What is the course layout?
The ‘course layout’ includes content you can add to your course shell in Blackboard Learn Ultra to increase consistency between courses. This helps students because it reduces cognitive load when acclimating to your course.
Want to try it?
If you have not heard about the course layout and would like to have it copied into a blank course or sandbox, please submit a request.
How to Copy Courses with the Course Layout
Option 1
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Start from a Blank Course
To simplify the course copy process, start with the course layout and then copy what you want from another course(s).
1. Submit an Online Course Request to have the course layout copied into your new, blank course. This layout will include:
- Faculty: Start Here folder
- New to Blackboard? Quick Start Resources document
- Getting Started module
- Drake Resources and Support module
- Instructor Notes (blank)
- A learning module to get you started
2. Instead of copying the entire previously taught course, use the granular copy process and select only the content you want to reuse. To avoid duplicates and outdated content, do not copy these items:
- Faculty: Start Here folder
- Getting Started module
- Drake Resources and Support module
- ITS Support link
- Help & Resources
Visibility
Except for the Faculty folder, please verify the modules and the items inside are visible. If needed, use Batch Edit to make each layer of the folder visible.
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Option 2
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Start from a Copied Course that Includes Previous Course Layout
If you copied a course with the course layout, you may end up with some duplicate content. Because this can confuse students, please take a few minutes to delete any duplicates (see cleanup instructions below).
Course Layout Components
The course layout includes four main parts that are grouped together. If you have one or more of these components in the course you copied, please be sure to update to the latest version of each.
Your course only needs the latest version of each one:
- Faculty: Start Here folder
- New to Blackboard? Quick Start Resources document
- Getting Started module
- Drake Resources and Support module
Check the revision date found in the Description of the "Faculty: Start Here" folder. Keep the latest version and the two modules after it (i.e., Getting Started and Drake Resources and Support).
Instructor Notes
You only need one Instructor Notes document. If you took Instructor Notes during the previous offering, we recommend you keep and update the original document and delete the blank version.
Review and Clean up your Course Content
- Review your Course Content to see if you have any duplicates.
- Before deleting anything, check the Getting Started folder for content you want to keep (e.g., Syllabus, Meet Your Instructor).
- For items you want to keep, drag them out of the Getting Started module.
- Delete the duplicates of these items:
- ITS Support (link)
- Faculty | Start Here
- Getting Started | Syllabus and Course Information
- Drake Resources and Support
- Help & Other Resources
- Drag the items you moved in step 2a to the new Getting Started module.
Visibility
Except for the Faculty folder, please verify the modules and the items inside are visible. Use Batch Edit to make each layer of the folder visible.
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If you are interested in the course layout but don’t have it in your courses or sandboxes, submit a request.