Copy a previous course into a new course shell (Accelerator)

Owned by Rob Caldwell
Last updated: Jul 01, 2022
2 min read

This article will help summer accelerator teachers import previous courses into new course shells.

Instructions for Importing a Canvas Course

  1. Go to your new empty course shell in Canvas

  2. On the course home page choose Add Existing Content

    Canvas course home page that snows a button for adding existing content

     

Copying a Canvas Course

  1. Use the content type pull-down menu to choose Copy a Canvas Course

  2. Search for the course you wish to copy, paying special attention to the year and term

  3. Choose to "Select Specific Content"

  4. Click the "Import" button

Select Content to Copy

  1. Choose to select content

     

  2. Check every option, EXCEPT for:

  • Course Settings

  • Announcements

  • Calendar Events

  • If you import calendar events, you will often end up with the zoom meeting links from the previous course showing up alongside the new course links, causing confusion.

Check the Course start and end dates

When importing a previous course, the start and end date of the new course may be overwritten. After importing the previous course, please double-check the start and end date of the new course.

  1. The “participation” mode should be set to Course (not term)

  2. Set the correct start and end date. (Note that the start date defaults to 12 am and the end date defaults to 11:59 pm)

  3. Make sure the box is checked to “restrict students from viewing course before start date”

Be sure to press “save” on the bottom of the settings screen.

Edit Assignment Due Dates

Once you have imported your previous course, be sure to edit assignment due dates. An easy way to do this is to:

  1. Go to Assignments in your course

  2. On the main assignments page, use the more options button to choose Edit Assignment Dates. This will allow you to change all assignment dates at the same time.