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Blackboard Course Migration Help Page
In light of the regular deletion of old Blackboard courses, you as the instructors have the following options:
Copy Course: You can copy your old course to a new course shell. If you do NOT have a course shell to move the old course to, you should export the course to a zip/flash/cd or hard drive. NOTE: You CANNOT use the Course Copy function to copy a prior course INTO a Fall 09 course as this will not work. INSTEAD use Export Course to export a prior course, for example, Spring 09. Save it to your desktop. Next use Import Package to import the prior course into your Fall 09 course shell.
Click here to read instructions
Click here to watch a Flash tutorial
Export Course: You can export your course on to your flash/zip/cd or hard drive and keep it with safely you till the time that you intend to teach the course. You can easily import the course into the course shell once it becomes available to you.
Click here to read instructions
Import Package: Once you have exported your course and you are ready to load it to another course shell available to you, the process you will follow is called Import Package.You may import the whole course package, or selected parts of the course through Import Package.
Click here to read instructions
Archive Course: If you wish to create a permanent record of a course including all the content and user interactions you may archive your course. Archived Courses are a permanent record of the course that you may access in the future. DO NOT ARCHIVE a course to import it back into Blackboard, if your intention is to bring it back to Blackboard in the future you should Export the course.
Click here to read instructions
Copy Course Materials into an Existing Course
The Copy Course Materials into an Existing Course page enables Instructors to copy content from one course into another they are teaching. Instructors can select areas, such as Announcements, Staff Information or Course areas to copy. Copy Course will add content to a course, but it will not remove existing content.
Follow these steps to locate the Copy Course Materials into a New Course page.
Step 1 Click Course Copy from the Control Panel.
Step 2 Click Copy Course Materials into an Existing Course from the Copy Course page. Complete the items on the page using the information listed below.
Destination Course ID
Enter a Course ID for the destination course or click Browse to open a Search function in a separate window.
Select course materials
Select the check boxes for each course area and tool in the course that should be copied into the existing course. The table below details what happens to each selectable option when the copy is performed.
Note: A Course Copy operation cannot be completed if the user does not select at least one of the following areas: Content, Staff Information or Settings. If none of these options is selected a warning will appear.
Course Material |
Behavior when copied |
Content |
Copies course materials, including uploaded files, Learning Units, links, and Course Cartridge content (including content that is copy protected). Users may also select to include Course Information, Course documents, Assignments, and External Links. |
Announcements |
All Announcements are copied to the new course. This option must be selected or the links in Announcements to Assessments will be broken. |
Tests, Surveys, and Pools |
All Assessments and Surveys, including questions and options for deploying them are copied. All Pools are copied to the new course. |
Calendar |
All Calendar events are copied to the new course. |
Collaboration Sessions |
Collaboration Sessions. |
Course Settings |
Some Course Settings will be copied. See Course Settings below for more information. |
Discussion Board |
Discussion Board forums, including the initial posts in each forum, are copied to the new course. |
Gradebook Items and Settings |
Items in the Gradebook, and their settings, such as type, categories, and display options, are copied to the new course. |
Group Settings |
Settings include the names of the Groups, the settings for tool availability, and the Discussion Board forum names. |
Staff Information |
All Staff Information is copied to the new course. |
Course Settings
When Course Settings is selected, certain settings are copied to the existing course. These include the following
Course Entry Point
Course Design
Course Banner
Tools settings that do not exist are added. Existing settings are not overwritten.
The following settings are not copied as part of this operation:
Course ID
Course Name
Course Description
Course Availability
Guest Access
Observer Access
Course Duration
Enrollment Options
Resolving Course Menu items
When copying content and tools from one course to an existing course, the Course Menu must resolve itself in the destination course. The table below describes the how Course Menu items are resolved.
If . . . |
then . . . |
a Course area in the source course does not exist in the destination course |
the area will be added to the Course Menu in the destination course. |
the Course area in the source course and the Course area in the destination course have the same name and are of the same type (for example, External Links, Staff Information, or content) |
the content from the source course will be added, but will not replace, the content in the area within the destination course. |
the Course area in the source course and the Course area in the destination course have the same name but are of different types |
the Course area from the source course will be added to the destination course under a different name. The new name will append an incremental numeral to the name (for example, Course Materials will become Course Materials1). |
Links
Links to parts of a course that are not included in the copy will break when the links appear in the destination course. For example, if there is a link to a Test in a course area and Assessments are not copied, the link to the test will break.
