are more tools for peer evaluation and review, check these resources: comparisons of strengths and limitations of each tool; ideas and strategies for peer assessments.