The Discussion tool can be used to encourage users to share thoughts on course material with both instructors and their peers. Creating forums and topics in Brightspace is an effective way for users ...

Teachers can break down a relatively large class into small groups of four to five students. Students should always be encouraged to complete all the assigned readings before attending the lectures ...

The video gives an overview of how discussions forums can be used in online teaching and with groups. Note: this video is based on Moodle 3.5 though much of the explanations relate to the updated 3.9.