Copy or Move Content in Blackboard: Within One Course -or- Between Two Different Courses

Copy Individual Content Items

Many Content Items, including Links, Web Links, Content Folders, Learning Modules, Offline Content and Tools can be copied or moved. Copying content does not delete the content from the original location, but Move does. Note: You can copy/move items two ways: between two different areas of the same course -or- between two different courses:

  1. Log in to Blackboard, open your course, and locate the desired item. Click the arrow to the right side of item/folder name.
    Screenshot of a Bb course, clicking the arrow to the right side of the desired item/folder (to be copied/moved).
  2. Select Copy or Move.
    Copy - Retains one copy in the originating area and creates a second copy in the destination
    Move - Removes the item from the originating area and moves it to the destination
  3. On the next page, you will be able to edit the Copy/Move settings. Use the Destination Course drop down menu to select the course you would like to copy or move the item in to. If you only want to move the item between folders, leave the Destination Course as the current course. You will select a folder next.
    Screenshot of a Bb course, editing the settings of the desired item/folder (to be copied/moved).
  4. Click the Browse... button (next to the Destination Folder field). Select the folder/area in the course you would like to place the item in. You may need to click the plus icon (+) to see all of your nested folders.
  5. Once all of the settings are as desired, scroll down to the bottom of the page and click Submit. The item will have been copied or moved to the desired place.
     

Copy Multiple Content Items

If you need to move several items from one course to another at the same time, you can use the Copy Course option. This saves the time and effort of moving everything individually, but you must bring entire categories over at one time (such as all tests, even if you only want some of them). In this case, you may still want to use Course Copy tool, then delete any extra/unwanted items from the destination course after the process is complete – this is often faster than bringing over many items individually.

Screenshot of a Blackboard course's 'Course Management' menu, where the 'Packages and Utilities' sub-menu is expanded, and 'Course Copy' has been selected, to open the tool in the main window

 

  1. Access the course you want to copy.
  2. On the Control Panel, expand the Packages and Utilities section and select Course Copy.
  3. In the Destination Course ID box, select the course that you would like to copy the content to. 
  4. Select the course materials that you want to copy over.  A course copy operation can't be completed if you don't select at least one of these areas:
    • Content: Course materials, including uploaded files, learning modules, and links are copied. Course information, course documents, assignments, and URLs are optional.
      * Assignments created inside lesson plans won't copy properly. Be sure to add your assignments separately so that everything is correct.
    • Announcements: All announcements are copied.
    • Tests, Surveys, and Pools: All tests and surveys, including questions and options for deploying them are copied. All pools are copied.
    • Calendar: All calendar items are copied to the new course.
    • Dates: Course item and tool dates don't change. To learn how to quickly adjust dates, see Date Management.
    • Discussion Board: Include starter posts for each thread in each forum (anonymously) or include only forums with no started posts in the course copy.
    • Grade Center Items and Settings: Items in the Grade Center and their settings such as type, categories, and display options are copied.
    • Group Settings: Settings include the names of the groups, the settings for tool availability, and the discussion forum names.
    • Contacts: All contacts are copied.
    • Course Settings: If selected, these settings are copied:
      • Course Name
      • Course Description
      • Course Entry Point
      • Course Design
      • Course Banner
      • Blackboard Tools
      • Building Block Tools
      • Content Tools
      • Course ID
      • Course Availability
      • Guest Access
      • Observer Access
      • Course Duration
      • Enrollment Options
    • Links: Links to parts of a course that aren't included in the copy will break when the links appear in the destination course. For example, if a link to a test appears in a content area and you choose not to copy tests, the link to the test will break.
    • Content Areas: Content from content areas appearing on the course menu that have the same name in each course will be added in the same content area. Nothing is removed from the destination course and replaced with content from the source course.
    • Enrollments: If selected, the list of users in the course is copied. User records, such as discussion activity and grades aren't copied. User records are copied only if you select the Copy Course with Users (Exact Copy) option.
    • Delegated grading: Graders and settings are carried over to the new course when you use these:
      • Copy Course with Users (Exact Copy).
      • Copy Course Materials into a New Course and select the check box for Include Enrollments in the Copy.
      • Archive/restore, as users and their settings are part of an archived course.
        Delegated Grading Setting Without Enrollments 
        - When you copy a course without enrollments into a new course, the delegated setting is brought over as enabled for all existing delegated grading assignments. The instructor who copies the course is set to grade all submissions and reconcile grades.
        - When you copy or import a course without enrollments into an existing course, the delegated setting is brought over as enabled for all existing delegated grading assignments. All current users who can reconcile are also set to grade all submissions.
    • Visit the Blackboard Help web site to learn more about the behavior of copied materials.
  5. In the File Attachments section, select the option to copy links to:
    • Copy Links to Course Files: No copies of linked files are included in the copy. The copied course will have the same set of links. Those links will point back to the original location of the link defined in the origin course.
    • Copy links and copies of the content: Make copies of linked files, but only those files that are linked. Files within the course's home folder that aren't linked to any content within the course aren't included in the copy. (Recommended)
    • Copy links and copies of the content (include entire course home folder): Make copies of all files in the course's home folder regardless of whether those files are linked to course content.

You need manage permission on an item to include copies of those files. If you don't have this permission, you may be missing some files after the copy.

  1. Select Submit.  You should receive an email message when the course copy is complete.
  2. Once the course copy process is complete, go to the destination course in Blackboard to review the copied content.  You may now have some duplicate content items and will need to go in and remove or make any duplicate or unused content items unavailable to students.  Also review your course menu.  When copying content and tools from one course to an existing course, the course menu must resolve itself in the destination course.  The Blackboard Help web site provides additional information on resolving copied course items.

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Details

Article ID: 59787
Created
Wed 8/8/18 9:48 AM
Modified
Tue 6/11/24 2:51 PM

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