Course Cartridge content
If the source course includes Course Cartridge content and the destination course does not have a Cartridge ID, the cartridge content will be copied to the destination course with the Cartridge ID assigned. This includes content that is copy protected.
If the destination course already has a Cartridge ID, neither the cartridge content nor the Cartridge ID will be copied from the source course to the destination course.
Select Enrollments
Do Not select enrollments to be copied - this will copy all your students from the old course to the new course as well.
Step 3 Click Submit An email will be sent when the course copy process has been completed.
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Export Course
The Export Course feature creates a package of the course content that can later be imported and used to teach another course with the same content. It is important to note that, unlike the Archive Course feature, Export Course does not include any user interactions with the course- it only includes the content and the tools .
Export packages are downloaded as compressed .ZIP files and are imported in the same format. Do not unzip an Export package or remove files from the package, otherwise the package will not be imported correctly.
Exporting a Course
1. Click Export Course in the Course Options section of the Control Panel to open the Export/Archive Manager page. Note: If this is the first time you are using this feature, the page will say "No packages exist for this course."
2.
On the Export/Archive Manager page, click the Export button located at the top of the page.
3.
In the page that displays, select the checkboxes for the items you wish to export. Click Submit. Note: For detailed information on the expected outcome of selecting specific course materials and settings, click here.
4. The following message will display on the Export Course page: This action has been successfully queued. An email will be sent when the process is complete. Click OK. Your browser will return to the Export/Archive Manager page where you began.
5. To locate the file. Click the Control Panel link located at the top of the page. Click the Export Course link located in the Course Options section of the Control Panel. These steps will refresh the page and a zip file should appear. If your zip file is not listed, recheck this page after you receive an email stating the Export operation has completed.
6. Download the file to your computer desktop (or desired location) by right-clicking the zip file and selecting either Save Target As (Internet Explorer) or Save Link As (Firefox) from the pop-up menu. [Note to Mac Users: To view the pop-up menu, place your mouse over the zip file and hold the Control key down as you single-click the file.]
Note: The date and time are included in the file name. If you have exported the course multiple times use the type of operation (export or archive), course id, date and time to identify the most recent file.
Select course materials
The table below details what happens to each selectable option when the export is performed.
Course Material |
Behavior when Exported |
Content |
Exports course materials, including uploaded files, Learning Units, and links. Users may also select to include Course Information, Course documents, Assignments and External Links. |
Announcements |
All Announcements are exported. If Assessment links appear in Course areas, then this option must be selected, or the link to the Assessment will be broken. |
Tests, Surveys, and Pools |
All Assessments and Surveys, including questions and options for deploying them are imported. All Pools are exported to the new course. |
Calendar |
All Calendar items are exported to the new course. |
Course Settings |
Some Course Settings will be exported. See Course Settings below for more information. |
Discussion Board |
Discussion Board forums, including the initial message in the Discussion Board, are exported. |
Gradebook Items and Settings |
Items in the Gradebook, and their settings, such as type, categories, and display options, are exported. |
Group Settings |
Settings include the names of the Groups, the settings for tool availability, and the Discussion Board forum names. |
Staff Information |
All Staff Information is exported. |
Course Settings
When Course Settings is selected, certain settings are exported. These include the following:
Course Name
Course Description
Course Entry Point
Course Design
Course Banner
Blackboard Tools
Building Block Tools
Content Tools
The following settings are not exported as part of this operation:
Course ID
Course Availability
Guest Access
Observer Access
Course Duration
Enrollment Options
Import Package
Instructors may use the Import Package page to upload course materials from another course. For example, if they have exported a course they may import the whole course package, or selected parts of the course through Import Package.
WARNING: Never upload an Exported Course package that has been modified since it was created and downloaded. Opening the .ZIP file and changing any of the files in the Exported Course package will result in unstable and unpredictable behavior when the course is imported.
Importing a Course
1. Click Import Package in the Course Options section of the Control Panel to open the Import Package page.
2.
On the Import Package page, go to section 2 and browse for the zip file you wish to import. This will typically be the zip file you saved during the Export Course operation.
3.
Select the checkboxes for the items you wish to import. Click Submit.
