Overview


Instructors put a lot of effort and time into building their Blackboard courses.  Fortunately, course content can be reused term-to-term.  Blackboard provides instructors with some useful utilities which allow instructors to copy course materials course-to-course or re-import materials from a course backup (known as an “exported course”).  Copying does not mean ‘starting over’ from scratch; the process requires a few clicks and a submit.

 

 

 

There are three different methods for copying course content:

1.  Copy an entire course (or sections of a course) from one Blackboard course site to another Blackboard course at the beginning of a term.  This copy method uses the Course Copy utility located in the control panel of the source course (course to be copied).  Note:  To view all of your courses on Blackboard, including ones that are “hidden,” click on the Courses tab at the top of the page.   

2.  Copy individual items (such as documents or assignments) from one Blackboard course site to another.  To copy individual files, locate the item you want to copy, and then use the Copy button to the right of the individual items to be copied.

3.  Copy an entire course (or sections of a course) from a course no longer active on Blackboard to another active Blackboard course.  This copy method must be done by FCLD.  To request FCLD copy a course for you, fill out an online Course Copy Request Form on the FCLD website, http://uhaweb.hartford.edu/fcld. 

 

Instructors copying an entire course will need to complete the course copy process by removing extra course menu buttons using the Manage Course Menu utility (see figure above).  This option allows instructors to fully customize their course menu.

 

 

Selectively Copying Course Content from one Course to another Course

 

The following procedure allows you to copy an entire course or individual sections of a course from one Blackboard course site to another.  It will not copy individual files.  It is a good choice for the start of the term because it will copy both content and any customization, for example, a customized menu buttons or a course banner (image).  Both the old and new courses must be present on Blackboard to copy this way. 

Selecting Course Materials to Copy

1.       Login to the course that has the content you want copied and is called the source course.

2.       In the Control Panel, click on Course Copy.

3.       Click on Copy Course Materials into an Existing Course.  

4.       Click on Browse in the Destination Course ID area and find your destination course.  The Destination Course ID usually includes the Banner term code (e.g., 200840 = Fall ‘08).

5.       Click Search, and you will be presented with courses in which you have instructor privileges.

6.       Click on Select located to the far right of the course you wish to copy your materials into (This is the destination course.)

7.        Select the areas you wish to copy.

8.       Click Submit.

Special Considerations: 

·         To copy tests, be sure to select both test areas: Tests and Surveys and Tests, Surveys, and Pools.

·         Items that will not copy:  Student-related content such as rosters, grades, submitted assignments.  Only discussion board threads copy, not all posts.  Assignments created with the Assignment Tool will not copy, and neither will Adaptive Release Rules.

 

BE PATIENT – Course Copying can take a long time if you have lots of materials and/or large files in your course (e.g., PowerPoint files that include many images), or if you are using a course cartridge from your textbook publisher.  You will receive an email from the system when the course copy operation has completed.  Wait until receiving this email to make further modifications to your destination course.  If the email contains any error messages, or if the copied materials are out of order, course content may not have copied properly.  Please contact FCLD immediately for assistance.

 

 

Finishing Up Your Course Copy – Finalizing your Course Menu

When your course copy has completed, you may notice some extra buttons in the menu of your copied course. 

This will happen if you have renamed any of your course buttons.  The following section provides step-by-step

 instructions for removing these extra buttons from the course menu.  

 

 

This is the original course menu, showing customized course menu buttons – some buttons were renamed and others added to standard menu by the instructor.

 

This is the copied course menu, which combined both the standard course menu buttons (e.g., Staff Information, Course Documents, and Discussion Board), as well as the customized menu buttons added and/or modified by the instructor (e.g., Your Instructor and Handouts and Notes).

 

To remove these buttons from the copied course, you will need to make them unavailable to the students. 

 

 

To remove any course buttons you do not want:
  1. Log into the new copied course.
  2. In the Control Panel, click on Manage Course Menu (under Course Options).

