Blackboard Ultra (Faculty) - Groups: Assign a Group Discussion

This article provides an overview of how to assign a discussion to groups.
Group discussions allow students to collaborate and engage in smaller, more focused conversations within a course. In Blackboard Ultra, instructors can assign students to groups and create a discussion that is only visible to members of each group. Group discussions can be graded and are useful for team projects, case studies, peer feedback activities, and small-group reflections.

Assigning Discussions to Groups

Step 1: Create the Discussion

Create a New Discussion

To create a new discussion in a Blackboard Ultra course, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to your course.
  2. Locate and click on either:
    • Discussions tab
    • Content tab
  3. If the intent is to create a Discussion from the Content tab, once in Content, Locate and Click the + button. Then, under the "Create Item" menu that will appear on the right side of the page, Locate Discussion under Participation and Engagement, and Click on Discussion. If not, go to #4.

    This image shows the + Add Content button circled in red.

    This image shows the Discussion option circled in red.

  4. If the intent is to create a Discussion from the Discussions tab, once in Discussions, Locate and Click the New Discussion button on the far right. 

    A horizontal tool bar with the words content, calendar, announcements, discussions, gradebook, messages, and groups.

  5. Locate and Click on the title of the discussion. By default, this is "New Discussion", followed by today's date. Replace the default title with a new descriptive title.

    Next to a red X is the title of the discussion post "New Discussion 12/12/25" where you can type a new title of your choice.

  6. Type or paste your text in the textbox that says "What do you want to talk about?".

    A text box with editor toolbar "What do you want to talk about?" in it to type your discussion post.

  7. (Optional) Insert a link into to the discussion by clicking the Link button (chain link). This is the recommended path for sharing videos, as well. 

    The text editor toolbar has many icons for tools on it. The fourth from the right is a chain link icon and is highlighted to select to add a link.

  8. (Optional) Attach files from your computer to the discussion by clicking the Attachment button (paperclip).

    The text editor toolbar with the third from the right, a paperclip, highlighted.

  9. Click Save to create the discussion.

    A box with a text editor tool bar with box "What do you want to talk about." Type your post here and click the Save button in the lower right corner.

Need Additional Support?

If you have any questions or need further assistance, please contact the ITS Help Desk:

This guide aims to provide useful information, but as technology changes, interfaces or steps might vary. Please use the Comment button to let us know if anything differs from your experience. Your feedback helps us keep this information accurate. Thank you!

 Step 2: Open Discussion Settings

  1. Select the Discussion Settings (gear) icon.
  2. Configure any desired settings, such as:
    • Due date
    • Grading options
    • Participation requirements
    • Post first (students must post before viewing classmates' responses)

NOTE: To use both Post First and groups, enable Post First before assigning groups.

Step 3: Assign Groups

  1. In the Discussion Settings panel, locate Group discussion under Additional Tools.
  2. Use the drop-down menu to select a group to assign to this discussion. Previously used group sets are listed here. If there are no established groups, "None" will be the only option. Follow these instructions to create groups.

    Group discussion menu lists "none" and other previously used groups.
  3. Select Save again to return to the discussion.

Best Practices

  • Keep groups small enough to encourage meaningful interaction.
  • Provide clear discussion prompts and expectations.
  • Consider grading participation to encourage engagement.
  • Reuse existing group sets when groups will be used for multiple activities throughout the semester.
  • Use self-enrollment groups when students need flexibility in selecting partners or project teams.

Things to Know

  • Students only see and participate in the discussion assigned to their group. 
  • After students begin participating, individual group memberships generally cannot be adjusted without limitations.
  • Group discussions may be accessed from both the Course Content page and the Discussions page.

Need Additional Support?

If you have any questions or need further assistance, please contact the ITS Help Desk:

This guide aims to provide useful information, but as technology changes, interfaces or steps might vary. Please use the Comment button to let us know if anything differs from your experience. Your feedback helps us keep this information accurate. Thank you!

See Also


Keywords:
Blackboard Ultra, group discussion, discussion groups, Assign to Groups, course groups, group set, reuse groups, self-enrollment groups, randomly assign groups, custom groups, graded discussion, collaborative learning, student participation, discussion settings, discussion grading, small group discussion, Blackboard discussions, course content, discussion board, group collaboration, instructor guide. 
Doc ID:
164828
Owned by:
System U. in Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Created:
2026-10-14
Updated:
2026-10-14
Sites:
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville