Create a Group Assignment

Last updated on October 19, 2021

You can use the Canvas Group Assignments feature to easily assign and grade collaborative assignments. Imagine students working together to complete a virtual lab; research a question and write a group paper; hold and record a video discussion; act out a scene from literature or history; produce a group presentation; or create a digital media piece, such as a website or infographic.

Note: Before creating a group assignment, you will need to know how to create student groups. Visit the Create Groups tutorial.

Directions

1. Go to MSU Denver’s Faculty and Staff Hub.
2. Click Canvas in the Teaching & Learning section.
3. Log in to your Canvas Account.
4. Select the Course you’d like to work in.
5. Click Modules on the course navigation menu to the left.
6. Scroll to the Module you’d like to add a group assignment to.
7. Click the + Button next to the name of the Module.
8. Select Assignment from the drop-down menu.
9. Click [New Assignment].
10. Type a Title for your assignment in the Assignment Name box.
11. Click Add Item.
12. Click the Name of the assignment you created in the module.
13. Click Edit.
14. Type Instructions and Additional Information in the second, larger box.
    • Note: You can also add links, images, videos, and other resources in this section. To learn more, refer to the “Use the Rich Content Editor” tutorial.
15. Adjust the Settings, as desired.
16. Scroll down to the Group Assignment setting.
17. Check the box for This is a Group Assignment.
18. Decide whether to check the box for Assign Grades to Students Individually.
    • Note: If you do not check this box, all students in the group will receive the same grade.
19. Choose an existing Group Set from the drop-down menu, or create a New One by clicking the New Group Category button.
20. Adjust the remaining Settings, as desired.
21. Click Save.

Assign Different Tasks or Due Dates to Different Groups

The Group Assignment feature can be used to assign different due dates to different groups. You can also give an extra assignment to a group by typing only their group’s name in the “Assign to” field, or you can exempt a group from a certain assignment by leaving them out of the “Assign to” field.

Within the Assignment Settings

1. Scroll down to the Assign setting.
2. Click the Assign To box.
3. Select a Group.
4. Choose the Due Date for that group’s assignment.
5. Click the + Add button to give the Assignment to another group.
6. Repeat Steps 2-5 for as many groups as necessary.
7. Click Save.