How to Create Group Discussions in Brightspace

Brightspace discussions

Introduction:

Brightspace Discussions can be configured for the entire class or limited to specific groups. If your course includes group work, creating group-specific discussion forums is a great way to encourage collaboration, communication, and peer engagement.

This guide will walk you through how to create and manage group discussions that align with your course structure.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

Note: Once a Discussion Topic has been created, you cannot change it from an open topic to a group topic (or vice versa).

There are two main ways to set up group discussions in Brightspace: directly through the Discussions tool or during the group creation process.

Create Group Discussions with the Discussion Tool

1. Log into Brightspace and access your course.
- [a] Select Activities to see the drop-down menu options.
- [b] Click on Discussions.
2. If there are existing groups, select [a] New and [b] New Topic.
3.Add a title and description for your discussion topic.
- On the right-hand side, expand Availability Dates & Conditions.
- Under Group and Section Restrictions, click Manage Restrictions.
4. Choose one of the following options:
- Restrict topic: Only selected groups (from any category) will see the topic
- Restrict topic and separate threads: Only groups from a selected category will have access, and each group will post in separate threads
5. Once your choices are made, click Save, then Save and Close to finish.

Create Group Discussions when initially creating a Group

1. When creating a new group Category for your course, navigate to your Additional Options.
- Check the box labeled Set up discussion areas.
2. You can link to an existing forum, but for this example:
- Click the [New Forum] link next to the selection box
3. Title the forum something easy to identify later—e.g., “Group Discussions,” “Team Boards,” or “Project Groups.”
4. On the New Forum Details screen, add any relevant details or settings, then click Save.
5. Choose your preferred discussion setup:
- [a] Create one topic per group: Each group gets its own individual topic (but edited individually)
- [b] Create one topic with threads separated by group (recommended): One topic with threads auto-separated by group membership
6. Once confirmed, wait a few moments for the system to generate the groups and discussions. Then check the Discussions to confirm everything is in place.

Troubleshooting Tips:

• Can’t see the group restriction options?
- Make sure the course has at least one group category created first.
- Solution: Go to Course Admin >> Groups to create group sets before setting up group-restricted discussions.
• Group discussions not appearing after setup?
- Give the system a few moments to sync changes, especially when created through the Groups tool.
- Solution: Refresh the Discussions page or navigate to it again from the course navbar.
• Students report they can’t see the discussion topic?
- The topic may be restricted to specific groups or sections.
- Solution: Edit the topic and double-check the Manage Restrictions section to ensure the correct groups are selected.
• Accidentally chose the wrong discussion type (one topic vs. separate threads)?
- You'll need to delete the auto-created discussions and re-run the setup using the correct option.
- Solution: Go to Course Admin > Groups, click the group category, then re-enable the Set up discussion areas option.
• Forum appears but no topics were created?
- This usually happens if no option was selected for how topics should be created.
- Solution: Revisit group creation and make sure to choose either one topic per group or one topic with separated threads before saving.

Additional Resources:

FAQ Section:

• Q1: Can I create group discussions without first creating groups?
- A: No. You must have a group category set up before assigning discussions to specific groups.
•Q2: What’s the difference between "one topic per group" and "separate threads by group"?
- A: One topic per group creates a separate discussion topic for each group (more organizational control).
- A: Separate threads by group creates one shared topic with student replies automatically grouped—easier to manage in large classes.
• Q3: Can I edit group discussion settings later?
- A: Yes! You can edit the topic or forum settings from the Discussions tool. Just note that changes to group structure may not automatically update linked discussions.
•Q4: Can students see other groups' posts?
- A: No, group restrictions ensure students can only access and participate in their assigned group’s discussion.
• Q5: I already created a discussion—can I assign it to groups afterward?
- A: Yes, by editing the topic and setting group restrictions under Availability Dates & Conditions > Manage Restrictions.

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