Putting "Old" Blackboard Content in an Ultra Course
WARNING: Blackboard will "let" you copy old Blackboard content directly into an Ultra course shell, but even though the copy job will run, the content will not be copied. You must convert your "old" Blackboard course to Ultra before you attempt to copy into Ultra, and this is true whether you run it as a "copy" job or an "export/import" job.
Until 2023, Wichita State will offer two course interfaces: "Old" Blackboard and Blackboard Ultra. When moving from semester-to-semester, it is important to remember that it is not possible to copy one course type into the other course interface. That is: instructors cannot copy Old Blackboard content into an Ultra course shell directly. Old Blackboard content can be copied or uploaded to Old Blackboard shells only, and Ultra content can be copied or uploaded to Ultra shells only.
If you want to use content from an Old Blackboard course in an Ultra course environment, here is what you need to do:
If your new course shell is still in Old Blackboard
- If all versions of your course are still showing in Old Blackboard, your task is very easy. Begin by logging into the course that you wish to copy.
- Find Packages and Utilities under Control Panel in the Course Management.
- Choose Course Copy.
- Under Select Copy Type, choose Copy Course Materials into an Existing Course.
- Under Select Copy Options, click Browse.
- Select the course into which you would like your content copied.
- Click Submit.
- Under Select Course Materials, you can choose the Select All option to copy everything.
You can also choose specific items that you want to copy.
- Ignore the File Attachments, and the Enrollments sections. Leave the default selected buttons as is.
- Note: If you are copying a course from pervious semester, checking the Include Enrollments in the copy enrolls your prior course’s students in your new course.
- Click Submit. Blackboard will send you an email message when the course copy is complete.
If the new course page is already open, do not forget to refresh page to see updates
after the copying contents.
- You will receive an email when the copy process is complete.
- Login to the new course and go through the steps to convert this course to Ultra.
If your new course shell is already in Ultra course format
- Until spring, 2023, all course shells will be automatically created in the Old Blackboard format. Unless the instructor has requested that their course be created in the Ultra course format from the start, it will be rare for instructors to encounter an empty course shell in the Ultra format. If you are unsure whether your course is in the Ultra course format, please contact the Office of Instructional Resources OIR@wichita.edu for help before you begin.
- Once you confirm that your new course shell is in the Ultra course format, it's time to return to the previous version of your course (the one in "Old" Blackboard).
- Once you have logged into your previous course, you will need to follow the steps to convert that version of your course to Ultra. This step must be completed before you can copy your course.
- Once the conversion process is complete, return to the course you want to copy and look for the ellipsis adjacent to the "Course Content" header inside your course. Click that elipsis and choose "Export Course Package" and do not include student activity data in your export. Wait 10-15 minutes for the process to complete.
- Once the process is complete, you will be able to click on the .zip file listed in the "Export Course Package" area and download it to your computer. On most computers, this file will be located in your "downloads" folder. Do not "unzip" the file. If you are on a Mac and the file unzips automatically, you will need to go to "Safari" > "Preferences" > "General" and "un-tick" the option that offers to "open safe files after downloading" and then download the package again. This is a step that only some Mac users have to do.
- Once you have downloaded the content package from your previous course version, click out of the course and find the new course shell and enter it.
- Once again, find the ellipsis to the right of the "Course Content" header and click it. Choose "Import Content" and find the .zip file in your Downloads folder, choose it, and the content will be automatically uploaded to your course. This step takes several minutes to complete.