Copy (Reuse) Content from an Existing Course into the Kent State Online Template

Copying a course on top of another course is a potentially complicated process.  If you have an existing course that you would like to have in the Kent State Online Template you can schedule a consultation to help walk you through the process.  Below is information you can refer to after your consultation or if you are familiar enough with Blackboard functions to complete the process on your own.

If you have an existing online course and would like to use the structure and support resources of the Kent State Online template, you will need to copy your existing course content into your course shell populated with the Kent State Online template.

The information provided below will detail how to reuse content, however, if this is your first time designing and developing a course in Blackboard Learn, we recommend that you first review the PDF document Getting Started with Course Content.

Note: When copying course content from one course to another, Blackboard Learn appends course content including all files, links, etc. of the source course being copied. None of the content in the destination course will be copied over or deleted. It is highly recommended that you review and "clean up" your course prior to copying. View Cleaning Up the Course Menu after a Course Copy for more information.

How to Copy (or Reuse) Course Content From An Existing Course

How to Copy (Reuse) Course Content from an Existing Course.pdf

Preparation

When building your course using the Kent State Online template, you may decide to integrate some structure or materials from a previous course you have taught online. It is easy to bring over these elements of your previous course by performing a Course Copy.

You have two options for copying content from one course to another. The first option is to do a Course Copy, which copies over course structure and materials in bulk. The other option is to copy over materials individually from one course to another.

OPTION 1: Course Copy

To get started, you will need to Log in to Blackboard Learn and open the source course, i.e. the course that contains the materials you would like to copy into the Kent State Online template.

Note: In order to copy course content from one course to another, you must be enrolled as the instructor in both the source and destination courses.

Step 1: Locate the Packages and Utilities Settings in the Control Panel

Once selected, the Packages and Utilities menu will expand to reveal more options (pictured in Step 2).

Step 2: Select the Course Copy Option

Once the Course Copy option is selected, the copy course page and options will appear.

Step 3: Select Copy Type

The first section of the Copy Course page allows you to select the type of copy you want to complete. Click the drop-down arrow next to Select Copy Type and select "Copy Course Materials into an Existing Course."  Depending on your Blackboard Learn user rights, this may be the only option you see. Regardless of your options, this is the option that you should select.

Step 4: Click the Browse Button to Select the Destination Course

The Select Copy Options section of the Course Copy page allows you to browse for the destination course. Once you click Browse, a new window will appear (pictured in Step 5).

Step 5: Locate and Select Destination Course

The new window will list only courses in which you are enrolled in the Instructor role. Locate and select the radio button next to the desired destination course. If you are enrolled in several courses, you may find it helpful to search for the course using the Course ID, Instructor, or Name. Click the Submit button to save your selection.

Step 6: Select the Content to Copy

Under Select Course Materials, you have the option to choose Select All or manually select the individual content areas you wish to copy. The options shown below indicate what will be copied if you choose Select All.

Step 7: Select File Attachments

The File Attachments section of the course copy page allows you to select the option for copying your file attachments. If you will be reusing the course content in your destination course, you must select the radio button next to "Copy links and copies of the content (include entire course home folder)." Once the radio button is selected, you will notice that Package Size options appear. It is not necessary for you to do anything with these options.

Step 8: Click Submit to Begin the Course Copy Process

Find the Submit button located at the bottom of the Copy Course Page. When you select this button, the copy process will begin.

Step 9: Wait for the Copy Process to Complete

Blackboard Learn will automatically update the progress of the course copy. When viewing your course list in Blackboard Learn, you should see a message just after the name of the destination course indicating the progress of the course copy. The message may read "Destination [course name] is Running" or "Destination [course name] is writing." Once the message(s) are no longer present, the copy is complete. You should also receive an email in your KSU email account confirming the course copy is complete. Check your junk folder if you do not find the confirmation message in your inbox.

Do not access the destination course before the copy is complete as you may interrupt the process. When you access the destination course after the copy process is complete, you will see a notification at the top of the home page.

Step 10: Cleaning up

Once the course copy process is complete, you will need to clean up the course menu and create a new banner for your course. For tutorials on how to do this, see the Build section of the Kent State Online Framework on the Kent State University Online Teaching website.

There may be an additional Total Column and/or Weighted Total Column in your Grade Center after importing your existing course. These should be removed to prevent confusion for you and the students.
Instructional materials on how to remove and navigate your Grade Center can be found in the Tools for Faculty area of the Kent State Blackboard Online Learning website.

OPTION 2: Copy Items Individually

To get started, you will need to Log in to Blackboard Learn and locate the item in the source course, i.e. the course that contains the material you would like to copy into the Kent State Online template.

Note: In order to copy course content from one course to another, you must be enrolled as the instructor in both the source and destination courses.

Also, it is not possible to copy tests/assessments individually. To copy tests/assessments, you must use the Course Copy option above and, at the minimum, select the "Tests, Surveys, and Pools" box in Step 6 of those instructions. You will then manually redeploy each test or assessment in the new course after the copy completes.

Step 1: Navigate to the Item to be Copied and Click the Options Icon

A new drop-down menu will appear. Select "Copy" from this menu.

Step 2: Select the Destination Course

Click the drop-down menu next to Destination Course to view a list of courses in which you are enrolled in the Instructor role. Select the course into which you'd like to copy the item.

Step 3: Select the Destination Folder

Click the "Browse..." button to bring up a box with the destination course folder structure.  Click the location where you'd like your copied item to reside in the destination course.

Step 4: Click Submit

Click Submit to copy the item to the new course. You will then be able to navigate to the new course and access the item.

 
Need additional help?

Downloadable training documents as well as links to support materials can be found in the Tools for Faculty within the Kent State Blackboard Online Learning website.

For any assistance with Blackboard please visit http://support.kent.edu and submit a ticket or call 672-HELP (24x7). Faculty can also make an appointment with the Blackboard Support Center at 241 Stewart Hall (9:00 am-5:00 pm) by filling out a Request Form.