The VIULearn Import/Export/Copy Components tool allows you to export all (or a selection of) your course content to be stored offline. The exported course (called a Brightspace package) can be imported back into VIULearn or another Brightspace installation in the future.
Consider exporting your course:
- At the end of term, to keep a record of what the course looked like to students that term.
- Before making major changes to course activities or content.
- Weekly or more often if you are developing a course.
- Go to Faculty Tools located in the course navigation bar and select Course Admin from the dropdown menu.
- Select Import/Export/Copy Components.
- Select Export as a Brightspace Package.
- Click Start.
- Check Select All Components and click Continue.
- On the confirmation page that loads, check the box next to Include course files in the export package and then click Export.
- On the Export Started page that loads, click Done.
- When your export has finished, you will be notified in your Update Alerts. When you receive the alert, click the Updates Alert and select Export Finished from the dropdown menu.
- Click the blue Click here to download the export Zip package link to download your Brightspace package.
- Once you have downloaded the Brightspace package, click Done.
- Go to Faculty Tools located in the course navigation bar and select Course Admin from the dropdown menu.
- Select Import/Export/Copy Components.
- Select Export as a Brightspace Package.
- Click Start.
- Check the box beside any components you want to export.
If you want to export only some items from a category (for example: a single content module) choose the Select individual items to export radio button. - Click Continue.
If you chose Select individual items to export, you will see a screen allowing you to select each of the items you want to import. When you have selected all of the items, click Continue. - On the confirmation page confirm that the components you want to export are selected. If you need to make changes, click Modify.
- Check the box to Include course files in the export package and then click Export.
- On the Export Started page that loads, click Done.
- When your export has finished, you will be notified in your Update Alerts. When you receive the alert, click the Updates Alert and select Export finished from the dropdown menu.
- Click the Click here to download the export Zip package link to download your Brightspace package.
- Once you have downloaded the Brightspace package, click Done.
Important Information about Course Exports
Editing Course Export Packages
When you export your course, you will download a .zip folder which is your "export package." This file will be automatically named by VIULearn and you will likely want to rename this folder in order to help you identify the course backup in the future. Renaming the .zip folder will not prevent you from importing the course in the future as long as you keep the .zip at the end.
If you need to edit the files within the export package, please be advised that any changes made to the organization of the files in the export package (such as changing a file name, adding a new file, or moving files into sub-folders) will prevent you from importing the course package into VIULearn. If you have questions about how to make changes to your course files outside of VIULearn, please contact learnsupport@viu.ca for assistance.
Links and Associations Between Components
If you are exporting or importing linked or associated components, you must export and import all of the related components at the same time.
For example, if a discussion topic has release conditions based on the results of a quiz, you must export and import all three components—discussions, quizzes, and release conditions—at the same time.
Similarly, if you are importing a Content Module that files have been uploaded into, be sure to export and import both the module and the associated files in the Manage Files tool at the same time.
As long as the associated components are exported and imported together, links between them are retained.
Tip: We recommend that you export the entire course to ensure you maintain all desired associations and then delete any undesired material in the new course.
Student Data
Student data is not included in the course export. That means that discussion posts, assignment submissions, quiz attempts, grades and any other data associated with an individual student will not be part of your exported course. If you need to keep a backup of that information, there will be information on how to do on our support pages for those tools. You can also contact learnsupport@viu.ca for assistance with exporting student data.