Overview
To import the prior semester's course content into current or upcoming courses, instructors had to export the course and then re-import the course. Now instructors can use Canvas's built-in Course Import Tool to copy content between courses. When instructors reach out to ITS for course imports, the options that are most frequently chosen are:
Note: The prior method (export-import) is sometimes needed in special circumstances such as importing Classic Quiz Question Banks or when the instructor leaves the University and needs their content at their new university that is also using Canvas.
Special Notes:
- It's okay to make mistakes, ITS has a backup of your course (it is usually about 2 weeks behind; this means that if you copied something from a past course recently and then edited it; ITS can probably restore the original version of it but ITS won't be able to restore your edits if you have recently made changes.
- Please reach out to ITS if you would like help with course copies, we would be happy to help you!
- If you copy all content or include course settings in the selected content, the grade posting policy from the original course will override the grade posting policy in the new course. Additionally, imported assignments will retain their assignment posting policy and participation dates from the original course.
- If you import LTI content from a course, the external tool may need to be reconfigured in the course that receives the content for that content to be accessible (for example, you use an ebook in your prior course and reach to ITS to link it to course. You may need to do that again for the ebook to work properly).
- If you used LockDown Browser in your prior course and you have copied it into your current course, you need to go to the LockDown Browser Course Navigation Menu item and open it for the LockDown Browser Exams to work properly in the newly copied course.
- When selecting specific content and only importing a New Quiz with stimulus questions, the images associated with the stimulus question do not automatically import and need to be selected for import at the same time (you'll need to add the pictures for the quiz using Select Content and choose Files (your course pictures (including pictures for stimulus questions are stored in Course Files). Alternatively, you can re-upload them into the new course (Enter the new course > Choose Files (usually in the bottom left) > Upload (usually in the top right)
Instructions
Step 1: Open Settings
In Course Navigation, click the Settings link.
Step 2: Import Content into the Course
Click the Import Course Content link.
Step 3: Select Content Type
In the Content Type drop-down menu, select the Copy a Canvas Course option.
Step 4: Search for a Course
In the Search for a course drop-down menu [1], select the course you would like to access. Courses are ordered alphabetically by most recent term. You can also choose to include completed courses by selecting the completed courses checkbox [2]. The Include completed courses checkbox is selected by default.
To search for a course by name, enter the name in the Course Name field [3]. Click the name of the course when it appears.
Note: If you have access to more than 100 courses, the search page only displays the Course Name field.
Step 5: Select Migration Content
To import all content from the course, select the All Content button [1] and skip ahead to Step 6.
If you want to select specific content, select the Select specific content button [2] and keep reading.
Note: If you select the specific content option, you are required to select the content you want to import after you review the remaining page options. After you start importing the content, the import selection cannot be canceled. Contact ITS if you need to have your course "reset"
Note: If you are starting with a blank/new course for an upcoming course. The All Content is probably the better option of the two choices.
Select Specific Content
In the Current Jobs section, click the Select Content button.
Select All Group Content
Content can be individual items [1] or a content group [2]. Content groups show the number of items within the group. To view content within a group, click the group's expand icon [3].
To import all content for a content type, click the checkbox next to the content name [4]. If the content type is a group, Canvas automatically selects all items within the group.
Select Specific Group Content
To import only a few items from a content group, expand the group and select the specific items to be imported [1]. Canvas places a dash in the content group checkbox [2], indicating not all items are selected within the group (for example: you just want to import your Assignments to the new course).
During the Import Process, you can adjust the events and due dates of the content. The easiest route is to Remove the Dates because likely all the content dates will correspond to a prior term/year. However, this does mean that you will need to add new Due and Availability Dates to all course content. Click here to skip ahead to the Remove All Dates section or continue reading to see the alternative option (the alternative to Remove all Dates is "Shift Dates"). Shift Dates is useful if you are copying All Content and if you have a calendar in front of you(or if you already have your Due dates set on your Syllabus). You can use a calendar or Syllabus to shift the dates of the imported content to the current term. Be careful though; because an assignment that was due on Wednesday of the prior course may now be due on a Saturday of the current course if you make a mistake with your Date Shifting.
Shift Dates
If you want to shift dates in the course, select the Shift Dates button.
Set Beginning and End Dates
In the Beginning Date field [1], enter the starting date of the course you are importing. You can also click the Calendar icon to select a date. In the Change to field [2], enter the new date when you want the course to begin, or click the Calendar icon.
In the Ending Date field [3], enter the end date of the course you are importing, or click the Calendar icon to select a date. In the Change to field [4], enter the new date when you want the course to end.
Canvas will take the new start and end dates for the course and distribute all assignments with due dates as evenly as possible across the course dates and keep them due on the same day of the week as the original course. If the imported course and the new course vary in course length, assignments will be assigned proportionally. Once the course is imported, you can easily confirm and adjust any assignment dates using the Calendar.
Notes:
- If you use the Shift Due dates option, it is recommended to shift the due dates of imported content before students are enrolled in the course. If students are enrolled before course content is imported with due dates, students may not be able to submit work to those imported assignments.
Create Substitution Dates
You can also explicitly define day substitutions to adjust for changing class schedules, such as moving all assignments from Mondays to Tuesdays. To create a date substitution, click the Substitution button [1].
In the Move from field [2], select the day of the week; in the To field [3], select the new day of the week for the substitution.
To remove a substitution, click the Remove icon [4].
You can create as many substitution dates as necessary. Canvas will take the date substitutions and adjust assignments with due dates appropriately across the course dates.
If you want to remove all associated due dates in the course, select the Remove Dates button
Step 7: Press the Import Button
When you have chosen all of your settings, press the blue Import button. A progress bar will show that the import is taking place (you can leave the page while the import is occurring/it's safe to navigate away from the import page while is working).
When finished you'll either see a green Completed or an orange Completed status. The orange status indicates that errors were found during the import (typical errors are broken website links, missing pictures from pages, etc.) Click on the issues link next to the orange completed button to see what the errors are (for some errors you are able to click on the error and it will take you directly to the Canvas page that has the error)
Questions? Need Help?
If you have questions or need some help, please let ITS know by submitting a Raven Solutions request.