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Courses: copy modules and courses, and know when to start a new course version

Elizabeth
  • Updated

Summary

Learn how and when to use library modules, when to copy modules or courses, and when to create a new version of a course.

The module library, module copying, course copying and creating new course version features are available to all customers.

Note: copying content from one portal to another works differently from copying content within a portal. This article addresses copying and making versions within a single portal.

Overview

One powerful feature in LearnUpon is the ability to use and re-use modules and courses within a portal.

You can use library modules to provide the same content in multiple courses unchanged. You keep content consistent, and update centrally.

Alternately: you can copy an existing course module as a starting point, and customize its content. For example, add a mention of a local office and local contacts for regional versions of a course.

The way you choose content for your course determines:

  • what content stays "single-source", so that any change applies to every instance of the content
  • what content is a copy you can edit freely, without affecting the original

When a course's content needs updating, you can make many small- to medium-sized changes without requiring a new version of a course.

Consider the outcome you want, to decide which method to use to copy and re-use content in LearnUpon.

If you no longer need a course, you can archive it without creating a new version. See Archive a course.

Scenario 1: I need "standard" content in every course, but my course layouts vary

Use library modules: see Library: your portal’s reuseable modules for how-to instructions about creating and adding library modules to a course.

Adding library modules creates an identical image of the module in your course: any changes to the module appear immediately in the library, and in any courses that use the library module.

Library modules don’t have enrollments, even if they’re used in other courses. Adding a library module to your course you won’t affect other course enrollments.

Scenario 2: Every course needs the same settings and options, but I need to add more content

In this setting you can use a course as a template or boilerplate for future courses:

For each new course:

  • copy the template in Draft status: see Courses: copy a course
  • add more modules to tailor and customize the course

Every time you copy this course, you’ll get the same “base”, including any modules in the course when you copy it. These modules are images of the originals. If you change the modules, the changes appear in the original versions as well.

The course settings, while copies of a previous course, are editable. For example: you can create 4 copies of a course, 1 for each quarter of a year, and set their due dates and expiry dates accordingly at the course level.

You can add new content modules to the course, without affecting the “base” of the template.

Each course copy is a new course, with separate enrollments. Copying a course doesn’t affect enrollments for the original course or the new course.

Scenario 3: I need the main content of an existing module, but need to add or change the rest of the content

In this setting:

  • copy modules from an existing course or from the library: see Courses: copy a module
  • when you copy modules from another course, your copy is a new module. You can edit it freely without affecting the original version

Copying a module from an existing course doesn’t affect enrollments, for the original course or the course with the copy.

Note: in LearnUpon terms, copying a module from the library is different from adding a module from the library.

Copying a library module gives you an editable copy of your existing content.

Adding a library module means the module in your course is an image of the one in the library. If you edit the module, the changes appear in the library, and in any courses using the module.

Scenario 4: I need to update the content of my existing course

Changes you can make without starting a new version include:

  • editing Text & Image modules: adding and removing segments, aka the smallest “chunks” of content
  • adding photos, links and formatting to current modules
  • updating a video, aka removing an existing video and uploading a new version, along with its VTT (closed captions) file
  • updating an audio file
  • replacing a SCORM or Tin Can module with another that has the same structure: see Replace a SCORM or Tin Can (xAPI) module in a course
  • editing existing exam questions in a question pool - for example, to correct a typo, or add a larger range of answer options. Edits appear immediately in exams, wherever the question is in use
  • changing the number of questions you use in a question pool, for an exam
  • editing an assignment or its settings, including adding more attachments

Changes you make that require a new version:

  • adding modules of any type to a course
  • deleting modules of any type from a course
  • adding or removing exam questions in a question pool
  • changing a SCORM or Tin Can module - if your new module is significantly different from the previous one, you need a new course version
  • updating ILT modules to add new sessions

Note: Live Learning events work differently from LearnUpon’s legacy ILTs, and allow you to add new sessions to an existing module without creating a new version of the course. See Live Learning: overview and features.

Creating a new version of a course can affect enrollments for learners who are Not Started or In Progress on their course. It doesn’t affect learners who have Completed the course: their enrollment is finished.

You choose how to handle these enrollments when you publish the new version. See Publish a new version of a course.

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