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Instructors may desire to make use of a sign-up tool for group projects, office hour discussions, etc.
Unfortunately, Brightspace lacks a proper sign-up tool, so instructors will have to make use of alternatives that best suit their particular situation.
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SubheadingMicrosoft Files
One of the easier methods of facilitating a sign-up process is making use of the Office365 applications such as Word or Excel.
Instructors can create a file, and set the permissions to be sharable with their class. Then, instructors can post the link to the document in the Content area, Announcements, or Discussions of their course site.
Pros
Easily editable document
Most students know how to use a text-editor
Every student has Office365
Cons
Anyone in the class can make changes (potentially overwriting changes made by other students)
Not embedded in Brightspace, links out to a separate window
Etherpads
Etherpads are similar to editable word documents, except they lack many of the functionalities that a word document offers. They can be embedded into the Content area through the Add Existing button. More information about embedding an Etherpad can be found here: https://cpibrock.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/BLEDOCU/pages/951451689/External+Tools#Accessing-External-Tools
Etherpads are automatically available to the students in the class once embedded, students can make live edits.
Pros
Easily editable document
Embedded directly into Brightspace Content area
Cons
Anyone in the class can make changes (potentially overwriting changes made by other students)
Not as robust as a word document
Teams Site
Instructors that make use of a Teams site may find that hosting sign-up materials on the Teams site as opposed to Brightspace could be beneficial. Microsoft Office docs that are created from the Files area of a Teams site automatically grants everyone in the Teams site access to them, which means instructor’s wouldn’t have to fiddle with setting up sharing permissions.
Additionally, instructors who host office hours could benefit from creating a separate channel for office hours, where students can post in the chat to create a queue.
Pros
Sharability when creating documents in the Files area
Good place for office hours discussions/queues
Cons
Anyone in the class can make changes to the shared documents
Requires the creation of a Teams site for the course
Brightspace Groups
Brightspace offers a self-enrollment group type, which can be beneficial for instructors who are giving students the ability to create their own groups for a project, presentation, discussion, etc. It is easy to set up, and would only require that the instructor direct the students to the Groups tool through Course Tools on the navbar.
Pros
Hosted within Brightspace
Allows for students to quickly form groups
Cons
Only really used for group formation, not document-editing or class discussion