1.5.2. Learning Groups and Learning Areas

Learning groups are always linked with courses. They are often used for the enrolment in a course, the registration for an excursion, for assigning presentations, etc. Or you can use learning groups for granting write permission to your course or single course elements or you can assign various tasks to course participants. Learning groups can be combined to form one learning area.

Creating Learning Groups

Since learning groups are always linked to an OLAT course you have to create that course first. A relevant guide can be found in the chapter «Creating Courses». There are two different ways to create learning groups:

1. Via the group management: In the course view you will find the link «Group management» on the top right. There you can generate new learning groups or learning areas. The group management also enables you to edit existing groups, add new members, activate collaborative tools, or even delete groups.
2. Directly in the course editor: When configuring the registration element or when using the tabs «Visibility» and «Access» you can create learning groups directly. However, it is not possible to add members or to activate collaborative tools. This is what the group management is for.

Group Names

When creating groups please mind to choose appropriate group names. OLAT users will appreciate to be able to draw conclusions from group names and the courses taken. You could e.g. select the name «ParticipantsSocialPolicy» instead of just «Participants.»

Number of Participants and Waiting List

When creating a learning group there is the option to limit the number of participants; you can determine how many members your group should have. When activating a waiting list potential members can enter their names on that list in case the limit is exceeded. If there are members leaving the group or if the course author cancels some previous registrations persons on the waiting list will move up automatically if the option «Transfer automatically» has been selected.

Creating Learning Areas and Allocating Learning Groups

In the course view you have to open the group management. By means of the tool box on your right you can then create a new learning area before allocating single learning groups to this learning area. If a learning area already exists you can use this one to allocate certain learning groups. All you have to do is editing the learning group of your choice before selecting the corresponding learning area in the tab «Learning area.»

Learning areas are suitable for using the same course element within a course in several learning groups or if there are a lot of learning groups to choose from along with only one single registration element. Learning areas spare you the selection of each single learning group.

You select learning areas in the course editor by means of the course element «Enrolment.» All learning groups within a learning area will then be offered when registering. Additionally you can choose from learning areas in the tabs «Visibility» or «Access» if the option «Depending on groups» is activated.

Configuring Tools of Learning Groups

After creating a learning group you can provide it with collaborative tools in the tab «Tools.» If you want to modify your configuration later on (e.g. if you want to deactivate some tools) you start with selecting the group management in your course view. Then choose «All learning groups» and click on the link «Edit» right next to the corresponding learning group. Alternatively you can start with selecting the link «Administration» in the menu on your left.

In the tab «Tools» of the context-sensitive Help you will get more information on all available OLAT tools.

If the tool «Information» is activated and saved you will be able to edit the information meant for your group members right beneath the list containing all tools. If you have activated and saved the calendar setting you can configure the write permission regarding the group calendar.

Each group can only be provided with one tool of the same type. If you want to work with more than one forum or Wiki or if you want to provide documents in more than one folder it is better to use course elements instead. You should configure these elements to be only visible or accessible to one specific learning group.

Managing Members of Learning Groups

There are two different ways to allocate members to a learning group:

1. Course participants enroll on their own.
2. The course owner allocates participants to corresponding learning groups.

The first option is suitable for courses with many participants, for participants you do not know yet or for participants who should decide on their own in which learning group they want to register (e.g. when assigning tasks to be performed in groups). This option is activated by means of the course element «Enrolment.» When configuring your course please determine in which learning group(s) your participants should be able to register.

The second option is suitable for participants you already know in which learning groups they belong and if you want to make sure that only those will be able to register who qualify for your learning groups.

In the course view please open the group management if you plan to add any members. Then select «All learning groups» on your left and click on the link «Edit» right next to the group name. In the tab «Members» you then add group members either as tutors or participants:

• Tutors: They can appoint or delete members as well as provide learning groups with collaborative tools. In addition they have access to the assessment tool. Being the course author you do not have to be appointed as tutor; you already hold course owner rights incl. all rights a tutor will have.
• Participants: They can use collaborative tools of a group.

The classic role of a tutor can be represented in OLAT by means of those tutor rights mentioned above.

When clicking on the icon «Download table» (underneath the button «Add users») an Excel file containing all owners or participants of a learning group will be generated.

Using Learning Group Tools

After enrolling in a learning group you will see the box «My learning groups» on your right in the course view. As soon as the learning group tutor has activated some group tools, group members will see the same menu items described earlier in the section project group.

Additional Features in the Group Management

In the course view please open the group management. The course author has then the possibility to download one or more Excel files containing data regarding members of learning groups or learning areas. Please select the appropriate link in the tool box «Create lists» and follow the instructions.

When editing a group there will be further features at your disposal (at your right, in the bottom tool box) such as sending an e-mail to all members.

Copying learning groups (several times) will spare you the configuration of collaborative tools, if you want those tools to be identical in all of your groups.

Leaving or Deleting Learning Groups

In the tab «Groups» of the main navigation at the top you will see all of your groups. Just click on the group name you want to leave. Then select the menu item «Course» before clicking on «Start» on your right. Choose the one registration element of the group you have enrolled in and select «Delist.»

Perhaps your course author has already closed the course or does not allow you to delist on your own. In this case you have to contact the course author and ask for assistance.

Only course authors can delete learning groups. After examining all learning groups in the group management just select the link «Delete» right next to the relevant group. You can delete learning areas in the view «All learning areas.»