Creating an Archive Package of Your Blackboard Learn Course Shell Instructional Technology and Design • North Shore Community College

In Blackboard Learn, you can create a course archive package of your course content that contains both content and student data (enrollment information, student activity data, grades, etc.) This package is a comprehensive copy of a Blackboard Learn course site that can be stored on your computer or another storage device. This course archive package can then be imported into an empty Blackboard Learn course shell by Instructional Technology and Design. This package is useful for keeping grading and student activity records of past courses.

A course archive package contains both content and student data. If you only want course content, you will want to create a course export package. Course packages are downloaded as compressed ZIP files and are imported to Blackboard Learn in the same format. Do not unzip a package or delete files from the package, otherwise you will not be able to import it successfully.

To Create a Blackboard Learn Course Archive Package: 1. Log into Blackboard Learn and go to your course. 2. In the Control Panel, click Packages and Utilities. 3. Click Export/Archive Course. 4. Click Archive Course button. 5. On the Archive Course page, review the settings. a. For Select Copy Options, be sure to check off Include Grade Center History in order to include additional Grade Center information in the package. This makes the snapshot of the course more comprehensive as it will include information related to changed grades, multiple submissions, etc. If you decide not to check that option off, the package will still contain grade data (final and most current Grade Center information only). b. For Course Files Default Directory, Copy links and include copies of the files in the course default directory is selected by default. c. For Files Outside of the Course Default Directory, Copy only links to files stored outside of the course default directory is selected by default. Or, you can select Copy links and include copies of the files outside of the course default directory in order to include copies of files in other locations (e.g., files linked to your personal content collection, such as library reserve documents and/or media files).

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NOTE: You can check the size of the package you are creating by clicking Calculate Size (under Package Size option) as well as Manage Package Contents. This is your opportunity to select course content files or folders that you do not want included in the package. The allowed archive package size set by NSCC is 1 GB. 6. Click Submit. 7. The archive package will process and an email will be sent to you when completed. Or, you can wait a few minutes and click Refresh. After refreshing, you will see a link to a file. Click on the contextual menu (chevron) and select Open. This will allow you to download the archive package and save it to your computer or external storage device.

Important Recommendations and Tips 1. If you need a course restored (in order to access the student data or retrieve specific information), contact Instructional Technology and Design at [email protected] for assistance. 2. You can use an archive package to copy content into an empty course shell. Note: Only your course content will be brought over (no student data, enrollment, interactivity, grades, etc.) a. To import course content: i. Within your empty course> go to Control Panel > Packages and Utilities > Import Package/View Logs. ii. Click Import Package > Go over the settings (including locating the archive file – select a package). iii. Click Submit. 3. To avoid duplication, do not try to import a course archive package back into the original course site.

Please send us an email at [email protected] if you need run into problems or need help with creating archive packages.

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