Help → Grouping Students

How do I collect student preferences?

Use this when you want to collect partner preferences from students using the built-in Student Preferences Wizard and a Google Form.

Create a student preferences form

  1. Click the Students tab.
  2. Select the correct class period at the top of the page.
    Students tab with class period selector
    Start on the Students tab and confirm the active class period.
  3. Confirm your roster is up to date (no new or removed students).
  4. Click Student Preferences Wizard.
    Student Preferences Wizard button
    Launch the Student Preferences Wizard from the Students tab.
  5. Select I need to create a Google Form.
    Wizard step to create a Google Form
    Choose the option to generate a Google Form template.
  6. Click Open ClassSeats Form Template.
  7. Make a copy of the template. This creates your own version in Google Drive.
  8. Rename the form to something meaningful (for example, Bell 1 Seating Preferences).

Add your class roster to the form

  1. Return to ClassSeats and click Next: Add roster to the form.
  2. Click Copy Student Names.
  3. Go back to the Google Form.
  4. Paste the student names (Ctrl/Cmd + V) into all three list questions in the template.

Distribute the form to students

  1. Share the Google Form with your students.
  2. Explain that students can choose:
    • Up to three Strong Picks (people they really want to work with)
    • As many Good Fit Picks as they like (people who would make good partners)
  3. Let students know that choosing more picks increases the chances of being placed with someone they selected.
  4. Make sure students understand not to select themselves as a choice. It will be ignored.
  5. Tell students that choosing the same student multiple times does not increase the chance that that preference will be selected. In fact, the second choice will be deleted.
A full walkthrough of creating and sharing the student preferences form.
Tip: You can use your own Google Form instead of the template, but that requires CSV mapping and is covered in an advanced article.