Problem
Have you developed a Blackboard course and would like to reuse the content from term to term by copying it into a new section of your course? The guide below outlines the steps for copying a course to a new section using Blackboard’s Course Copy function.
Environment
Blackboard (Faculty)
Resolution
1.Log into Blackboard and open the course that contains the content you want to copy. This is the “originating” course. Note: You must be enrolled as an Instructor, Teaching Assistant or Course Builder in this course.
2. Within the originating course, locate the Control Panel. Click on the Packages & Utilities button to select Course Copy.
3. In the Course Copy window, press Browse to locate your “destination” course. Note: You must be enrolled as an Instructor, Teaching Assistant or Course Builder in the destination course.
4. A window will open to list all of the courses in which you are an instructor. If you are enrolled in many courses, you may find it helpful to use the search feature to locate your destination course. Click on the radio button next to your destination course and press the Submit button at the bottom of the page.
5. You will be returned to the Course Copy window and the Destination Course field will be filled. Press the button to Select All of the course contents for copying. Alternatively, you can select individual pieces of the course to copy by checking specific boxes. Do not select the option to copy enrollments.
6. Under Discussion Board, choose the second option: “Include only the forums, with no starter posts.”
7. Once you have selected all of the content you wish to copy, press the Submit button. An email will be sent to your USJ email address when the copy is completed.
Cause
The Course Copy function allows you to copy your content forward to a new section without carrying over enrollments and student work. You can selectively copy only the content you want to reuse, or make a full copy of all course content.
Important Points to Remember About Copying Your Course
- The course copy process is not immediate. Be sure to wait until you receive an email confirmation before working on the rest of your course. If you do not receive an email, contact the Help Desk for assistance by submitting a ticket on MyIT. Do not attempt to re-copy the course, as this may result in duplicate content.
- Once you have copied your course, please review each item carefully for availability and due dates. You may need to update them to the current term.
- Course copies can create duplicate menu buttons or Grade Center items. Be sure to check all course menu buttons and the Grade Center to locate your content or delete duplicates.
- Course menu buttons that do not contain any items will have a grey box next to the button name. This indicates that these buttons are safe to delete.
- If you have duplicate Grade Center columns, click on the drop-down menu next to the item header. If there is an option to delete, then the column is safe to delete. If you only see options to hide the column, then this column should remain in the Grade Center. Be sure to check any Total or Weighted Total columns to ensure that the correct items are being factored into the total.