3.       Find the name of the button you wish to remove (hide), and click on Modify. 

                                      Modify Button on Manage Course Menu

  1. Uncheck the box next to Available to Student/Participant Users.

  1. Click Submit.   The buttons will now be removed from the course menu.

 

 

Copying a Few Individual Items or Files to another Blackboard Course

 

  1. Log in to the course you want to copy (this is the source course).
  2. From the Control Panel, select the content area that contains the file you wish to copy (e.g., Course Documents).
  3. Locate the file and then click on the Copy button to the right of the item.

Selecting Materials to be Copied

 

  1. Click on the drop down box to select the course into which you want to copy the materials.

Selecting Destination Course

 
  1. Click Browse. A course ‘map’ will open, showing all folders.
  2.  Select the folder or area of the destination course.  If you would like to remove the item from the source section after copying it, click “Yes” after Remove item after copy.
  3. Click Submit.

 

                                                                                                    Selecting Destination Folder

 

 

Finishing Up Your Course Copy – Finalizing/Restoring your Course Menu

When setting up for a new term, you may just need to copy a file or two from an old Blackboard course.  However, it might also be useful to copy forward the template from the old course, for example a customized course menu or course banner (image).  To bring forward (restore) your customizations, use the Course Copy utility, and only select ‘Settings’ under the Select Course Materials (see page 2 for details and an illustration).

 

 

Exporting and then Importing Course Materials into a Blackboard Course

In addition to copying, it is possible to export and import course materials.  You can export your course, save it, and then import it (or sections of it) into a new Blackboard course.  This copy method also provides instructors with a personal backup of their Blackboard course.  The exported course is a zipped file you can store on your computer.  At any time, you can selectively import materials from the zipped file into a Blackboard course.  Please note that even if your browser ‘unzips’ files automatically, the zipped file (indicated by a folder icon with a zipper on it) will remain intact and can be imported.  Individual files can never be imported using the import option.

 

Here is the procedure for exporting (saving) your course and later importing it into a new Blackboard site.

1.      Login to the course you want to export.

2.      Under Course Options in the Control Panel click Export Course

3.      Click Export in the Export/Archive Manager. 

4.      Select the areas you want to copy.

5.     Click Submit, then OK.  It may take a minute.  When completed, the zipped file appears as a blue link in the Export/Archive Manager.

 

Large courses may take a long time. Please be patient and do not click until Blackboard finishes.   Blackboard sends you a confirmation email when the export is complete and ready to download.

 

 

                            Exporting a Course

 

5.      Right click on the blue link of the Export file you just created and choose Save Target As.   

If you have several exports, check for the CRN to make sure you have selected the right export file.

6.      Rename the file if you wish and then click on Save. 

                        Saving the Exported Course

 

 

You may save the course to your PC or MAC, a USB drive, a CD or DVD, or a network storage area (e.g., Lisa).  You may need to save your zipped course to a DVD rather than a CD if the course is large.

 

 

 

To import course materials from a zipped course package that has been exported from Blackboard, navigate to and click on Import Package in the destination course’s Control Panel

Do not unzip the course prior to importing materials!  Individual files cannot be imported…

 
  1. Click on the Browse button to locate the course package (.zip file) you wish to import.

 

  1. Select the content areas you wish to import into the course (e.g., Content).

 

  1. Click Submit.

 

Importing Materials Into New Blackboard Course

 

 

Your materials will now appear in the second course.  Be sure to check your course materials carefully, as older courses may not import perfectly.  Contact FCLD with any problems you encounter.

In addition, your main course menu may have extra buttons.  See page 3 to read how to restore them.

 

 

Request FCLD to copy from a course no longer on Blackboard

Your Blackboard course is kept active on Blackboard for about thirteen months after the term ended.  Older courses not appearing on your Blackboard Home Page can be copied into newer courses by FCLD.  Please fill out and submit the online Course Copy Request Form from the FCLD website found here http://uhaweb.hartford.edu/fcld/CCReq.htm .

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

I am having trouble copying my course myself.  What should I do?

