Copying a previous course is a great way to save time in preparing your course. However, copying can also create some problems. But with a few steps, you can streamline your course prep and have a fully functioning course.

Keep in mind when you copy a course, everything can be copied. That means all assignments, tests, discussions that appear to the students in the course as well as those that are visible only to the instructor. That can mean confusing due dates – they copy exactly from the previous offering, extra columns in the grade center and grades that don’t display properly.

LIT has prepared a checklist to help you through this process:

1. Check Content, Revise/Replace Documents as needed. Make sure content is in the appropriate location. Consult your department for any specific requirements.
2. Use Link Checker to Check all External Links
   Documentation for Link Checker: http://tinyurl.com/zsgz9s6
3. Check all links embedded in content items – Link Checker does not check these links.
4. Check YouTube and other Mashup Content, is the media still available? Choose replacements as needed. Check other third-party content like Atomic Learning and Lynda/Linked in videos, too. As we refine the academic technology toolkit, some tools may be replaced and content will also need to be replaced.
5. Check Quizzes/Tests/Assignments – Revise/Replace as necessary.
6. Revise and Replace Syllabus – Don’t leave a previous semester’s syllabus in your course. Please include the word “syllabus” in the name of the file and attach it in the content item’s “Attachments” section.
7. Grade Center Clean-Up – Remove any unneeded columns (from quizzes/tests/assignments that have been removed) and make sure grade calculations include the correct columns/categories and weighting. If you are adding assignments, make sure the grades calculate properly. CPCE courses are based on 1000 points added assignments can inflate this value.
   Remove any grading Schemas not in use: https://wp.me/a68PO8-qu
8. Run Date Management and correct due dates and release dates associated with items.
   Documentation for Date Management: http://tinyurl.com/z9p25gg
9. Check to make sure settings on Discussion Forum are appropriate for your course and allow students to create new threads. We discourage allowing students to delete their own posts because most online and hybrid courses require students to reply to other students’ posts and deleting posts with replies could impact grades.

This information is available as a pdf.

Follow these steps and you’ll be off to a good start of the semester.