Copying and Reusing Courses

Save time by duplicating existing courses instead of starting from scratch. This guide explains how to copy courses, use them as templates, and manage multiple cohorts effectively.

Duplicating Courses

Course duplication creates an exact copy of your course structure, materials, and quizzes.

When to Duplicate

• Teaching the same course to a new group
• Creating variations of a successful course
• Testing changes without affecting the original
• Preparing content for different difficulty levels

How to Duplicate a Course

1. Navigate to the Instructor Dashboard
2. Find the course you want to copy
3. Click the "..." (more options) menu
4. Select "Duplicate Course"
5. Enter a title for the new course
6. Click "Confirm" to create the copy

Tip: Give your duplicated course a clear name that distinguishes it from the original, such as "Course Name - Fall 2024" or "Course Name - Advanced Group".

What Gets Copied

When you duplicate a course, the following items are copied:

• Course title and description
• Difficulty level and settings
• All modules and their organization
• All uploaded materials
• All quizzes and questions
• Material visibility settings

What Doesn't Get Copied

The following items are not copied:

• Student enrollments
• Student progress data
• Quiz submissions and results
• Course state (copies start as DRAFT)
• Access links (new links are generated)

Important: Duplicated courses always start in DRAFT state, giving you time to review and modify before making them available to students.

Using Courses as Templates

Turn your best courses into reusable templates for consistent course creation.

Creating a Template Workflow

1. Design a well-structured "master" course
2. Include all standard materials and quizzes
3. Use placeholder text where customization is needed
4. Duplicate this course for each new instance
5. Customize the copy for your specific needs

Template Best Practices

• Clear structure: Organize modules consistently
• Generic content: Use placeholder text for dates and specifics
• Complete quizzes: Include all standard assessments
• Documentation: Add notes about what to customize

Tip: Create templates for different course types (workshop, lecture series, self-paced) to streamline your course creation process.

Managing Multiple Cohorts

When teaching the same course to different groups, proper organization is essential.

Cohort Organization Strategies

Naming Convention:

• Use consistent naming like "Course Name - Cohort 1"
• Include dates: "Course Name - January 2024"
• Add group identifiers: "Course Name - Group A"

Folder Organization:

• Keep related courses together in your dashboard
• Archive completed cohorts to reduce clutter
• Use tags or labels if available

Cohort Management Tips

1. Separate courses for each cohort: Don't reuse the same course
2. Archive after completion: Move finished cohorts to ARCHIVED state
3. Export data before archiving: Save reports and statistics
4. Review and improve: Update your template based on each cohort's feedback

Updating Course Content

When you improve your course content, you may want to update multiple versions.

Manual Updates

For existing courses:

1. Make changes to your master/template course
2. Manually apply the same changes to active courses
3. Or duplicate the updated template for new cohorts

Note: Changes to a duplicated course don't affect the original, and vice versa. Each course is independent.

Version Control Tips

• Keep notes about what you've changed and why
• Date your course versions
• Archive old versions rather than deleting them
• Export course data before major changes

Best Practices

Before Duplicating

• Ensure the original course is complete and reviewed
• Fix any errors in the original first
• Remove any test or placeholder content

After Duplicating

• Review all content in the new copy
• Update dates, times, and cohort-specific information
• Check that all materials are still relevant
• Test quizzes to ensure they work correctly

Long-Term Management

• Regularly review and update your templates
• Archive completed courses to keep your dashboard organized
• Export and backup important course data
• Document your course creation process

Troubleshooting

Duplication Fails

• Check your storage quota (duplicated courses use additional space)
• Ensure you have permission to copy the course
• Try refreshing the page and attempting again

Missing Content in Copy

• Some large files may need to be re-uploaded
• External links should be verified
• Check that all modules were copied correctly

Students Can't Access New Course

• Verify the new course is in LIVE state
• Share the new course link (old links won't work)
• Check material visibility settings

Next Steps

After creating a course copy:

• Review Course States to manage availability
• Update materials as needed for your new cohort
• Monitor Student Progress to compare cohort performance