Topics Map > Learning Technology > Canvas
CANVAS - Groups vs. Sections
This article contains a functional comparison of "Groups" and "Sections" in a Canvas course.
Canvas course Groups function like a smaller version of a Canvas course and are typically used for collaboration, group discussions, and group assignments.
A Canvas course Section is basically a segment of the class roster used for administrative purposes. Sections in Canvas are created automatically when courses are combined or crosslisted. Instructors can assign assignments to a specific section of students, assign different due dates to different sections, and can take attendance by section.
Comparison of Groups and Sections
Tasks |
Group |
Section |
Associated Procedures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Instructor needs to assign different assignments to different sets of students (e.g., only grad students should complete this assignment) | No | Yes | Assign Assignment to Section |
| Instructor needs to assign different due dates for the same assignment to different sets of students (e.g., undergrads have different due dates than grads) | No | Yes | |
| Instructor needs to send announcements or messages to different sets of students | Yes | Yes | |
| Provides a team space to post discussions and to collaborate on pages and files. | Yes | No | |
| Instructor can create group assignments, and students can turn in a single submission as a group and receive group feedback. | Yes | No | |
| Students need to select membership in a team (e.g., self-enroll in a group for group presentations) | Yes | No | Create Self Sign Up Groups |
| Take attendance for a specific set of students. | No | Yes | Take Attendance by Section |
| Filter gradebook by a specific set of students. | Yes | Yes | Filter Gradebook by Group or Section |
| Filter Speedgrader by a specific set of students. | Yes | Yes | |
| Create Canvas Calendar events for a specific set of students | Yes | Yes | View a Group Calendar |