[Groups] Copy Group Settings

[donaldjo]

Group settings should be included when doing a course copy or Import.

I have a course which relies heavily on an intricate set of groups tied to assignments (it's a negotiations course) so I need to be able to copy the course over from term to term in complete form. Currently whenever I copy the course, the groups are all lost, as well as the tying of groups to the appropriate assignments. Re-creating the groups and then re-tying them to assignments takes an incredible amount of time.

Comments from Instructure

The Canvas Production Release Notes (2015-06-27) indicate that importing a course with group assignments now brings the group assignment settings to the new course; however, upon testing the group structures within a group set do not come with it.  For this reason we will keep this feature idea open for voting.  We will continue testing and update this post as soon as we have more information.

Course Settings and Grading Schemes

Importing Course Settings from a Canvas course export package also imports the grading scheme.

Explanation: When a user imported selective course content from a Canvas export package, the grading scheme was not included in the import. Importing the entire course was not affected. This behavior occurred because Canvas was not verifying grading standard copies if it was part of selected content. Canvas code has been updated to import the course grading scheme when part of selected course content.

[alward]

Is there any update for this issue?  I have many instructors asking me how to get this to happen.

Thank you,

Amy

[GideonWilliams]

Seriously, this functionality is not in place?

Not looking forward to 

(a). Telling my team

(b). Then having to do the job myself manually

[hoovenl]

I think a problem for asking for improvements on group functions is that Canvas prioritizes work by how many people are clamoring for it. Since not everyone uses groups, I imagine that non-group ideas get more likes, and are therefore prioritized. If so, how will we get Canvas to hear us?

[GideonWilliams]

I'm not really sure how it all works. Quite a few ideas with 200+ votes just waiting for something to happen. I don't mind it if something does not happen, would just like to be told why. I wish there was more communication from Canvas on these ideas. Is it asking too much to reply every quarter? Adding ideas to the Radar can also be very misleading, especially when they are left up and people continue to vote for them. Perhaps these ideas should be removed and put on this stage with comments made by Canvas as to their progress.

[hoovenl]

I don't even come here to comment that often. I would be more interested if practical suggestions were acted upon. "Acclaim" or points do not motivate me.

[denise_kreiger]

Highly agree! This is a very important feature enhancement. Having "People Group Sets and Groups" copy over from one semester to the next is critical and should be done automatically as part of the IMPORT process (this is common to copy groups over in other LMSs). If you don't include this feature as part of the Import process (i.e., import course from previous semester into upcoming semester), if faculty are importing their own course sites (or someone not close to the course), they could easily forget/overlook setting up the People Group Sets BEFORE doing the import and then setting up the Groups after the import - so that the Assignment Groups will stay in-tact with the import. If this is not done in sequence, it is very easy to not have the Peopled Groups and Assignment Groups incorporated at all (or properly) until the instructor realizes something is 'amiss' when it's in the middle of the semester.

Please add this enhancement - it's a STAPLE!

[vrs07nl]

At UK HE User group meeting in October, high up folks at Instructure asked me for more detail on why need to be able to copy group set ups etc and what was not working... no feedback yet despite assurances ...

[lgaughan]

Are you asking us why we need this feature or are you telling us you were asked this and your provided the response?

Needless to say, this is one of the biggest flaws with Canvas and one of the most frustrating things that needs to be fixed asap.

[denise_kreiger]

Hi Nicola,

I explain in my comment what the problems are with not having the "Copy Group Sets AND Groups" feature when creating/importing a course site (that uses 'groups' in the existing course/semestser) for the next semester. It becomes a manual process that IDs or Canvas Helpdesk will need to do the course 'imports' for instructors who use Groups in their courses for a new semester. We want instructors to be able to be able to "self-service" setting up their course sites for new semesters and doing imports. Right now, they can't do so without assistance - or they may do the import without the groups copying over unbeknownst to them - and then the Assignments, Discussions, and/or Collaborations, etc., that have 'groups' associated with them are not really set up properly and will not work as intended.

You mentioned the "higher ups" at Instructure - who are they? Can you send a link to them to this Forum because it looks like no one is paying attention to this much-needed feature enhancement and it seems to have enough votes:

https://community.canvaslms.com/ideas/1551-copy-group-settings?commentID=104310#comment-104310

Best, Denise 

[vrs07nl]

i am trying to remember who i spoke to and explained what was required to... once i know i will update here

UK HE users have been told copy anything gorups is not a priority... which i understood was not the case