Export Course

You use the Export Course feature to copy your course content each term within Blackboard. For example, you export your Fall course(s) and import it into your Spring course(s). The Export Course feature creates a “zip” file that you then save to your computer for either importing into a new course or for saving to serve as a “back-up” copy of your course content. An Export Course file does not include any user interactions with the Course—it only includes the content and the tools. You can not view any information within the file, it can only be viewed once imported into a Blackboard course shell.

Note: 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 import correctly.

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• From the Control Panel
• Select Packages and Utilities
• Select Export/Archive Course
  Note: If this is your first time exporting your course, you will see a message that says, “No packages exist for this course.”
• Choose Export Package
  
  • 
• Select Copy Options – default, displays the title of the course to be exported
• File Attachments (recommended settings)
  
  • Choose – Copy links and include copies of the files in the course default directory
  • Choose – Copy only links and include copies of the files outside of the course default directory
  • 
• Select Course Materials –
  • Choose the Select All button
    • Scroll down and find Settings
    • Uncheck Settings
    • Recheck: Banner Image and Navigation Settings only
      
  • OR you can manually select the checkboxes for the items you want to export, see below for recommendations.
• Select Submit
  IMPORTANT: during high volume times (Start/End of Semester the queued process can take longer. Please make sure you only select the SUBMIT button ONCE.
  
• A colored confirmation bar appears: “Success: This action has been queued. An email will be sent when the process is complete.”
  • 
• Wait a few minutes, then select the Refresh button. Once the export package is ready a link to the export file will appear.
• Select the link for the most recent export file package – check the Date Created column
• 
• Select Save or Save File and one of two things will happen
  
  1. Your file automatically saves to your Downloads folder
  2. You are prompted to choose a location to save the export file to (i.e. the desktop or your H: Drive).
• The exported file will be saved as a compressed file (.zip format).
• The next step is to import the exported package into your new course(s).

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Additional Tutorials:

• Import Course
• Archive Course

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Selecting Content to Export Manually

• • Must: Content Areas and all content below
  • Adaptive Release Rules for Content – If you are using this feature it is recommended that you do not select it as the settings are based on previous students and semesters. However, you may have a need to use the same settings each semester. Remember you can change the rules anytime.
  • Announcements – if you want to reuse old announcements it’s a Must
  • Blogs – if you use this feature a Must
  • Calendar – if you use this feature a Must
    
  • Must: Contacts
  • Content Alignments – ignore this option, we do not use this tool at this time
  • Must: Discussion Board
    • Then select one of the following options
      • Include starter posts for each thread in each forum (anonymized) – this option will bring the forum questions and the first initial posts made by students and you
        
      • Include only the forums, with no starter posts – this option will only bring the forum questions – no posts (Recommended Option)
  • Glossary – if you use this feature a Must
  • Must: Grade Center Columns and Settings
  • Group Settings – if you use this feature a Must
  • Journals – if you use this feature a Must
  • Retention Center Rules – if you use this feature a Must
  • Rubrics – if you use this feature a Must
  • Must: Settings – ONLY SELECT:
    • Banner Image
    • Navigation Settings
  • Tasks – if you use this feature a Must
  • Must: Tests, Surveys, and Pools
  • Wikis – if you use this feature a Must