Sections and groups are very similar in some respects. They both allow instructors to manage subsets of students within a site. For example, both groups and sections allow instructors to filter and view one section of students at a time in the Gradebook. However, sections and groups also differ in several key ways.
Sections.
Sections are subsets of site participants. A section may have a variety of data attached to it, such as category, days of the week, times, and an assigned teaching assistant (in a course site only).
- Sections are managed through the Section Info tool.
- Instructors may provide additional information about a section, such as title (required), days, start time, end time, maximum size, and location.
- Sections must be assigned to a given category. Categories include lecture, lab, discussion, studio, and recitation.
- In a course site, an instructor may assign a teaching assistant to a section.
- Instructors have the option to allow students to switch or sign up for sections.
- Participants may not be in more than one section in a given category.
Groups.
Groups are also subsets of participants for a given site. Groups are useful to organize study groups, project teams, and other non-official subsets of site participants.
- Groups are managed through the Site Info tool.
- Groups have a title (required) as well as a description (optional).
- Groups do not have an assigned teaching assistant.
- Site participants may be members of more than one group.