Importing course components from a file

You can import components created in other learning managements systems, provided by content vendors, or created in a content creation program (like Respondus). To import components, you must have a file containing the components in a format supported by the Import tool.

For assistance creating an export file from another software package, see the user documentation provided with that software, or contact your site administration if you need further assistance.

Tip You can also import components from the Learning Object Repository (LOR).

1. Go to the Import/Export/Copy page for your course offering. To access this page, do one of the following:
   • Click the Edit Course link on your course navigation bar, then click Import/Export/Copy Components.
   • In the Course Administration widget on your course homepage, click Import/Export/Copy Components..
2. On the Import/Export/Copy page, select Import Components and from a file.
3. Click Browse and then locate and select the import file. This is the file created when you exported the content from another software package or another Desire2Learn course, or the file provided by a content vendor.
4. Click Next.
5. The Preprocessing screen appears showing the progress as the system downloads and opens the file. A green check mark appears next to each stage as it is completed. Depending on the size of the selected file, the preprocessing phase might take some time to complete.
6. When both stages are complete, click Next.
7. In the Import Options section at the top of the page, specify the import settings you want to use:
8. • If you want to import files into a sub-directory under your course offering’s root directory, enter the sub-directory path in the Import file to field. If you leave this field blank, imported files are saved in the root directory (shown above the Import file to field).
   • Specify what should happen if a file in the import package has the same name as a file that already exists in the destination directory. If you select Overwrite the existing file, the file that already exists is replaced with the file in the import package. If you select Do not overwrite the existing file, the new file with the same name will not be imported.
   • To import metadata, select the Import metadata check box. Metadata is information someone has entered about the components in the file. Selecting this option does not necessarily mean that metadata is imported—the import package might not contain any metadata. This setting simply tells the import process what to do if metadata is encountered.
9. In the Select Components to Import section, all of the components found in the import file are listed. Select the components you want to import using the check boxes next to each component.
10. To import only certain items from a component, choose Select individual items to import. This will allow you to select, individual quizzes, content topics, dropbox folders, etc.
11. Click Next.
12. If you chose Select individual items to import for any component in the previous step, the Select Items page appears. (Otherwise, the Confirm Import Selections page appears.) This page lists all of the items and any sub-items contained in the current component. For example, on the Select Content Items page, all of the modules, sub-modules, and topics are listed.
    • Select the individual items and sub-items you want to import and click Next.
    • To view sub-items, click the + Expand icon next to an item or click Expand All at the top of the list.

      Note Not all components have sub-items.

    • Repeat for each component you want to import individual items from.
    • When you have finished selecting individual items from components, the Confirm Import Selections page appears. You can change the items selected within a component by clicking Modify. You can also review and modify the import settings.
13. Click Next to begin the import.
    • The Importing Course Material page appears, showing the import progress.
    • When a component has been successfully imported, a green check mark appears beside it. If any component fails to import properly, a red X appears beside it.
14. When the process is finished, click Next to see a final summary screen with a list of any notes or warnings. For example, if you import a content topic that is not associated with a module, a module is created for it and this action is listed on the final summary screen.

Note If course components with the same name as the course components you are importing already exist in the course, you will end up with multiple course components with the same name. Likewise, if you import multiple files that contain course components with the same name you will have duplicates. For example, if your course contains a discussion topic called "Exam Review" and you import a course package that contains a discussion topic called "Exam Review," your course will contain two topics called "Exam Review."

See also

• Course import compatibility
• IMS Common Cartridge
• Copying course components between org units
• Exporting course components
• About Learning Repository