Groups & Categories
Groups and categories determine how communication and collaboration are structured inside your school.
They define:
- Where discussions take place
- How members are organized
- What content is visible
- How easy the system is to navigate
A well-designed structure helps members find information quickly and keeps the school environment organized.
What Is a Group?
Section titled “What Is a Group?”A group is a communication space inside your school where members interact.
Groups can represent things such as:
- Classes
- Courses
- Departments
- Projects
- Cohorts
- Committees
- Interest-based communities
Members interact inside groups through messages and discussions.
Each group can also have its own privacy settings and access rules.
What Is a Category?
Section titled “What Is a Category?”A category is used to organize multiple groups.
Categories help:
- Structure large schools
- Separate departments or programs
- Distinguish public and private sections
- Improve navigation in the sidebar
Categories do not contain members directly.
They only organize groups.
Sidebar Structure
Section titled “Sidebar Structure”In the school interface:
- The top section displays school overview and navigation.
- Categories appear below the overview.
- Groups are listed under their respective categories.
- If no categories exist, groups may appear in a flat list.
Members can open groups directly from the sidebar.
A clear sidebar structure greatly improves usability.
Group Privacy & Access
Section titled “Group Privacy & Access”Each group can define its own visibility and access rules.
Access may depend on:
- Member roles
- Group privacy settings
- School-level permissions
Typical configurations include:
- Visible to all members in the school
- Restricted to specific roles
- Hidden unless a member is assigned to the group
Group privacy works together with role permissions — both must allow access.
See:
→ Group Privacy
→ Roles & Permissions
Who Can Create Groups?
Section titled “Who Can Create Groups?”The ability to create groups depends on role permissions.
Schools may configure different policies, such as:
- Only administrators can create groups
- Teachers can create course groups
- All members can create groups
- Group creation is restricted to specific roles
See:
→ Create a group
Designing a Structured School
Section titled “Designing a Structured School”Before creating groups, consider:
- What is the main structure of your school?
(Courses, departments, projects, etc.) - How many groups are needed?
- Should groups be temporary or permanent?
- Should categories reflect organizational units?
Avoid creating many groups without a clear structure.
Best Practices for Organization
Section titled “Best Practices for Organization”- Use categories to organize large schools.
- Keep group names consistent and descriptive.
- Avoid duplicate or overlapping groups.
- Archive unused groups when possible.
- Restrict group creation in institutional environments.
A thoughtful structure improves long-term scalability.
Groups and Roles
Section titled “Groups and Roles”Roles control many group-related permissions, including:
- Who can create groups
- Who can edit groups
- Who can delete groups
- Who can manage members inside groups
Group governance should align with the overall governance of the school.
See:
→ Roles & Permissions
When to Use Categories
Section titled “When to Use Categories”Categories are useful when:
- Your school has multiple programs
- Departments need clear separation
- Navigation in the sidebar becomes complex
- You manage many groups
Smaller schools may operate effectively without categories.
Common Questions
Section titled “Common Questions”Can a Group Exist Without a Category?
Section titled “Can a Group Exist Without a Category?”Yes.
Groups can exist without categories if the structure of the school is simple.
Can Members See All Groups?
Section titled “Can Members See All Groups?”Only if:
- Their role permissions allow access, and
- The group is visible to them.
Both permissions and privacy settings affect visibility.
Do Categories Control Access?
Section titled “Do Categories Control Access?”No.
Categories are used only for organization.
Access is primarily controlled at the group level.