Been fiddling about with the groups issue for a little while and I'm expecting a great deal from it. However I' haven't really come to grips with the subject yet.
One thing that requires quite some time is finding out if and how each individual activity behaves towards this issue.
Can anyone offer some sort of list that states what activities support groups?
And maybe in what form or to what extent?
All activities apart from resources and glossaries support groups to some extent, although how groups affect what a participant sees depends on whether they are a teacher with editing rights; a teacher with no editing rights who has been assigned to a group; or a student.
With groups set up, teachers with editing rights can use groups to view contributions to/mark most activities where the student interacts with moodle: assignments, journals, quizzes etc. They can do this for all students on the course.
Non-editing teachers who have been assigned to a group can only view contributions to/mark the activities for the students in the group they have been assigned to.
From the students perspective, groups only apply to forums, chats and choices. With separate groups, each group can only see and participate in their own group; the other groups are invisible to them. With visible groups, each group works in their own group, but can also see the postings etc of other groups. This also applies to non-editing teachers who are assigned to a particular group.
Morag
With groups set up, teachers with editing rights can use groups to view contributions to/mark most activities where the student interacts with moodle: assignments, journals, quizzes etc. They can do this for all students on the course.
Non-editing teachers who have been assigned to a group can only view contributions to/mark the activities for the students in the group they have been assigned to.
From the students perspective, groups only apply to forums, chats and choices. With separate groups, each group can only see and participate in their own group; the other groups are invisible to them. With visible groups, each group works in their own group, but can also see the postings etc of other groups. This also applies to non-editing teachers who are assigned to a particular group.
Morag
Thanks! That's just the information I am looking for
Note that 1.3.2 has some important fixes regarding the use of forums with separate groups.
Morag, thank you for explanation. However, When asigined a non editor profesor to a specific group he/she still see all groups. Did I do something wrong?.
Thanks in advance
Mónico
Thanks in advance
Mónico
Hi Mónico
Do you have separate or visible groups set up? With separate groups, each group can only see and participate in their own group; the other groups are invisible to them. With visible groups, each group works in their own group, but can also see the postings etc. of other groups.
You can define whether groups are separate or visible at two levels: at the course level and at the activity level.
If you choose to force separate or visible groups (in the settings area of your course) then that mode will be applied to every activity on your course.
If you choose not to force a particular mode then you can define whether a particular activity uses separate, visible or no groups using the little orange icon to the far right of the activity to toggle between "visible groups",
, "separate groups" 
or "no groups" 
.
Morag
Do you have separate or visible groups set up? With separate groups, each group can only see and participate in their own group; the other groups are invisible to them. With visible groups, each group works in their own group, but can also see the postings etc. of other groups.
You can define whether groups are separate or visible at two levels: at the course level and at the activity level.
If you choose to force separate or visible groups (in the settings area of your course) then that mode will be applied to every activity on your course.
If you choose not to force a particular mode then you can define whether a particular activity uses separate, visible or no groups using the little orange icon to the far right of the activity to toggle between "visible groups",
, "separate groups" or "no groups" .Morag
Hi, Morag, first thank you for excellent description of how to use group feature. Second, I have an question here: When I assigned a instructor to a group in separate group feature. This instructor still see other groups activities. Is this normal?
Thanks in advance
Mónico
Thanks in advance
Mónico
Hi Mónico
If you have separate groups set up on an activity and visible groups is not forced globally in the settings area, then instructor should only be able to see assignment submissions, postings etc from the group he or she is assigned to, so I am not sure what the problem is there.
What version of Moodle are you using?
Morag
If you have separate groups set up on an activity and visible groups is not forced globally in the settings area, then instructor should only be able to see assignment submissions, postings etc from the group he or she is assigned to, so I am not sure what the problem is there.
What version of Moodle are you using?
Morag
Hi, Morag, we are using 1.3.2
I see, the main problem for me is the concept instructor assign. Because, I have separate groups and assigned a instructor to a group. However, this instructor can see both groups: assigned and didn't.
Thanks in advance
Mónico
I see, the main problem for me is the concept instructor assign. Because, I have separate groups and assigned a instructor to a group. However, this instructor can see both groups: assigned and didn't.
Thanks in advance
Mónico
That is correct for "editing teachers". If a teacher has editing capability then they are able to change settings in a course anyway so it makes no sense to restrict them within a group (even if they are assigned to it).
To do what you want you need to make the teachers into "non-editing teachers". They can still grade things but they can't change the course structure.
You can change the editing status of a teacher on the "teachers" link under the course administration menu.
To do what you want you need to make the teachers into "non-editing teachers". They can still grade things but they can't change the course structure.
You can change the editing status of a teacher on the "teachers" link under the course administration menu.
Hi, Martin. I appreciate a lot your time to answer this comment. By the way, moodle users are growing up at University of Guadalajara.
We have more than 3000 moodle users.
Cheers
Mónico
We have more than 3000 moodle users.Cheers
Mónico
I'm currently working on a course where I'll have two groups (two sections). I'd like to set up activities (assignment) where the due date is different for each group, but that doesn't seem possible. Any advice? Thanks, Eric
I am just getting started with my first Moodle course, and am running in to the same problem. Do I need to create two separate courses? I am trying to use groups, but as Eric mentioned, assignments seem to be for the entire course rather than individual groups (sections). Any ideas? We are using 1.4.3+