This tool is available as part of the Campus Learning premium offering.
Groups are a communication tool for conducting one-way and two-way conversations between group members. Groups can be created for use by clubs, organizations, events, and interests. This article collects frequently asked questions about the Groups tool.
There are three levels of access to a group:
- Group Owner: Can create and manage groups. Requires the Group Owner tool right.
- Group Member: Can be any Campus user with an account, including Campus Parent and Campus Student users. These users interact with the group according to the group's settings.
- Group Administrator: Can view and manage all groups across the schools they have Calendar rights for. Requires the Group Administration tool right.
See the Groups Management Tool Rights article for more information about the tool rights that govern access to this tool.
Setup
How do I enable Groups for my district?
Groups are enabled via a System Preference and tool rights. The Campus Digital Repository can also be enabled for groups to allow participants to attach images and files. See the Enable the Groups Tool article for more information.
How do I create a new group?
Create a new group by navigating to Communications > Groups Management > Groups and clicking Create New Group. See the instructions to create a group for more information.
What's the difference between Public and Private groups?
- Public groups are visible on the Find a Group page, where users can join or request to join as desired.
- Private groups are only accessible via the Access Code. These groups cannot be searched for by name in the Find a Group search.
Joining Groups
How do Access Codes work?
Access Codes allow members to join groups easily by searching for the group based on its Code. Access Codes can be used for public groups and are required for private groups.
Owners can generate, customize, or replace codes at any time. Once a code is replaced, the old code no longer works to access a group.
Group owners are responsible for sharing Access Codes, there is not currently a built-in way to share them.
How do join requests work?
Join requests are managed by the Group Owner on the Participants tab and function based on the group Settings
- If the group is set up to Require Manual Approval, requests display for the owner to approve or reject.
- If set up to Approve Automatically, members join the group immediately upon request.
How do members find and join groups?
Users can join a group by using Find a Group to browse public groups, filtering the list by name, school, or their own status in the group. For private groups, enter the Access Code to find and join the group.
How do members leave a group?
To leave a group, locate the group on your Joined tab in My Groups or find it on Find a Group and click Leave Group.
Owners must assign a new owner before leaving a group.
Can guardians automatically join their student's groups?
Yes, if enabled by the district. When districts enable the Groups tool, there is an additional System Preference to Automatically Add Guardians to Student's Joined Groups. Once enabled, this setting applies to new groups that a guardian joins and does not apply retroactively to already joined groups.
Regardless of whether this setting is enabled, a parent/guardian must provide permission before their student can join a group if their student is under 18.
Group Owners
How do I manage posts and replies?
Owners can create posts and replies, pin posts to the top of the feed, flag posts and resolve others' flags, lock replies on individual posts, and edit or delete their own posts and replies. See the Group Owner article for more information about these options. Depending on group settings, other participants may also create posts and replies.
How can I resolve flagged posts/replies?
Group Owners and Administrators can view and resolve flags by filtering the Posts tab to Show only Flagged content and resolve flags by removing the flag or deleting the content. Deleted content remains available in the group history report.
How do I view group activity history?
Owners can click View History on the Posts tab to generate a CSV report showing all posts, replies, edits, deletions, and flags within the entered date range.
How do I manage participants?
Manage participants on the Participants tab, where you can
- Search for and add participants by name, Campus role, grade, and school.
- Filter existing participants by name, role, or status (Muted/Unmuted)
- Mute participants to prevent them from posting/replying
- Remove participants and block them to prevent them from rejoining
- View and edit the Block List for the group.
Can people be added to groups en-masse?
At this time, members cannot be added to a group en-masse. You can filter the list of potential participants, but names must be selected individually.
Group Participants
How do members access Groups?
Once enabled, the Groups tool displays in the left navigation of Campus Student and Campus Parent. Members must accept the GRoups User Agreement before accessing the group. Guardians must accept terms for themselves and their students, and students under 18 require approval to join a group.
For employees, the Groups tool can be found in Communication > Groups Management > Groups
How do members interact with a group?
The level of participation in a group is dependent on group-specific permissions. Participants may be able to create posts, create replies, and edit or delete their own posts and replies.
Can participants add images and attachments to posts/replies?
Yes, if the Campus Digital Repository is enabled for the Groups tool. Without CDR enabled, groups can be used for text-based communication.
How do I flag inappropriate content?
Any participant can flag a post or reply and provide a reason, if desired. Group owners and administrators can review and resolve flags by removing the flag or deleting the content. Deleted content remains available in the group history report.
Notifications
What notifications will I receive?
Click the bell icon in Campus to display notifications. Emails are not sent for Group activity.
Owners receive notifications via Campus for:
| Members receive notifications via Campus, Campus Parent, or Campus Student when:
|
How do I know about new activity in groups?
In the My Groups list, dots display next to the group to indicate activity in the group:
- A red flag/circle indicates unresolved flags.
- A blue circle indicates new posts/replies or pending join requests (for a group owner)