4. The following message will display on the Import Package page: This action has been successfully queued. An email will be sent when the process is complete. Click OK. Your browser will return to the Control Panel.
5. You will receive an email when the Import Package operation is complete.
Note: For additonal details on importing packages including available options, expected results, and course menu outcome, click here.
Fields
The table below details the fields on the Import Package page.
Field |
Description |
Select a Course |
Destination Course ID: |
Displays the Course ID for the course. |
Select a Package |
Please Browse for the location of the packaged course: |
Either enter the path to the course package or click Browse to search for the course package. |
Course areas |
Select the option for each course area and tool in the course that should be imported. The Select course materials section below details these options. |
Select course materials
The table below details what happens to each selectable option when the import is performed.
Course Material |
Behavior when copied |
Content |
Imports course materials, including the following, from the package:
· Uploaded files
· Learning Units
· Links
· Course Information
· Course Documents
· Assignments
· External Links
· Building Block content |
Announcements |
All Announcements are imported. If Assessment links appear in Course areas, then this option must be selected, or the link to the Assessment will be broken. |
Tests, Surveys, and Pools |
All Assessments and Surveys, including questions and options for deploying them are imported. All Pools are imported to the new course. |
Calendar |
All Calendar items are imported to the new course. |
Course Settings |
Some Course Settings will be imported. See Course Settings below for more information. |
Discussion Board |
Discussion Board forums, including the initial message in the Discussion Board, are imported. |
Gradebook Items and Settings |
Items in the Gradebook, and their settings, such as type, categories, and display options, are imported. |
Group Settings |
Settings include the names of the Groups, the settings for tool availability, and the Discussion Board forum names. |
Staff Information |
All Staff Information is imported. |
Course Settings
When Course Settings is selected, certain settings are imported to the course. These include the following:
Course Name
Course Description
Course Entry Point
Course Design
Course Banner
Tools settings that do not exist are added. Existing settings are not overwritten.
The following settings are not imported as part of this operation:
Course ID
Course Availability
Guest Access
Observer Access
Course Duration
Enrollment Options
Resolving the Course Menu items
When importing a package, the Course Menu must resolve itself in the destination course. The table below describes the how Course Menu items are resolved.
If . . . |
then . . . |
a Course area in the package does not exist in the destination course |
the area will be added to the Course Menu in the destination course. |
the Course area in the package and the Course area in the destination course have the same name and are of the same type (for example, External Links, Staff Information, or content) |
the content from the package will be added, but will not replace, the content in the area within the destination course. |
the Course area in the package and the Course area in the destination course have the same name but are of different types |
the Course area from the package will be added to the destination course under a different name. The new name will append an incremental numeral to the name (for example, Course Materials will become Course Materials1). |
Course Links
Links to parts of a course that are not included in the export package will break when the links appear in the destination course. For example, if there is a link to a Test in a course area and Tests, Surveys and Pools are not exported, the link to the Test will break.
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Archive Course
Archive Course creates a permanent record of a course including all the content and user interactions. Archived Courses are a permanent record of the course.
Archived courses are saved as .zip files. Archiving a course does not remove it from the system.
Open the Control Panel and click Archive Course in Course Options to open the Archive Course page.
Create Archive
1. Click Archive Course in the Course Options section of the Control Panel to open the Export/Archive Manager page. Note: If this is the first time you are using this feature, the page will say "No packages exist for this course."
2.
On the Export/Archive Manager page, click the Archive button located at the top of the page.
3.
Click Submit.
4. The following message will display on the Archive Course page: This action has been successfully queued. An email will be sent when the process is complete. Click OK. Your browser will return to the Export/Archive Manager page where you began.
5. To locate the file. Click the Control Panel link located at the top of the page. Click the Archive Course link located in the Course Options section of the Control Panel. These steps will refresh the page and a zip file should appear. If your zip file is not listed, recheck this page after you receive an email stating the Archive operation has completed.
6. Download the file to your computer desktop (or desired location) by right-clicking the zip file and selecting either Save Target As (Internet Explorer) or Save Link As (Firefox) from the pop-up menu. [Note to Mac Users: To view the pop-up menu, place your mouse over the zip file and hold the Control key down as you single-click the file.]
Note: The date and time are included in the file name. If you have archived or exported the course multiple times use the type of operation (archive or export), course id, date and time to identify the most recent file.
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