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Blackboard Original: Export a Course

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Why Export?

In the event an instructor wants to preserve course content for use in the future, an export package can be created and saved to their local device or cloud-based storage repository.

The content of an export package includes:

  • Course content
  • Announcements
  • Blogs
  • Calendar
  • Contacts
  • Content Alignments
  • Discussions
  • Glossary
  • Grade Center Columns and Settings
  • Group Settings
  • Journals
  • Retention Center Rules
  • Rubrics
  • Tasks
  • Tests, Surveys, and Pools
  • Wikis

Bear in mind, some Blackboard Original course content types and settings will not convert when you import your package to an Ultra course shell.

Exporting a Course

From the Course Management header in the menu pane to the left of your Original course content area, expand Control Panel, then Packages and Utilities, and select Export Archive Course.

Image of Blackboard Original course menu pane with arrows indicating Control Panel and Packages and Utilities collapsible menus as well as red outline box framing Export/Archive course action link.

On the Export/Archive Course page, select Export Package. If you ultimately intend to import the course package in the future to a different Learning Management System (Canvas, Brightspace, Moodle, etc.), then select Export Common Cartridge Package.

Image of Export/Archive Course page, with red arrows indicating Export Package and Export Common Cartridge Package action buttons.

From the Export Course page and the File Attachments subheading, for Course Files Default Directory select “Copy links and include copies of the files in the course default directory” and for Files Outside of the Course Default Directory select “Copy links and include copies of the files outside of the course default directory”.

Image of Export Course page and File Attachments subheading options.  Arrows indicating "Copy links and include copies of the files outside of the course default directory" selected for both "Course Files Default Directory" and "Files Outside of the Course Default Directory" options.

From the Select Course Materials subheading, click the Select All button, select “Include only the forums, with no starter posts” from the Discussion Board option, then click Submit to generate the export file.

Image of Select Items list with arrow indicating Select All action button, Discussion Board sub-option for "Include only the forums, with no starter posts", and the Submit action button.

When the export package is ready, an email notification will be generated. Navigate back to the Export/Archive Course page and click the Refresh button. The export file should appear listed below. Click on the export file name to save the compressed file to your local device.

Image of Export/Archive Course page with arrows indicating Refresh action button and link to compressed export file name.

Export and archive packages are downloaded as compressed ZIP files and are imported or restored in the same format. Don’t unzip a package or delete files from the package, as then the contents can’t be imported correctly.

Note: User created export packages exports are available in Blackboard for 30 days from creation date. You will be notified of the expiration when they create, download, and in the course package list view for the course.

Contact Support

This article was created and is maintained by the Office of Academic Technology.

If you need assistance incorporating this article in your course, please contact an Educational Technologist.