How do I create self-enrolled groups in an Ultra course?

You can ask students to self-enroll in groups to complete a group assignment. Create as many groups as you want, with any number of students in each group. You can also create new groups or remove groups based on how many you want for this assignment.

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Go to the Groups page in your Ultra course.
Enter a name at the top of the Groups Set page a name for the self-enrolled group.
Select self-enrollment from the drop down menu for Group students (by type) menu.
From the Group students by dropdown menu, choose the Self-enrollment option.
By default, Ultra will calculate the number of groups you minimally need for self-enrollment (e.g., at least two).
Select the plus sign wherever you want to add another group. The Number of groups updates automatically. You can add and delete groups even after students have started to join. If you delete a group that students have already joined, they’re moved to the unassigned list. You'll need to notify them to join one of the remaining groups or add them to a group. Reminder: If you add an enrollment period, unassigned students are enrolled automatically when the period ends.
Optionally, add an enrollment start and end date. Select the arrow next to Advanced options to collapse the enrollment section.

OPTIONAL: Add an enrollment start and end date. When the enrollment period ends, students can no longer join groups and must ask you to add them.
Set the maximum number of students per group. The number that appears by default is the upper number in the selection in the Number of groups menu. The optional maximum must be 2 or greater.
- To allow unlimited members per group, leave the maximum number of members per group blank. Students see the maximum number allowed when they make their group selections. If you allow an unlimited number per group, students see the total number of students in their class. For example, if you've set up four field trips, you can allow all students to join all groups.
- Pay attention to the maximum members per group and the number of groups. For example, if you lower the maximum number, some students won’t be allowed to enroll in a group at the end of the enrollment period. You’ll need to create new groups and enroll the students.
To student names of those who've already joined a self-enrolled group, check the box for Hide enrolled members.
Edit each group name if you want to change the default naming.
Add optional group descriptions. You can add information to help students choose a group. You have no limit on the number of characters.
Open the menu next to a group to access the management options.
Click SAVE.

What do students see?

If you want students to join a group assignment, they will need to identify the assignment to self-enroll. In this example, the self-enrollment has an expiration date.

If you want students to just join a self-enroll group, they can click JOIN A GROUP from the Details and Actions menu on the left side of the course:

Some faculty opt to create an announcement or send a message to let students know about the self-enroll group.

When the student opens the group assignment to self-enroll, s/he will see the various groups to select:

Students can switch groups until the enrollment period ends:

If students do not self-enroll, they cannot access the group assignment. However, if you add an enrollment period, unassigned students are enrolled automatically when the period ends. If you are using self-enroll groups to manage course sections, you will need to check the group rosters to make sure students are in the correct groups.

Be careful of changes you make after students have started to join groups. If you've created four groups with titles, and then use the menu and change to six groups, your previous groups are removed. Six new groups are created and students are unenrolled.

Workaround: Change the enrollment dates without the removal of groups and enrollment.

Only students may join a self-enrolled group. Therefore, if you want your student preview account to be in a self-enrolled group, it must follow the same steps to self-enroll as other students unless you manually add the account to a group.