If you encounter difficulty, please call FCLD for assistance at (860) 768-4661, or request the course be copied for you.  To request your course be copied by FCLD, please click on the Course Copy Request link on the FCLD website.  http://uhaweb.hartford.edu/fcld/CCReq.htm

 

What is the difference between 'Import Package' and 'Import Course Cartridge'?

Import Course Cartridge is an option that allows instructors to import a ‘ready-made’ Blackboard course created by a publisher and included as a text book supplement.  Import Package is an option which allows instructors to selectively import course materials from an exported Blackboard course.

 

What is the difference between exporting and archiving a course?

The Export Course option saves course content as a .zip file which can be used in another course at a later date. Instructors can choose which course areas they would like to include in the exported file. Exported courses are downloaded to the user's hard drive and can then be imported into Blackboard in the same format.   Exported courses do not include student data such as grades or submitted assignments.  Even though FCLD makes a backup/export of your course, creating your own backup at the end of each term you teach is probably a best practice for all instructors.

 

The Archive Course option is similar to exporting a course, however along with course content, course archives also include enrollments and student-related materials such as Discussion posts, Digital Dropbox files, grades, etc.  Weekly archiving of your course ensures that you will be able to recover the entire course – grades and all - should something disastrous happen to the original one, but FCLD will have to restore it for you.  Archived courses cannot be restored to Blackboard without contacting a system administrator.

 

Can I retrieve course documents from an exported .zip file?

Not easily.  If you extract files from your .zip file to a folder, your course documents will be in the resulting file folder…somewhere.  Unfortunately, they will be buried deep within a filing structure that makes no visual sense from your perspective.  As a result, you will have to hunt through this folder system to find your documents, like looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack.  An easier approach would be to import your .zip file into your sandbox Blackboard course, and then download the files you need.

 

How long should I store my course exports?

Although FCLD backs up all courses before they are removed from the server, it is good practice to make your own backups by exporting courses.  You probably want to have two exported backups, one on your local computer and another one on a CD, DVD, or USB drive.  You should hold on to your course backups as long as there is any possibility that you will continue to teach.  That way you won’t have to depend on FCLD for access to your course materials when you need to copy them into a new course.  If you take another position at a different institution, you may be able to use them there.

 

I teach at another University that uses Blackboard.  Can I import or copy my course materials from their Blackboard system?

You can import a .zip file from a course exported at another University ONLY if that university is using the same version of Blackboard as the University of Hartford.  Using files created on different versions of Blackboard has resulted in corrupt courses.  Please Call FCLD to discuss your options before attempting to import course files from any other Blackboard system.

 

 

Getting Help with Technology at the University of Hartford

 

 

 

 

Faculty Center for Learning Development (FCLD)

FCLD provides consulting and support to faculty and staff who are using technology in instruction by assisting faculty who are integrating instructional technologies into their classroom teaching and learning through: group or individualized meetings, phone and e-mail support, and by providing a faculty lab in Mortensen Library.

 

The FCLD Faculty Lab in Mortensen 203a is available for faculty support and use and is equipped with instructional technology- related equipment including:  PCs, Macs, scanners, and projectors as well as support staff.  Faculty wishing to use the lab may contact FCLD. 

 

Phone: 768-4661

Email: fcld@hartford.edu

Website: http://uhaweb.hartford.edu/fcld

 

 

Information Technology Services (ITS) 

ITS Help Desk – Computing Center

For general computer and Internet/network support questions (not directly related to the classroom but rather passwords, Internet/email problems, printer not working, banner, facebook, and grades).

Phone: 768-5999

Email: its@hartford.edu

Website: http://uhaweb.hartford.edu/its/

 

 

Media Technology Services (MTS) – Harry Jack Gray Center 111A

Faculty should contact MTS for assistance scheduling or implementing classroom technology (2-way video classrooms, Smart Podiums, COWS, laptops, etc.) or for scheduling and instruction for a wide variety of media equipment and resources like LCD data projectors, CD/cassette players, TVs and VCRs, digital video, and more.

Phone: 768-4643 (Main) or 768-4662 (Tech Line)

Website: www.hartford.edu/mts