You can automatically create groups in a course and distribute the students randomly or alphabetically sorted by first or last name to the groups. To do so click on "Create groups automatically" in the group area.

Basic entries

• "Naming scheme" - Specify what pattern the group names should have. "Group @" creates Group A, Group B ..., "Group #" creates Group 1, Group 2, ... etc.
• "Criteria for automatic creation" - Specify the principle by which the groups should be created - "Number of groups" or "Members per group".
• "Number of groups or members per group" - Enter the desired number here. It refers to the "Criteria for automatic creation" selected above.

Group members

• "Select users in role" - Select which roles or users should be assigned to groups. Usually this is the role "Student". To also distribute the role "Other student" to groups, repeat the steps
• "Select members from group" - This drop-down menu lists all groups in which students are already members. If you select a group here, only the members of that group will be distributed to new, additional groups.
• "Assign Members" - Students can be assigned to groups randomly or alphabetically by first name/surname, last name/surname or ID number (= matriculation number). Selecting "No assignment" will create empty groups without members. Such groups can be used, for example, in the activity "Group administration", where the students themselves register for the groups provided.
• "Avoid last small group" - If you check this box, surplus students will be placed in the last group, so that this group may have more members than all other groups. If unchecked, the surplus students will be placed in a final group which will have fewer members than any other group.
• "Ignore users in groups" - If this checkbox is checked then only those students who are not already in a group will be placed in the automatically created groups.

Grouping

• "Grouping of automatically created groups" - If you select the "New grouping" option, the automatically created groups will be assigned to a new grouping.
• "Grouping name" - Specify the name of the new grouping to which the automatically created groups should belong.
• By clicking on "Preview" you can check the selected settings again. Clicking on "Save" will create the groups and, if you have enabled automatic assignment of members, will assign the selected students to the groups.

For more information: 

• Creating manually
• Import groups
• Create groupings
• Fair allocation
• Video: Gruppen erstellen und einsetzen